Reduction in flight envelope at altitude.
As a GA pilot I have few concerns about the effect of height on stalling speed.
However following the AF447 thread I understand that on commercial aircraft at altitudes abouve FL 350 the margin between stalling speed and maximum speed can be extremely small - perhaps down to less than 10 kts in some cases. The implication being that these margins leave very little for variations in air properties and the phrase 'coffin corner' applies to a situation where the altitude and air temperature allows the maximum speed to fall below the stalling speed.
I understand the theory but I find that my inclinatioin to fly commercially has virtually been removed by this 'little' information. Can anyone who knows enlighten me as to how close commercial flight comes to flying at the top limit and what the margins would be on a conventional flight at, say, FL350 otherwise I don't think that I will fly commercially again.