South China Morning Post 24 July 2009 http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/
I have just had two excruciating overnight flights to and from Australia with Cathay Pacific on their Airbus A33B, experiencing for the first time their new seat design in economy.
In solving a minor problem of occasional disturbance for passengers from reclining seats in the row in front, they have created a far greater discomfort from their own seats for long-haul passengers.
The new seats do not recline in the traditional way. Instead, they slide down within their rigid shell.
This results in tall people, such as myself, being jammed into the seat frame in front and in only the shortest passenger being able to recline their heads at all.
For most passengers, reclining the seat results in bending their neck most uncomfortably.
For long-haul passengers, for whom catching some decent sleep is the greatest priority, the result is a large-scale disaster.
I find it hard to believe that Cathay actually tested these seats with long-haul passengers, as no one could possibly have endorsed this design.
I sincerely hope that there are no plans by Cathay, or any other airline, to extend this seat design to other long-haul routes............
Mid-Levels

As a diamond card member of Cathay Pacific, I am a frequent flyer with the airline and I only fly economy.
And as a loyal customer I have to strongly disagree with the comments of Alex McGowan, of Cathay Pacific ("Passengers like Cathay seat", July 29), replying to Nigel B ("Cathay seat a disaster", July 24). Mr McGowan claims the new economy class seating meets customer expectations. It certainly does not. Unlike Mr B, who complained about the new seating because of his height, I am of average height.
The problems with the new seating were reconfirmed on a recent flight when I took an older plane to Kuala Lumpur. What a pleasure to sit in thicker foamed and more ergonomically comfortable reclining seats, rather than the sliding version now offered by Cathay. I cannot believe I would ever say this, but it is a pleasure flying Cathay's One World partner American Airlines now, just to get some decent, basic seating.
The new Cathay economy class seats are banana-shaped. They slide, pushing legs against the seat in front as one struggles for a modicum of back comfort. The seat angle makes it nearly impossible to achieve any long-lasting rest, unless one has a spine shaped like a banana.
Mr McGowan quotes in-flight surveys as proof that the new seats are satisfying customers.
If one looks at what is not said it would appear that one third of passengers actually rate the seats as neither "excellent" nor "very good". I would love to see the results from long-haul flights and frequent travellers. I am sure the results would show much higher levels of dissatisfaction than those from the infrequent or short-haul traveller. I am sorry, Cathay, you used to be, without question, one of the best airlines in the world, but not now.
As one of the original flying "road warriors", let me make it clear: you have a major design problem with those new seats..........
Pok Fu Lam

Alex McGowan, of Cathay Pacific ("Passengers like Cathay seats", July 29) replying to Nigel B ("Cathay seat a disaster", July 24), missed the point entirely.
Mr McGowan said in-flight surveys showed two-thirds rating the seat "either excellent or very good".
Mr B complained the seat was unsuitable for tall people.
Citing passenger feedback is meaningless given that most Cathay passengers are well under 1.8 metres. Airlines are notorious for ignoring the needs of people like Mr B and me at 1.9 metres. Were that not the case, you would never see tiny grandmothers in the exit row....
Tai Po

In response to Nigel B, I would like to point out that overall passenger reaction to our new long-haul economy class seat has been somewhat different to the one he described ("Cathay seat a disaster", July 24).
Our in-flight survey results are very encouraging, with a fifth of the passengers rating the seat excellent and nearly two-thirds rating it either excellent or very good.
The surveys show that our customers value the fact that the seat reclines within a fixed back shell, meaning that the passenger in front will never intrude into their space.
The addition of video-on- demand entertainment, with up to 100 movies and 350 TV programmes, as part of the product has also been warmly welcomed.
Cathay Pacific is the only airline to offer this type of seat in economy, although at least one carrier uses it in a premium economy cabin.
We are constantly looking for ways we can further improve our products and services, and so we will certainly assess what more can be done to enhance the comfort and quality of our seating.....
Alex McGowan, manager product, Cathay Pacific Airways