Syzygies

The thread First CO 757-200 with AVOD in Y has gone quiet, and isn't about this specific issue:

I just flew CDG to EWR on an AVOD equipped 757, in a reclining exit aisle seat.

With the protruding AVOD box, aisle seats now have underseat storage measuring the usual 13" deep, 10" high, but

*** NINE INCHES WIDE ***.

Huh? Was this AVOD designed by the Russian space program?!?!

Is there an "only cattle fly coach" mentality at CO, or do the execs ever try coach? A few people really slipped on this one.

If you don't think this is a crisis worthy of an uprising, go make yourself a cardboard box with these dimensions, and try cramming your usual bag of stuff you want for the flight into this space.

My first reaction was to switch airlines, if this is what's in store for the transcon 737s. Everyone I see/know carries a laptop for their work or entertainment, but needs this space. I'm not about to start checking bags over this.

My second reaction was to emulate the elites who ignore overhead guidelines. A sack that fits under such a seat would fit inside the main compartment of my shoulder bag that now fits under any pre-AVOD 737 or 757 seat. I'll pull it out, and place my shoulder bag overhead as a second bag, during elite pre-boarding. CO never stops the other plats that sling their oversized rollerboards up sideways, they won't stop me either.

Nevertheless, I'm guessing that many people will react this way. There will be more struggles with luggage, more gate-checking and longer delays before departure, and that surely will cost CO money.

Proposal: Remove AVOD from exit rows?

I'd be thrilled if CO recognized AVOD as a safety risk in exit aisles, and removed it from exit row seating. Surely, if we could manage to get CO's actual flying practices monitored with the new AVOD, inspections would reveal that passengers aren't maintaining safe passage in exit aisles because of the AVOD boxes, and CO isn't policing this.

Then people would realize that exit aisle are no joke, safety comes first, and they'd be left to elites who bring their own entertainment. "Seat fairy" attendants trying to seat couples together who fly once a year and planned badly wouldn't be able to blithely reseat a passenger between two plats who failed to upgrade, because the passenger would refuse when they saw there was no AVOD. That would be wonderful. Who do I call, to force such a safety inspection?

sbm12

I understand your concern that you are losing valuable under-seat space, but this is ridiculous. How is it a safety issue? My experience has been that the FAs do a fine job the vast majority of the time of making sure that the row is clear, particularly for the exit rows.

Syzygies

On my AVOD flight, exit row passengers had belongings that did not fit in the cramped space. FAs made one pass to mildly suggest the belongings go further under the seat, then were seated for landing turbulence.

Vigilance is also spotty for bulkhead seats with no storage, in my experience. My icon for this mental file folder: Lynyrd Skynyrd weren't killed by the crash. They were killed by "cabin debris".

pptp

Just put whatever you need for the flight in the overhead. Once you get in the air, get it down and you can have it anywhere you want at your feet for the whole flight. Just put it back up before landing. You'll only be without your stuff for a short time.

TommyC80

What if you have giant feet? Where do those go when you only have 9 inches of space in front of you?

notabob

CO has stated numerous times that they're a business traveler's airline. I doubt that clowns make up a substantial portion of CO's clientele

Olton Hall

The wrote the following 51 weeks ago so I'll guess it's not a giant issues for most passengers.

Rebigulator

I have sat on a 752 exit row aisle with AVOD many times and my backpack with my laptop, Italian combo sandwich and all my other junk fit just fine.

If you don't like it, sit at the window or in a bulkhead row, get a smaller bag or put your stuff in the overhead (as everyone else suggests).

aacharya

I will GLADLY give up all under-seat storage for AVOD on TATL and TCON flights. Considering the flight lengths, waiting another 20-30 minutes for checked baggage is not significant.

Those of us sitting in bulkheads already have this dilemma, where the
seats in front are two FC seats, thus reduced storage.

stupidhead

They couldn't have gone with the AVOD systems that sit under the floor...?

pptp

Anything can be done but the cons apparently outweighed the pros otherwise they probably would have done it. Cost, ease of install/servicing, cargo area limitations etc.

craz

Me thinks the OP really couldnt care about the 'Safety' as much as they want to be able to get their own stuff under teh seat in front of them. Heck whats the difference which row the stuff is in , when things hit the fan they will fly throughout the cabin

Im surprised the OP didnt ask why CO doesnt remove the Overhead bins by 15 & 16 as tall people cant stand up there and thats just as much as a Safety factor as they will bang their heads thusly holding them up from getting out

Olton Hall

I'm more surprised there wasn't a complaint about the life raft being stored over the ABC side leaving a tiny storage area big enough to stuff a jacket into.

craz

true, I forgot about the raft

Now if CO will only get rid of the raft and overheads along of cause with the AVOD boxes imagine the fuel they will save. Then of cause if they didnt allow any carry-ons and made everyone check everything , they score Big with the Fees for checking a 3rd bag or the Fees for non-Elites

what are they thinking on Jefferson