[survey] Economy class seat comfort
May 19, 2016, 9:15 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 3
[survey] Economy class seat comfort
I am currently conducting a survey about economy class seat comfort as part of my master's degree at Cranfield University (UK).
The thesis deals with economy class densification (decreasing seat pitch and/or width) on full-service carriers and results will be available in August.
Anyone who would like to share his/her opinion on the subject is invited to participate. The survey takes around 5 minutes and there is a prize draw at the end.
It will be open for participation until the 4th of June (unless the max number of respondents has been reached before).
https://cranfielduniversity.eu.qualt...KEm85sCDToJsFv
Thanks for your help and feel free to post any comment concerning economy class densification below.
Henning
The thesis deals with economy class densification (decreasing seat pitch and/or width) on full-service carriers and results will be available in August.
Anyone who would like to share his/her opinion on the subject is invited to participate. The survey takes around 5 minutes and there is a prize draw at the end.
It will be open for participation until the 4th of June (unless the max number of respondents has been reached before).
https://cranfielduniversity.eu.qualt...KEm85sCDToJsFv
Thanks for your help and feel free to post any comment concerning economy class densification below.
Henning
May 19, 2016, 9:27 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: DFW
Posts: 675
Some suggestions...
- There is a gap for the 4-6 hours flights.
- For the rating, it would be better to rank importance and only allow one choice per rank.
- Instead of stating on how much you would pay less, it would make more sense to see how much you would pay more for seat pitch and width.
May 19, 2016, 10:17 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 3
Thank you for your suggestions.
Unfortunately the survey has been running for a while and changing the questions now would invalidate the existing responses.
I left out 4-6 hours as it would have further increased the survey length and my main aim was to find out how responses differ between short and long haul.
The reason why I ask whether people would pay less is because my thesis deals with densification, so lowering the level of comfort. My aim was to find out whether it affects people's willingness to pay if you "take something away".
Unfortunately the survey has been running for a while and changing the questions now would invalidate the existing responses.
I left out 4-6 hours as it would have further increased the survey length and my main aim was to find out how responses differ between short and long haul.
The reason why I ask whether people would pay less is because my thesis deals with densification, so lowering the level of comfort. My aim was to find out whether it affects people's willingness to pay if you "take something away".
May 20, 2016, 4:25 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: London
Posts: 517
Good luck with your thesis. I filled in your survey - don't care about short haul; don't care about width, but then again I'm pretty small, able to sleep almost anywhere and with a good record of getting seat blocking. What's 28 inches vs. 32 inches in those circumstances? 
May 21, 2016, 1:58 pm
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,991
IMO "25% less" is not a big enough discount to motivate a decision to go with 30" v 32", for both short and long flights, in part because airlines that employ 30" pitch also tend to suck in other ways.
I don't entertain these options unless the discount is >40%. By way of example, 9C's seats are remarkably uncomfortable, but their China-Japan fares are typically 80% cheaper than MU's. I can tolerate 5 hours (round trip) discomfort in order to save $500. But, in cases when the difference is ~$100, I stick with MU (fwiw, MU is a far cry from "nice", but its seats are reasonably comfortable).
I don't entertain these options unless the discount is >40%. By way of example, 9C's seats are remarkably uncomfortable, but their China-Japan fares are typically 80% cheaper than MU's. I can tolerate 5 hours (round trip) discomfort in order to save $500. But, in cases when the difference is ~$100, I stick with MU (fwiw, MU is a far cry from "nice", but its seats are reasonably comfortable).
May 22, 2016, 4:59 am
#6
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Good luck with your thesis. I filled in your survey - don't care about short haul; don't care about width, but then again I'm pretty small, able to sleep almost anywhere and with a good record of getting seat blocking. What's 28 inches vs. 32 inches in those circumstances?
Survey done too.
May 22, 2016, 6:28 am
#7
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I completed the survey - good luck!
I am not so worried about pitch, although I do think that useable space is more important than pitch per se.
I would refuse to fly more than an hour or two with an airline offering less than 18" width unless there was an extremely good reason to do so, saving money not being a good reason.
I am not so worried about pitch, although I do think that useable space is more important than pitch per se.
I would refuse to fly more than an hour or two with an airline offering less than 18" width unless there was an extremely good reason to do so, saving money not being a good reason.
