To think that plane seats are WAY too small?

[HennyPennyHorror]

I've just flown long haul...a 7 hour and then a 12 hour journey.

I am a small person, short and light....about a size UK10. It was AGONY. My back hurt and my legs hurt and I was so uncomfortable on the 12 hour stretch that I thought I'd go loopy.

I really felt for the man next to me who wasn't at all fat but was a very big guy....tall and with huge shoulders and all that. He was obviously worse off than me....how on earth do people who're larger cope? It must actually hurt them?

I think having three seats together as they do on Emirates is awful...and that as people are now larger than ever, they should seriously consider making them bigger.

They’re not very comfortable at all. It’s not just the size of the seat but being so close to the ones in front and behind. I get claustrophobic.

If they made them bigger then they would not fit as many seats on the plane and the prices would increase to compensate for this. I don't want the prices to go up, I would rather suffer a little bit of discomfort for a few hours.

Yes definitely! The woman in front of me had really long hair and kept flicking it so it would hang over my tv screen! The feeling of wanting to jump up and scream was strong!

Hilary Have you ever flown really long haul though? I could put up with it for 7 hours but 12? Madness.

I’m a size 18 and find other people’s selfish behaviour makes it far harder than the small seats! Hair everywhere, arms and elbows everywhere, seats laid back through dinner. People are wazzarks.

We did 13.5 hrs, 7hrs, 4hrs in one go recently. I'm a size 12.

I don't think they're too small necessarily, they're just SO hard and uncomfortable.

But if they increased the size of seats meaning they couldn't get as many on the plane then the price of flights would go up massively.

I'd rather be squished and uncomfortable for a day than not be able to afford to travel at all.

Just read this too

Flyers Rights claims the width of a standard economy seat has decreased from an average of 18.5 inches to just 17 since the early 2000s.

The space between an economy seat back and the one in front of it — also called the “pitch” — has also shrunk, from an average of 35 inches to 31 inches. And on the shortest end, the pitch in some planes is only 28 inches.

So that figures since Ive not flown long haul since the early 200s. It wasn't as bad back then.

Hop Oh yes! The recliners! I don't mind reclining when it's not meal time..but if you get on a 7 hour flight and the stewards keep the lights on....sit up for fecks sake!

Mind you they always tell people to unrecline at meal time...I saw this in action.

I also think they need to rethink the meals. Serving up stinking and bad quality curry on a flight! Stupid!

They should serve sandwiches and salads. People won't die for lack of a disgusting hot meal.

Op, you chose to fly economy. If you wish a bigger seat they are available in business class. You just have to pay for it. And you can even pay for extra leg room seats etc in economy,

But you're not going to get a bigger seat for the price you pay for an economy one, because they need to fit a certain amount of people in to keep costs down,

So yes you're being unreasonable, because you're posting like you didn't have a choice of seats. You did,

The customer is king, and as long as the vast majority of Economy passengers care only about getting the cheapest possible fare, they will continue to get what they pay for in terms of space, comfort and amenities.

Many long-haul carriers now offer a ‘premium economy’ cabin for people who are prepared to pay for more space. In practice, relatively few are and the cabin is often used for upgrading frequent flyers who have booked Economy tickets.

I’m quite small, but it’s the hardness of the seats that annoys me. Lightweight foam padding would add almost nothing to the payload of the aircraft, but make the seats much thicker and more comfortable. I envy chubby folk with better padded arses!

I take 4 return flights a year between UK and NZ. Just one leg is 17 hours non stop between NZ and Dubai. Then I get off and get on a 10 hour flight to London. 12 and 7 hours is nuffink!

But if you want more room you can. It's called Premium Economy or Business class. It's costs more because they take up more space. Pure economy. You just need to decide if you want to pay £4K for your flight rather than £500

Bluntness Op, you chose to fly economy. If you wish a bigger seat they are available in business class. You just have to pay for it. And you can even pay for extra leg room seats etc in economy

But you're not going to get a bigger seat for the price you pay for an economy one, because they need to fit a certain amount of people in to keep costs down

This. I do a regular long haul route. For years I flew economy which cost anywhere between £400-800 depending on dates. I don't remember it not being packed.

