quote:Originally posted by Blythy
they're a bunch of cynics over on airliners.net, they keep saying "if he wanted extra legroom, then he should have paid for it"
Up to a point, I agree with them. Seat pitches have had a lot of focus in recent years, and they're either common knowledge or only take a minimum of research to find them out. When you're buying a car, do you do your research and find the one that best suits your needs, or do you buy the first/cheapest one you see and then sue the manufacturer for not providing enough room in it and "breaching your human rights" (OMG, I hate that phrase, it's used far too much these days)? [:0]
Personally, as a 6'2" & ~280lbs traveller, I try not to fly Economy because of the seat pitch/width - but I know what I'll be getting if I do buy a ticket in that class of travel. If that doesn't suit me, then I either pay for a more suitable class of travel or fly a different airline.
All that said, I do think that the aviation authorities should revise their minimum seat pitch rules - people in general have obviously got a lot larger (both in height and girth) since the rules were introduced (last century? A 26" pitch? [:0]). Unfortunately, whether by higher fares or reduced availability of cheaper tickets, that cost will only be passed on to the passenger.
Cheers
Michael