AIRLINE POLICIES RAISE THE TEMPERATURE
To be sure, airlines deserve part of the blame. While First and Business Class cabins get more and more luxurious, the situation in Economy Class has steadily deteriorated.
Airlines have been shrinking seats and reducing seat pitch (the distance between a seat and the one in front of it) to cram more passengers into the same aircraft. The unbundling trend, where perks which were once included for free are now chargeable, has progressively spread from budget carriers to full service ones.
The end result, unsurprisingly, is all-out war.
Because personal space is at a premium, any intrusion is more acutely felt. Because checking a bag is expensive, fights break out over limited overhead bin space. Because meals aren’t free, some passengers bring their own- and not everyone appreciates the smell of your favourite food as much as you do. Because selecting a seat costs money, not everyone does so, creating onboard drama when they demand that others switch seats to accommodate them.
Sadly, there’s no sign of things abating. Every aircraft interiors expo sees the debut of slimmer and tighter seats, such as the infamous Aviointeriors Skyrider 3.0, a standing bicycle-like contraption straight from the works of Marquis de Sade.
Closer to home, when Singapore Airlines finally replaces its ageing Boeing 777-300ERs with new Boeing 777-9s, it’s almost a given that the national carrier will go from 9-across seating in Economy Class to 10-across, reducing seat width accordingly.
The cabin pressure, so to speak, is only going to increase.