I eventually tired of the backache, the exhaustion, the other people... I now fly business which costs about £1800, or first, which is anywhere from £3000-£6000. So clearly it is significantly more ££. But I get to sleep, relax, lie flat and have personal space without people jammed up next to me. Paying that (and I do have to save quite hard for it) is worth the benefits to me.

It's a choice all passengers make - an expensive one - but it is still a choice.

I recently flew a 7 hour flight and it was horrendously uncomfortable.
Last year I flew 14 hours. Also, in economy different airline. Totally different experience. Did get bit uncomfy towards the end of the flight but 7 hours in I was fine. 3 hours into my more recent 7 hour flight I was in a bad way comfort wise.

Also did a 8 hour flight in February, again a different airline - sear not too bad again but in-flight service an absolute joke.

I do think it differs between airlines and aircraft.

The 'why don't you fly first class/business class' comments are very annoying. Not everyone can afford that. Or should it only be people who are well-off/wealthy who are allowed to be comfortable on planes?

It's the same with coach trips. The seats are painfully close together and small. Me and DH are not big people; and we were quite squashed for 16 hours on a trip to Paris a couple of years ago. Never again!

@HenryPenryHorror

YANBU

We can't all afford to fly business! It still cost me over a thousand dollars. For that price, I expect a decent seating arrangement.

I definitely cannot "choose" to fly anything other than economy. I still think that the seating is hazardous. And if it's true that they've made them smaller over the past years, then someone needs to do some investigation into how this has impacted people's health.

The 'why don't you fly first class/business class' comments are very annoying. hmm Not everyone can afford that.

It is the only answer though. Nobody's forcing people to fly.

What possible reason do airlines have to (for example/argument's sake) remove entire rows or columns of seats in economy, to give their cheapest fares more leg/elbow room ? Their planes are already full of passengers? Remove capacity, and that will go on the ticket price for everyone else.

They are profit-seeking corporations with shareholders demanding returns on investment - and those shareholders likely include companies managing pension and investment products you or I hold. So you're arguing for diminished financial returns and reduced capacity for no justifiable reason. All so people who (already knew the deal when buying) spend 12hrs in a marginally less uncomfortable chair?

I'm about the same size as you OP and I agree that the seats can be very uncomfortable. It totally depends who you fly with though. I usually fly with BA or Virgin and I think they've both made an effort recently to make their seats more comfortable. I'd hate to fly really long haul though - we manage up to 8 hours but anything more than that and I think I'd go doolally.

My DH has to bend his neck in some plane seats so his head fits in - its really uncomfortable for him(tall) Obviously he tries to get aisle seats and some airlines are better than others, but he flies with work and they pay and book so he can't just fly business class if work wont pay.

I still think that the seating is hazardous.

You can think that, but it isn't true.

Full aircraft have to be emergency evacuated in ~90seconds (according to model).
Air travel is one of the most tightly regulated and H&S'd industries going. There are people and organisations who spend their entire working lives focusing on these issues.

When air travel began, it was this strange new world and they didn't think in terms of passenger loads and stuff like that. It was exclusive and for the rich only. The changes over the years are what made air travel accessible to everyone, not just millionaires and rock stars.

yabu
just flew ryanair and the seats in the (very new) plane were very comfortable. (a tall size 14 here)

Buzz that's a ridiculous attitude. I live abroad....because that's where my work is. Yes it was a choice but people make choices all the time and I have as much right as someone richer, to expect that my expensive ticket will offer a modicum of comfort.

I don't expect the same level of comfort as first class but neither do I expect to be jammed into a tiny area with people much larger than me.

I do think it must impact people's health. Sitting that still for that many hours must cause more clots than sitting in a larger space.

Buzz - genuinely interested as you seem to know about this - what about blood clots or 'softer' injuries, things like my DH neck. Is there research into that.

I totally understand its cheap to fly and that the industry is very regulated but I do wonder about things that happen at home after. How many people are getting back pain for instance.