Andrea_expat

On our way back to the US for Christmas, United Airlines (our usual choice) was sold out, so we had to fly Air Canada.

On the way over, we were given the seats before the exit row, which meant that our seats didn't recline, and, since we faced a CLOSE wall, we could not even extend our feet! Unlike bulkhead seats on other types of planes, which typically give MORE legroom, there was a wall as close in front of us as seats normally would be - meaning that we couldn't unbend our legs at all (as you normally could under the seat in front of you).

Anyone else think that these types of "bad" seats should be a little cheaper? There have been times in my life when I probably would have been happy to pay less and get bad seats - but this isn't one of them!

FOR THE RECORD: I realize that the airline made me no direct promise that my seat would recline or that I would have the ability to put my feet under the seat in front of me - it's just that it's pretty standard practice! It seems to me that these particular seats offer less value than (all) the other seats in economy, and should be priced that way!

daph

Yes!

Clifton

Andrea,

I know just the kind of seats you're talking about. In principal, I'd agree that those seats offer much less for the money than those around them. If airlines were customer oriented, I too would think they'd attempt to see both sides and offer some discount for selling space not really suited for customer comfort. I'd sure want to pay less for less seat.

On the other hand, I guess the reality is that they're going to fill those seats last (who wouldn't move if another seat was available on the plane?) But, if it's reached the point where the plane is so full that you've no other option, then you know the demand is high. And I don't know of any airline these days that isn't going to take every advantage of that situation and charge every bit they can get for that last seat, bottom of the barrel as it may be. The way it is, living in the new corporate run world. This quarter's profits over long term customer loyalty. I mean, if your one and only experience with a company was absolutely excruciating, would you pick them again, given a choice? Not me... but I tend to look at things off-kilter. It must make sense to the air executives though... as financially stable as they all are (the execs, not the companies).

lyb

I agree with you, if paying first class rates gives you larger and more leg room, than seats that give you less than the average coach seat should also be less.

ira

Better yet, for real value for your money, every seat on every flight should be auctioned.

carrolldf

Sorry, but no. (And yes, I've gotten one of those non re-clining seats before so I do know how uncomfortable they can be on long trips.)

It's already crazy enough with the different fares depending on when/where you buy your tickets without also having different price structure within the class of service depending upon how comfortable the seat is -- I guess the other side of your arguement would be that a premium be charged for the comfortable seats such as bulkhead. Who's going to determine how comfortable the seat is? What are the criteria? Will the criteria be different for different travellers? (I'm betting that at 5'2", more seats are comfortable to me than they are to you if you're 6'2" -- should that make a difference in what we each pay? Should all middle seats cost less than aisle and window seats?

I can imagine the chaos this would create -- "Sorry, sir, you paid for the the non-reclining middle seat so you can't move to any of the several empty aisle seats that are available because you didn't pay for it."

I think it would be GREAT if we all had comfortable seats on planes -- but I think that will only happen when they convert all seats to business /first class seats and of course, it will be charged accordingly.

kit

I am remembering that there is a website where you can see evaluations of all the seats by type of aircraft. I am not remembering, however, what the URL for this website is. Can anyone help?

ira

Hi kit,

Are you thinking of seatguru.com?

JonJon

And I think if you'd been smart and as vociferous about this thing at the time as you are now you would have done us, and yourself, a favor and asked them to switch your seats.

Dave

kit - You may want to try www.seatexpert.com, which lists a number of foreign carriers in addition to seatguru. (Seatguru is a superior site, however, so if your airline of choice is there, don't concern yourself with seatexpert.com)
Best wishes for great travels in 2004!!
Dave

Gretchen

We had the last seats on the plane one time which don't recline. The bonus for sitting in them was free drinks (this was a domestic flight). The flight attendant handed us the drinks with a big smile.

Maira

Just a comment: I am one of those people who chooses not to recline all the way back so not to bother the person behind me. I truly don't see a tremendous difference in seat comfort, but do see how it makes it more uncomfortable for the person sitting behind. On our last trip back home from Paris, the young lady in front of me had her seat back almost on my forehead; when I got up to go to the restroom and try to balanced with the top of the seat, she was very annoyed. Like I had a choice. Somebody should write a book on plane etiquette and make it available as suggested reading in the plane restrooms. :->

francophile03

Maira, I agree with you about your comment. I, too , don't see how much more comfortable it is in reclining one's seat all the way back. Especially when the passenger behind will have to push up on the seat to pass. Why the seats recline so much is ridiculous given the fact that the seat ends up resting on the passenger sitting in back of it. But I think it depends alot on the person the seat belongs to. Just common courtesy would be appreciated.

wemr

All seats in coach are bad. And I wish non of them would recline. Nothing but problems and agruments result.

Sue_xx_yy

Andrea, I agree that non-reclining seats are very uncomfortable, given that seats in the upright position actually tilt forward to some extent.

As for the concerns others have mentioned about the behaviour of one's flightmates, I can only recommend a viewing of the film "Master and Commander". It gives one a whole new perspective on tight traveling conditions.

Naval sailors in the Napoleonic era got 14 inches of space allocated for the width of their hammocks. Luckily half of the crew were on watch at any given time - so this in effect almost doubled the space, to 28 inches of width. However, one was expected to sleep, not just sit, in this space, and to do so over a journey that lasted months, not hours. You also got to eat and in effect live in this same delightful cabin.

Then again, the price came cheap - along with your life.