American Airlines Miami-To-Paris Flight Diverted To Boston
Aug 29, 2014, 4:21 pm
#46
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But what about airlines removing all conventionally reclining seats and replacing them with articulating seats (like AA did on the 738)?
Unfortunately for the people flying on this diverted plane, I don't think that AA has put articulating seats on the 763.
In case you don't know: Articulating seats are ones where you recline by scooting your own seat forward, and thus the recline is to a significant degree into your space, not the space of the person behind you. The top of the seat may still recline some toward the person behind you, which can impact laptop space, but middle won't move, so it doesn't affect your knee space.
IMHO articulating seats throughout coach (and AA has them in 738 first class cabin too now) are the solution, not eliminating recline.
Btw, the amount of recline for each seat is not a constant; it's settable by the airline. So there's lots of gradation between recline and no recline.
Unfortunately for the people flying on this diverted plane, I don't think that AA has put articulating seats on the 763.
In case you don't know: Articulating seats are ones where you recline by scooting your own seat forward, and thus the recline is to a significant degree into your space, not the space of the person behind you. The top of the seat may still recline some toward the person behind you, which can impact laptop space, but middle won't move, so it doesn't affect your knee space.
IMHO articulating seats throughout coach (and AA has them in 738 first class cabin too now) are the solution, not eliminating recline.
Btw, the amount of recline for each seat is not a constant; it's settable by the airline. So there's lots of gradation between recline and no recline.
Aug 29, 2014, 5:18 pm
#47
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I have posted this on other sites... these seats eliminate 99% of the problem as the seat in front of you only tilts back a small amount from the top of the seat. Want to recline? Great, you sacrifice your own space instead of reclining your seat in to someone else's... problem solved. Moving forward all airline seats should be like this.
Sitting upright for hours on end is not comfortable. Articulated recline is also extremely uncomfortable for most people.
This whole recline vs. no-recline debate is stupid. If you can't handle people reclining into your space (when done politely, making sure they don't bust your laptop, and making sure seats are upright during mealtimes on long haul flights) you have a few options
1. Pay the person in front of you not to recline - just do it and stop complaining
2. Fly Spirit Airlines as their seats don't recline
3. Fly private or J or F
4. Don't go at all
If we want to blame cramped seating on pax who don't want to pay higher fares for airlines offering more comfortable Y seating arrangements, we should also be blaming those who can't handle recline for not being willing to pay the passenger in front or the airline. You can't have your cake and eat it too.
Aug 29, 2014, 6:35 pm
#48
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 184
More people on the plane = lower cost for all.
As a BOS area resident, what was reported on local news: man is from France and is 60 years old, was arrested by Mass State Police on arrival and charged w/ obstructing the flight crew. He was enraged when the lady in front of him reclined, and refused to bring it back up when he asked. Then he grabbed the arm of a flight attendant. Air marshals involved and had to restrain him. He was taken to Mass General Hospital b/c of pre-existing medical conditions which were high blood pressure (bet it was even higher with the situation) and diabetes, apparently the marshals wouldn't let him have insulin.
It's funny - towards the end, they talked about how stressed fliers are these days and have less room and such...but that's not an excuse to take such aggressive, immature, and arrogant action like this.
As a BOS area resident, what was reported on local news: man is from France and is 60 years old, was arrested by Mass State Police on arrival and charged w/ obstructing the flight crew. He was enraged when the lady in front of him reclined, and refused to bring it back up when he asked. Then he grabbed the arm of a flight attendant. Air marshals involved and had to restrain him. He was taken to Mass General Hospital b/c of pre-existing medical conditions which were high blood pressure (bet it was even higher with the situation) and diabetes, apparently the marshals wouldn't let him have insulin.
It's funny - towards the end, they talked about how stressed fliers are these days and have less room and such...but that's not an excuse to take such aggressive, immature, and arrogant action like this.
Aug 29, 2014, 10:38 pm
#50
Join Date: Jun 2014
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I have the impression that at least 2/3 pax recline their seat, but I might be wrong. It may be more
Aug 29, 2014, 11:57 pm
#51
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Thank you. I think your point at least partly dilutes the arguments made for simply responding to demand curves and similar kinds of stimuli.
Aug 30, 2014, 2:39 am
#52
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I'd be very curious what the relative fuel efficiency of newer jets is; it would have to be quite a bit higher to make up for the increase in fuel costs.
Aug 30, 2014, 4:46 am
#53
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Aug 30, 2014, 5:07 am
#54
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Aug 30, 2014, 5:54 am
#55
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* You are closer to the front of the plane (first off)
* The window pax not having to disturb the other pax when getting up
* First served during the drink and meal services
That said - I prefer exit rows myself
so ultimately YMMV.SunLover
Aug 30, 2014, 5:59 am
#56
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Aug 30, 2014, 10:14 am
#57
Join Date: Dec 2013
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Sitting upright for hours on end is not comfortable. Articulated recline is also extremely uncomfortable for most people.
If we want to blame cramped seating on pax who don't want to pay higher fares for airlines offering more comfortable Y seating arrangements, we should also be blaming those who can't handle recline for not being willing to pay the passenger in front or the airline. You can't have your cake and eat it too.
If we want to blame cramped seating on pax who don't want to pay higher fares for airlines offering more comfortable Y seating arrangements, we should also be blaming those who can't handle recline for not being willing to pay the passenger in front or the airline. You can't have your cake and eat it too.
Take your own advice and if you can't stand no-recline seats or articulating seats, then pay the price for business or first. You can't have your cake and eat it too.
The day for the demise of reclining seats is here.
Aug 30, 2014, 10:47 am
#58
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The most reviled of LCCs on this side of the Atlantic removed them a while ago, and nobody moved to follow.
A tiny number of them on the other side of the Atlantic, including THEIR most reviled, removed them, with no majors following.
Sounds like wishful thinking to me.
--
Several other places have mentioned articulating seats -- IMO the newer generation of semi-articulating seats (e.g. on the AA 738 Y and F) are much better than the first generation "shell" style articulating seats (e.g. on CX Y) and I'm pretty sure we'll see more airlines adopting them. OTOH, they only help a bit with the reduced legroom for over-height people behind, rather than eliminating the issue entirely as the shell ones do.
Aug 30, 2014, 11:55 am
#59
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Delta added extra recline to its EC seats (extra legroom MCE equivalent), and then advertised the extra recline as a benefit. That tells me that passengers value reclining seats, and airline executives know it.
Sure, there are some sociopaths/psychopaths out there who occasionally act out on a common carrier, and it's unfortunate when that happens. But a couple of incidents of air rage by some mental defectives isn't going to cause airlines to prevent all seats from reclining. Not a chance.
Aug 30, 2014, 12:55 pm
#60
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 89
oh, wait.. that's already been done by some airlines.