United Provides Some Relief
 

(I did not write the following): <BR> <BR>Thursday August 5 12:16 PM ET <BR> <BR>United To Offer More Leg Room <BR> <BR>CHICAGO (Reuters) - United Airlines, in what it said was a first for U.S. carriers, announced Thursday it will reconfigure the first six to 11 rows in its economy class sections to provide more leg room for its preferred customers. <BR> <BR>The change will result in 35 to 36 inches of leg room compared to the standard 31, the carrier said. The seats will be available first to Premier Mileage Plus travelers -- those who log at least 25,000 paid miles a year on the airline or its partners. <BR> <BR>The number of seats with the added leg room will vary depending on the aircraft, ranging from 89 seats in the 777-A to 36 in the 737-500. The change will be made by next April but will not affect aircraft operated on the airline's shuttle services. <BR> <BR>

The bulletin I heard said these seats would also be available to folks who pay full coach fare.

I hate to a cynic, but my guess is that it is more of a ploy to gouge more revenue out of the flying public thanit is a gesture toward better conditions. <BR>It will not be done on a pro rate basis. <BR>Full coach fare is not exactly cheap. <BR>It will be more of a business class option that still extracts maximum dollar for the space. Hey: passengers can always be replaced you know. There are plenty of us, hence expendable. <BR>

Bob, you're probably right. I would never think the airlines were being altruistic. That said, I would pay some extra money to get the extra space. So I appreciate having the option. If it works, and the price isn't too outlandish it could start a trend.

I may not be willing to pay full coach, but it sure would encourage me to do whatever I could to become a "Premier Mileage Plus" traveler.

Just before I checked the Forums, I read some of the headlines listed on Yahoo. <BR>At about 8 PM, Friday Aug 6, there was a series of articles about air rage. <BR>Some of the stories were pretty grim. <BR>I think rebellion in the passenger ranks is setting in. Maybe it is the heat of summer, but drunk passengers assaulting flight attendants may get someone's attention. The problem is, I don't know if the yield curve gurus at the airlines understand human psychology. I doubt if they do. They all get to fly first class when they travel. So all they understand is the "bottom line". <BR>

Since the airplanes will not be getting any longer would anyone care to venture a guess as to how they are going to come up with this extra leg room? And you thought things were tight in coach now.