Some of this is camera angles, but try flighting a short-haul intra-EU flight. Those are upright sticks: Lufthansa short-haul. Compare that to Delta seats.

Another example of a Delta bad idea that UA and AA will feel compelled to follow in short order. Thanks.

That would be fantastic.

2" will probably be okay if really kept to aircraft operating shorter flights (obviously B6 uses A320s on trancons, so nothing preventing DL from doing same).

But no recline is not acceptable, I find it very uncomfortable on my back.

As others have said, the issue in F is one of their own making by having uncompetitive (well maybe not for much longer as AA densifies) pitch up front.

I think they only ever advertised it (and offered it) on the widebodies.

Huh? Even in C+ using a 14" laptop is problematic if the person in front of you reclines!

What about the pain from my knees being jammed up against the seat in front of me? What about the pain from contorting my arms in an unnatural way to use a laptop? Should my 6' 4" height be considered a medical disability too and have planes built around me? No, of course not - they will build planes for the 10th to 90th or 5th to 95th percentile and call it a day. That sucks, but that's life.

Delta's seats are already generously pre-reclined, and they still allow an additional 2". If you need more than that, you should consider flying in F where they will maintain at least 3" of recline (and have more pre-recline).

Count me as another one in favor of this change. Limiting the amount of recline will help a lot, particularly in F where pitch is far too narrow for the amount that's currently permitted.

I see the dissent here, but I could rewrite many of the concerns about back pain in reverse about my own claustrophobia, which is also a medical condition. Setting recline to a balanced amount by the airline helps avoid passenger conflict and accommodates passengers of all afflictions, which I think is appropriate for the greater good.

If we're concerned about passengers in second and third classes (aka comfort-plus and main cabin) using their laptop computers then we better get rid of the middle seat because using a computer will always be problematic in a fully occupied row of three seats.

As soon as you get working and plug it in, the person next to you always wants to get up. Plus, even if they don't to get up there really isn't enough room for all three people to use a computer comfortably at the same time. Guess we have to remove middle seats now.

I always recline and do so for the duration of the flight as soon as we are in the air.

LOL - hyperbolic much?

C+ pitch comfortably allows for laptop use if the person in front of you doesn't recline. That's practically the whole point of C+. Quite frankly if you don't need to use a laptop or otherwise use the space, 31" seat pitch with no recline is tolerable (assuming you can keep the area below the seat free to put your legs under the seat) even for someone tall like myself.

Dial it down. Way down.

3Cforme - Delta Forum Moderator

Scheduled air access by the disabled is a right - see the Air Carrier Access Act. Use of a laptop in coach is not a right.

Really? The "whole point" of comfort-plus is using a laptop?

And who uses a laptop anymore?

I thought all the cool kids used their tablets and smart phones.

I'm in first-class or business-class on almost every flight. I think I've been in comfort-plus or, worse yet, main cabin maybe three or four times in 16 months. I hardly ever see anyone use a laptop anymore, at least on flights under 2 hours. And when I do see someone they're typically over 40.

Yes - scheduled air access by the disabled is a right (as opposed to laptop usage). As a point of clarification, however, airlines do not have to make unreasonable accommodations or make significant changes to cabin design simply to accommodate disabled passengers. Regulations concerning disabled passenger access cover things like movable aisle armrests, providing boarding support, accessible lavatories, and ensuring storage of certain items on a flight. It does not require reclining (which should be obvious given the fact that many air carriers in the US do not allow any recline at all).

Most people that do real work still use laptops. Smartphones and tablets are great for content consumption but not content creation. If you consider a Surface or similar item as a "tablet" then perhaps you're right, but with the keyboard attachment it is functionally a laptop.

Admittedly I spend most of my time on 4-5 hour flights. Agree that fewer laptops come out on sub-2 hour block time flights given that time at altitude on those flights is usually only an hour at most.

Phenomenal move by Delta. I'm looking forward to no longer having sore knees (and maybe even being able to work on a laptop) in Y.