The brutal truth about aisle width
 

I usually prefer aisle seats on longer flights so I can get up and stretch more often and since I'm a grown man with, apparently, a squirrel-sized bladder. But on the planes with these narrower aisles, such a seat has its drawbacks, that's for sure.

Same here. I like knowing I can always get to the bathroom if needed without climbing over someone. Getting banged up a little is the price one pays... :)

I wish there were some choice in the matter, but they are becoming the norm for airlines, not the exception.

And the OP's post neatly summarises why I prefer a window seat - I hate being hit more than I hate having to get people to move if I need to go to the loo.

If I am going to sit in economy in the aisle - I choose a row closer to the front, just behind business. This minimizes bathroom traffic.

I prefer aisle seats, but getting hit often does get old. The backpack and large purse people with no clue what is going on with there bag, or that stupid person that needs to grab every single seat back while in the aisle... All of this gets old.

I've always been an aisle guy for both short hall and long haul, drinking lots of liquids even on 787 is key to healthy flying. I'm not a big guy but many people overflow out, also many people are now so wide some even are FA they need to go sideways to not hit me, LOL.

Let's not get into how much clearance you have for the food cart, or the common sense of the last group boarding with their backpacks and rollers as another poster noted.

All about capacity, they don't design them for your comfort, just safe enough and maximize revenue baby. I don't think many people would sign up for a carrier that put comfort and convenience for their widest passenger and selfish boarder with backup and carry on :D then charged ticket prices commensurate with the same revenue / mile

Complaining here won't change one thing, but you all have my sympathy I have seen and felt it all.

Yes, whenever I'm in an aisle seat I find myself subconsciously holding my aisle-side arm up in front of my face in a defensive position while boarding is taking place. I've had travel companions snicker at it, but it has saved me a black eye or two from those blasted backpacks!

If I am in the back, I always choose an aisle seat.

These complaints in the article are minor, and frankly, quite rare, if you are an experienced traveler.

That issue is easily solved by proactively keeping one's arm up during boarding. More than once I have blocked someone's carry on. I do the same when walking through the airport, except it being ready to throw up an elbow into a person about to walk into me because their face is in their cell phone. With both the usual comment is "pay attention."

Aisles are huge. Look at any TV show or movie. The stock "airplane interior" sets they have on the studio lots have an aisle you could drive a golf cart down. I saw an aisle the other day on TV wide enough to add an extra seat and still have an aisle wider than a 757. First time flyers who only see pseudo airplanes on TV must get a rude shock the first time they board a real plane.

People are simply oblivious when they are boarding. I also use the aisle whenever possible, and I have been whacked plenty of times by oversized backpacks. When I board a plane, I always either carry my backpack by hand, or I place i on top of my rollerboard. The vast majority of passengers are clueless about the physics of turning around while wearing a backpack. But there are far worse things - lately I have been getting assaulted by oversized butts as pax turn around and bend over to fiddle with their carry-ons resting in their seats. And unlike backpacks, I can't really give their backsides a gentle shove.

Oh but you can, no butts about it. I have stuck my arm/hand out to stop a butt from butting into my space just like I have with a carryon. One just has to have their arm up so to let them butt into it.