In-flight legroom debate rages on

A major airplane manufacturer has announced plans for a 200 seat version of it’s best selling narrow body airliner. This plane started life accommodating just 100 passengers and while it has definitely become larger it isn’t twice as big as it was in the 60s.

The press release no doubt was silent about the seat pitch, which is the distance between two rows of seats.

As passengers have demanded ever lower fares, airlines have been forced to cram ever increasing numbers of seats into planes in order to maximise their revenue. At the same time statistics indicate that people have generally grown both taller and wider.

These two trends have joined forces to ensure that modern economy travel is a nightmare. Despite this, airlines have not changed their seat designs which still retain the ability to recline born in an era of abundant legroom. This issue has been in the headlines in the recent past after three separate flights were forced to divert after disagreements over seat reclining got out of hand.

There is no doubt that a passenger who reclines his seat changes the experience for the person behind them from merely uncomfortable to unbearable. The comfort obtained from reclining is marginal at best, yet the inconvenience to your neighbour is immense. Done without any prompting you, someone who reclines his seat can spill your food or even drop your laptop.

Involve cash

Several solutions have been proposed, some more practical than others. People at the back could pay those in front to not use their space. Alternatively, they could use a device called a knee defender that prevents a seat from reclining.

Airlines of course have the option of installing seats that do not recline. They are lighter, save fuel and require less maintenance.

However, only a few low-cost carriers have installed them. First any such installation would involve cash which most airlines don’t have. I also suspect that a legacy airline that tries to differentiate itself this way will likely lose customers.

While the tide is definitely turning against seat reclining, it is possible that the majority of passengers still prefer to have the ability when they need it. For long haul travel it might even be indispensable.

Passengers could also take the most legal option available to them at the moment, which is to buy extra legroom from the airline. Those with more cash can opt for a business class seat which reclines fully into a bed.

All this ignores the social contract, the unwritten rules that we all obey lubricate our interactions with other people. Travellers have inundated etiquette columns with questions as to whether this practice is socially acceptable.

In general, it is inconsiderate to recline your seat knowing just how much you are inconveniencing your fellow traveller. Unfortunately as long as airlines allow it and passengers purchase tickets which implicitly include the cost of a reclining seat, we will just have to accept it.

Dr Ondieki is a pilot with an international airline.