May 22, 2016, 6:53 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: UK. BAEC AAdvantage
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Posts: 3,671
I'm glad this survey is looking at seat width too. Flew on Emirates 777 that is 10 abreast and 17" width and it was so awful I will never fly one of those again. Flew Cathay Pacific's 777 that is 9 abreast and around 18" and it's amazing what a difference it makes. It was so good I've rebooked them and flew again recently. However I've now heard the accountants have been at it there and they will be adding a 10th seat per row. Grrr.
May 22, 2016, 6:54 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: BSL
Programs: AA (EXP); among others :)
Posts: 2,520
I`d have clarified you are referring to economy class seats only in that survey. Or did I overlook this?
Also, I feel that for a complete picture, all those "extra legroom economy" products/airlines should have been included in the survey.
At 6'4", I will do whatever it takes to fly on an airline offering one of those products with <34 inches of pitch, and looking around this is a big loyalty driver as well (as one get free access to these seats with frequent flyer status).
Also, I feel that for a complete picture, all those "extra legroom economy" products/airlines should have been included in the survey.
At 6'4", I will do whatever it takes to fly on an airline offering one of those products with <34 inches of pitch, and looking around this is a big loyalty driver as well (as one get free access to these seats with frequent flyer status).
May 24, 2016, 11:13 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 3
Thank you all for your responses and feedback so far!
@bhomburg: I mentioned economy class on the introduction page at the beginning of the survey, maybe it wasn't prominent enough.
As my thesis deals specifically with economy class densification (putting in more seats), I left out the economy plus / premium economy products. I do agree that it can be a loyalty driver as well as a source of ancillary revenue for the airline. Free access seems to be more and more restricted these days with most airlines charging extra for emergency exit rows and first rows.
@dddc: I agree that seat width is often underrated and many people only realize the importance once you show them the difference. In my previous job, we used a demonstrator with one row of 17" width and one row of 18" width and lots of people were surprised how much of a difference it can make.
@bhomburg: I mentioned economy class on the introduction page at the beginning of the survey, maybe it wasn't prominent enough.
As my thesis deals specifically with economy class densification (putting in more seats), I left out the economy plus / premium economy products. I do agree that it can be a loyalty driver as well as a source of ancillary revenue for the airline. Free access seems to be more and more restricted these days with most airlines charging extra for emergency exit rows and first rows.
@dddc: I agree that seat width is often underrated and many people only realize the importance once you show them the difference. In my previous job, we used a demonstrator with one row of 17" width and one row of 18" width and lots of people were surprised how much of a difference it can make.
May 25, 2016, 5:33 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: London
Posts: 517
Long haul with 28" pitch is a big no
May 28, 2016, 12:11 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oxford, Mississippi
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Posts: 1,595
I completed the survey - good luck!
I am not so worried about pitch, although I do think that useable space is more important than pitch per se.
I would refuse to fly more than an hour or two with an airline offering less than 18" width unless there was an extremely good reason to do so, saving money not being a good reason.
I am not so worried about pitch, although I do think that useable space is more important than pitch per se.
I would refuse to fly more than an hour or two with an airline offering less than 18" width unless there was an extremely good reason to do so, saving money not being a good reason.
Width is another matter. I don't like being touched overmuch. I took a flight on a LOT Airlines 787 ORD-WAW in March. The seats were 16.9 inches wide. I was on a row of three seats with my teen-aged son and his friend. I'm a little overweight, but they are quite thin. All of us were dying from the lack of seat width. And if my son and I found it oppressive, think what it would be like for two hefty strangers!
I think seat configuration plays a big role. People tend to fly in twos, and airlines that offer two seats per row on each side of the aircraft are just going to provide a more pleasant flying experience, regardless of seat width. I would rather fly a 767 in a two-seat row with 17.9-inch seats than a 777 with three-seat row with 18.5-inch seats, where I would be forced to sit next to a stranger, or next to someone struggling to survive in a center seat.
May 30, 2016, 12:26 am
#13
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I'm with you. Seat pitch just doesn't matter that much to me. ... configuration plays a big role ... two seats per row on each side of the aircraft are just going to provide a more pleasant flying experience, regardless of seat width. I would rather fly a 767 in a two-seat row with 17.9-inch seats than a 777 with three-seat row with 18.5-inch seats. ...