In an attempt to upsell passengers and lure them into paying premium for business class seats, the Wall Street Journal reports that a number of airlines have purposefully been shrinking their coach seats over the past decade.
Many economy seats are now a mere 17 inches in width, smaller than standard 25 inch movie theater seats, 20.5 inch Amtrak coach seats and even 19 inch stadium seats like those found at the upper/lower bowl of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, even inside large Boeing 777 jets.
Large carriers like American Airlines, Air Canada, Air France-KLM SA and Dubai's Emirates Airline have been cutting shoulder space for years by wedging an extra seat into each row, a change from the original nine seats per row of standard Boeing 777s. Last year, 70 percent of the "its biggest version of the plane were delivered with 10-abreast seating, up from just 15% in 2010," according to the Wall Street Journal.
The change in seat design, however, proves to be difficult for many overweight and obese passengers and those they sit next to, as there is less elbow space for all involved. Despite improvements in cushions and headrests, rubbing elbows and shoulders remains a common complaint, though cost-conscious airlines find the change appealing.
"I felt that I was kind of stuck in the seat [of an Emirates 777], Ben Goodwin, a marketing manager at Birmingham University in England who recently flew to China through Dubai, told the Wall Street Journal. He noted that on his connecting flight, an Emirates Airbus A380, the seats were one inch wider. "I felt like I'd been upgraded, even though I was still in economy."
Plane makers, however, note that seat width is up to airlines, and Boeing designers can do whatever they like with their cabin space. Mike Bair, Boeing senior vice president of marketing, noted that designers focus on "creature comfort that can't be violated by the airlines" such as larger windows, mood lighting and bigger overhead bins.
"On a 777, ten-abreast is the way to go," said Emirates President Tim Clark. "You'd be nuts to do it any other way."
Clark added that by compensating for smaller seats with amenities like frequent snacks, bigger meals and electronic entertainment, people are "mesmerized" and may not notice the crowding so much.
And if they do mind, many airlines like Air New Zealand Ltd. are flying "10-abreast 777s on which fliers can book three economy seats that convert into a couch by raising the arm and leg rests," an attempt to upsell the customer.
