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Honey, they shrunk my aircraft legroom

As seats get smaller and passengers bigger, Oliver Smith reveals which airlines provide the most and least space

How much more cramped are planes today than in aviation’s “golden age”? On those early jets, econ- omy class “pitch” (the distance between two rows of seats) ranged from 34 to 36 inches. The Boeing 707 offered 34 inches and so did the first 747s. Even in 1985, US airline Southwest still offered 35 inches in economy, while United had an upper limit of 36. None of the country’s four biggest airlines – the others being American and Delta – went below 31.

Fast forward to 2022 and – according to the website SeatGuru – none of the four go above 33, while two (American and United) go as low as 30.

In 1990, The Telegraph compared seat pitch on airlines. For long-haul flights, Lufthansa, Qantas and Virgin all offered 34 inches in economy, while British Airways offered between 31 and 34. Today, 31 inches is standard.

On short-haul services, 32 was typical, but now 29 is commonplace. This is what easyJet, Air Asia, Jetstar, Spicejet, Vueling and others provide. Ryanair, to its credit, offers 30; BA between 29 and 31. Some airlines are cutting legroom on some services to only 28 inches. These include Jet2, Frontier, Iberia, TAP Portugal, Tui and Wizz Air. Boeing concedes that seat pitch has fallen (by three inches, on average) but claims that improved seat designs, using less bulky composite materials, have softened the blow.

When it comes to seat width, things have also worsened. In 1985 – according to the Consumers Union, a US watchdog – none of America’s big four offered less than 19 inches. Now, 17 is the norm, while American goes as low as 16.5, and United just 16. Members of the sub-17 club, offering – on some flights at least – the worst seat widths in travel, include Ukraine International, China Southern, Philippine Airlines, Jet2, Hawaiian Airlines and AirAsia X.

Narrower seats mean there is room for more. On the 787, eight abreast was popular, but nine is now seen as the magic number – and 10 abreast on 777s. Boeing might point to slimline seats, but even if comfort is not compromised, cramming more people onto the same plane makes it feel more crowded.

Take the 707. It was 44m long with a cabin width of 3.56m, and it carried 174 passengers in a single-class configuration. That’s 0.9 square metres per passenger. The new 737 Max 8, however, is 39.5m long, 3.54m wide and carries 200 fliers. That’s 0.7 square metres each. It’s an imperfect calculation (based on the length of the plane, not the cabin), but it illustrates the point. What’s more, planes today fly closer to full capacity than they once did. In 2019, the average passenger load factor for all airlines was 82.6 per cent. But in 2011 it was 78.1 per cent, in 2005 75.1 per cent – and before 2000, around 70 per cent was the norm.

Then there is the issue of expanding passengers. Since 1993 the proportion of adults in England who are overweight has risen from 52.9 per cent to 64.3 per cent, and the proportion who are obese from 14.9 per cent to 28 per cent. Thanks to airlines’ spiralling fees for hold luggage, those portly sunseekers are bringing with them more carryon baggage than ever before.

Seats are shrinking and being squeezed closer together, and airlines are packing their ballooning customers into the same space. What’s the solution? You could opt for an airline that offers more. Ryanair trumps many short-haul rivals when it comes to legroom, offering 30 inches. The likes of Air France, JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Asiana, Egyptair, Croatia Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Saudia and Vietnam Airlines still provide at least 32 on most flights.

You could also fork out for premium economy. Ask at check-in and upgrades are often available for a relatively small sum. Or why not treat yourself to airport lounge access? Then you can at least put your feet up for an hour before having your knees crushed for three.

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2022-10-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-10-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://dailytelegraph.pressreader.com/article/281947431731934

Daily Telegraph