Too Much Room in Coach Class

People who fly frequently know coach seating on all airlines is overly spacious and luxurious. Kidding!

I recall sitting in a coach seat not too long ago and realized how little total space was available to me:

• I could not retrieve my briefcase underneath the seat in front of me as the seat back in front of me was too close.
• I was tightly constrained in my allocated 3-dimensional space in terms of seat width and legroom–it was uncomfortable especially as there was a larger individual in the center seat.
• The bathrooms on some aircraft are the size of phone booths–it’s not easy to open/close the bathroom door. It’s helpful to have advanced acrobatic skills.
• I wondered if the airline might be violating the Geneva Convention for cruelty. Less you think this is hyperbole, consider the airlines are seemingly at war with their passengers.

The execs at United Airlines have figured out how to capture additional revenue at the expense of customer experience and comfort. Get ready for the United Boeing 777HD where “HD” stands for high-density seating. The 777HD was apparently first used by Air Canada.

The seating in coach on the 777HD will be “upgraded” to 10 seats across rather than 9 seats across. Yippee! Think of all the additional profits. The current plan is to use this 777HD configuration to fly from the west coast of the U.S. to Hawaii…at least a five-hour flight. Some frequent flyers call this the “slave ship” configuration.

I hope United adds a anesthesia option for those seated in coach. I’d like to be knocked out shortly after take-off and awoken no more 15 minutes prior to landing.

It is insanity for United to do this. I hope United executives come to their senses. If you have to fly United, avoid the 777HD.

Thought for the week:

“Don’t let the fear of losing be greater than the excitement of winning.” –Robert Kiyosaki