Originally Posted by
Rebelyell
Yes, that is exactly what I want. The airlines as an industry were formerly highly regulated. I'm not seeking a return to those days of regulation, just a requirement that they be required to offer larger seats at cost. Essentially I want to government to prohibit them from shrinking the seats in an effort to force passengers to pony up massive amounts of money for a seat that ought to cost 10 percent more.
There is nothing wrong with the government setting a minimum standard to which all businesses must hew. We do it with minimum wages, working conditions, etc. An 18-inch wide seat and 32 inches of pitch seems a reasonable base to me. Fares will rise slightly, just as the minimum wage causes hamburger prices to go up. As a society we are better off with some regulations.
I stand to be corrected but even during the era of airline regulation governments did not specify a minimum seat size.
Fares will rise more than slightly not only because of reduced capacity but will have to cover the cost of the retrofit, time out of service, new seats, etc. Meanwhile, those large international carriers to whom the regulations do not apply will overnight be far more appealing to people who can tolerate smaller seats and want cheaper fares. Air Canada would be an immediate beneficiary.
Government would also need a better reason than passenger comfort and accommodating broad American behinds. If it were strictly about comfort an argument could then be made regulations should also be introduced for trains, theaters, sporting venues and other places where the public sits.