The solution is very simple. Regulatory bodies must impose an industry minimum, for instance 32" short & medium haul and 34" long haul (determined on a block time exceeding 4.5 hours). This way competition will not be determined by how many sardines you can pack in a tin!
Those of you comparing purchasing airline seats with cars are way off beam. You can go and take a look at the car in the show room before making a decision to purchase. Now, if you book a holiday through a travel agent you can't exactly ask to go and have a look around the aircraft they intend to put you on - if it's not subtituted on the day anyway!
Being an experienced air traveller I might know what to expect (which is why I haven't flown charter since the eighties), but most punters don't.