I would take bitterly cold any day over the usual, but I also complain its too hot out when it's 75 and sunny. Most flights I'm on range from barely tolerable to uncomfortably warm, no matter where I'm sitting.

Yes, DL's 739s are quite uncomfortable even in F

I can confirm: Did an MSP-LHR on a 767, and, as well as the deafening roar in Emergency Exit Row, it was freezing (I do enjoy the cold, however)

Others of a more delicate nature would have froze!

Funny this comes up as I just had one of the coldest flight experiences I've ever had a few days ago as well flying FLL-ATL. I rarely get cold on flights, even in exit rows (which this was, though an aisle) but I was absolutely shivering for the entirety of the flight and fog was coming out of the vents, even at altitude. I was never so happy to be blasted by Atlanta's oppressive heat as I was stepping off that plane.

Of course, I would prefer cabins be too warm than too cold, which I imagine is a minority opinion but that flight was unbearable.

You mean within 20 minutes you were sitting in 1C ? :D

Last week I was on two 739s. The first one, (a redeye seated in 2B) I was so cold, I nearly asked for a second blanket. The second one, (a daytime flight in 3B) the cabin was actually a smidge warm.

Pilots (myself included) want passengers comfortable. Since the 737 temp controls are up front, I think it's reasonable to keep asking FAs to forward requests to the flight deck. We can't make changes without knowing which direction to turn the knobs!

On the flight I complained about in the OP, we asked multiple times. And the flight attendant told us he'd asked "7-8 times". In spite of that it never warmed up. Any suggestions for future such events would be appreciated.

The fact that the control for the plane is a knob shows just how antiquated these machines are. Is it that hard for airplanes these days to design a digital system, perhaps that keeps all zones around 72 degrees? You would think airlines would want a more stable system than relying on complaining guest to dictate when to turn up down heat.

This will sound harsher than I actually mean it but if you regularly (or even occasionally) find yourself cold on a plane, I would encourage carrying a sweater or other lightweight cover when you travel. If you are cold, and they raise the temperature of the cabin to make you comfortable I can assure you there will be many, many others on that plane who will then be so warm it makes them uncomfortable. Since the folks that are warm can't remove clothing, those that are cold in the same relative temperature will have to add a layer to keep themselves warm. It is absolutely not possible to maintain a temperature that everyone is comfortable with and expecting that is kind of unrealistic.

I think the problem is bigger than that! I ALWAYS take out a sweatshirt to bring to my seat, and Always wear pants when I am not in D1. On thursday I was on a 737 last row of first, with a blanket, and a sweatshirt. and still freezing. Do we need to start packing winter jackets?

I wish it was as simple as a "set-it-and-forget-it" type system. However, the air conditioning is coming from high pressure bleed air off the engines so pilots must have ultimate control over the system in the event any abnormal situation arises. That's only logical.

What Boeing should do is give FAs control over cabin temps from their panels. Airbus, I think, and Bombardier with the C Series, give FAs about 4 degrees of temp control from what is set from the flight deck.

The 737 will be a Fleet staple for decades to come so my only suggestion is to layer as has been suggested. Beyond that, Boeing needs to stick it Southwest and politely tell them they are going to bring the 737 up today's technological cockpit standard. Only then will we see a significant improvement in cabin temp control.

It is entirely possible that the same temp that you consider a sauna is the same temp that the OP considers "bitterly cold" given my experience. I've always felt that in a confined space situation the temp should be determined by whoever feels the hottest. You can always add layers if you're cold. You can't always take them off if you're hot.

I don't take it as harsh at all. And I do layer up when I travel, mostly on TPAC flights multiple times a year, with turtle neck under sweater, etc.. But in my many years of travel I've never experienced anything close to this cold. And the people in my row and rows just in front and behind us were also complaining. And the fact that the flight attendant told us this was 1) a common problem on this plane and 2) they had asked the captain 7-8 times to turn up the heat makes me wonder, if true, why they don't at a minimum have blankets for people in those rows and find a solution.