Window seat, aisle or back-to-front?

[Monkeytoo]

Instead of trying to think up ways to cram yet more PAX into the available space why don't they take OUT a couple of rows of seats - give everyone a more comfortable space and divide the lost revenue between the remaining seats - on long haul I would fly with this airline!!!

[PAXboy]

Monkeytoo

give everyone a more comfortable space and divide the lost revenue between the remaining seats - on long haul I would fly with this airline!!!

That was such a good idea that AA did it. There was a biiiiig advertising campaign about the extra 2 or 3 three inches leg room in Y.

As I understand it, about two years later they quietly started to reverse the process because they did NOT get zillions more folks buying their seats. They found that people ONLY want the lowest seat price. Then they moan about the seat pitch and swear never to fly with that carrier again. Next holiday/trip they look for whichever carrier has the cheapest seats ...

[Monkeytoo]

..................well that would mean that we are our own worse enemys then - but I suppose it does come down to how much more expensive the tickets were!!

[chornedsnorkack]

In the 80s several charter airlines crammed 119 seats on their BAC 111-500s with aft facing seats around the overwing exits. I once had the misfortune of travelling in these seats. I remember my knees brushing those of the passenger opposite; I am only 5'4!

I happened to be travelling with a companion so the eye contact issue was irrelevant; had I been travelling alone, as I frequently do, I would have have this arrangement most disconcerting

I tend to think it is a good and sensible arrangement!

After all, what is better - have your knees pressed into the seatback the next passenger reclines into, or have your knees pressed into the knees of the next passenger? At least when you sit opposite, you can place your legs between the legs of the person opposite - you do not have that choice when it is the seatback that is pressed into your knees.

Also, what gives a wider path to emergency exit - the narrow space whence one set of legs have been removed, or wider space which had been enough for two people opposite?

If most seats are facing in one direction and only a few are opposing, then most people travelling alone can sit elsewhere and those who are with companions can choose to sit opposed at the exit rows.

[172driver]

That was such a good idea that AA did it. There was a biiiiig advertising campaign about the extra 2 or 3 three inches leg room in Y.

As I understand it, about two years later they quietly started to reverse the process because they did NOT get zillions more folks buying their seats. They found that people ONLY want the lowest seat price. Then they moan about the seat pitch and swear never to fly with that carrier again. Next holiday/trip they look for whichever carrier has the cheapest seats ...

PAXboy, the mistake AA made was to apply this to ALL Y seats instead of introducing a premium product like UA. This seems to work well, it certainly does for me.

[Ground Bound]

chornedkorksnak,

I would not want to rest my knees between that of another passenger - depending on their looks of course!

Joking aside, I do not believe this seating config gave any assistance in an emergency situation.

Bear in mind, the situation to which I refer occured before the BA accident at Manchester since when the seating arrangements around the exits has been revised to allow a faster egress in an unfortunate event.

The arguments about rear facing seats are numerous. Greater strength of the seats is required resulting in extra weight, something the airlines are keen to avoid. There is also the issue of falling debris from the overhead lockers and (so I have heard) debate over the issue of injuries sustainable by lateral forces on an aft facing passenger.

I am sure this debate will go on for years to come.