Originally Posted by
sullim4
This is definitely something that AS revenue management has picked up on. The demand for regional jets in a 2x2 config in Y is much higher in a pandemic than a 3x3 737. Traveling as a pair is much more common than traveling as a threesome, and the smaller plane means fewer people, which (in theory) means lower chance of exposure to illness. Even the Q400 was seeing a premium over mainline on routes like SEA-GEG or SEA-PDX.
Even pre-pandemic, I always preferred the E175 and Q400 for this very reason since I typically travel with my wife. As strange as it sounds, 80% of the reason we'd want domestic F is just to avoid having a third passenger in our row. I'd take 29 inch pitch in 2x2 before I'd take 32 inch in 3x3, although I have abnormally short legs for a 5'8" person.
I'd venture to say that 90% of the traveling public doesn't consider this. $5 less a person is going to get the sale v 2x2 seating most of the time. All that said, we're not most of the traveling public. For the rare times I'm both traveling as a pair plus behind the curtain (or on that one cabin airline), adjoining aisles is the easy remedy.
[The following isn't designed to get into any political argument, just an explanation to support the above re: "doesn't consider this."] And lest one think I'm off base, one should not forget that probably 30+ percent of the public has/had either no fear of COVID, or it was a hoax, are unvaxed, masks were never useful, horsepills cure all, and so on and so forth - meaning 2x2 v 3x3 v 3x4x3 or whatever sardine can would not be part of the consideration in choice of aircraft. Saving $5 a head is.