Being Thankful for Airplane Legroom
Posted by: Justin Bachman on November 23, 2011
Forget the annual tally of how much it costs to fly this Thanksgiving, consider your legs. Will you arrive surly and sore or able to walk normally? Price plays an important role in my airline ticket shopping as it does for most leisure travelers but in this era of packed planes and airport aggravation money alone certainly doesn’t dictate every purchase. Specifically, this pain avoidance to me means legroom: U.S. economy cabins offer a variety of space, from the knee-crushing torture of Spirit Airlines’ 28-inch seat pitch to the relative roominess (34 in.) found on a JetBlue or (the old) United flight. A mere half-foot really matters in coach.
Many people consider the price and the airline when they book. I do too but I also always check out the equipment for the route. Is it a 50-seat Bombardier regional jet? No thank you. I once did just that from Atlanta to Denver — in my 20s, no less! — and will never forget the pain my stiff back suffered for days. A Boeing 737 across the country? I always check — and yes, I’ll always pass in favor of an Airbus or larger Boeing.
I consider United’s decision to expand its Economy Plus section to the former Continental fleet one of my 2011 highlights. (Riding in the back of a Continental 737 is an exercise in endurance.) Likewise, Delta’s recognition of the importance of a few extra inches in adding its “economy comfort” product is a relief. Granted, extra room for your legs is merely an ancillary “product” to the airlines, and you pay a fee for it. But it shows that they too understand the coach-class pain factor. Others occasionally go the opposite route: Allegiant, one of the more aggressive budget operators, is squeezing an extra 16 seats into its 150-seat MD-80 fleet as a way to boost capacity without buying more planes.
That project is supposed to finish next year. Ouch.
