The airlines are easy to hate, but the reality is that, over the long term, they are one of the least profitable industries to ever exist. They have extremely high fixed costs, a perishable product, subject to very high regulatory control, are highly sensitive to oil prices, and its customers are highly sensitive to price increases.
On an inflation adjusted basis, the cost of air travel is about half what it used to be before deregulation. If customers were rational, they would be jumping for joy at how cheap it has become. Sure the seats have become tighter, and the meals have gone away, but the benefits to most customers has been massive.
But not all customers. People have no control about their height. Tall people have always wanted more room, and suffer whenever the seat pitch is too small. But I have yet to hear they should automatically be given seats with more legroom. Instead we hear calls that obese people, who do have some control over their weight, be given a free or discounted second seat. How is that rational?
Good point. I have a very tall brother who is essentially forced to buy a business class or first class seat on planes because he literally doesn’t fit in a standard seat. Even economy plus is a painful squeeze. He can sometimes get an exit row seat but often they are taken by frequent flyers with more juice with the airlines than he has.
Of course you don’t. That is the problem. Like most customers, you make the mistake of looking at a few years and thinking that reflects the long term. It doesn’t. Over the long term, airlines barely cover the cost of capital.
On airlines, you get the service you pay for. Airlines have tried many times to provide better service at slightly higher fares, but most customers repeatedly look at the lowest ticket cost.
You always have the option of paying for first or business class to get a higher level of comfort and service. And it would still likely be cheaper than economy before deregulation.
NOT true about getting what you pay for. I flew international in first lass and the flight attendant was apparently star struck by someone (don’t know who) and didn’t give me the time of day. I should have gotten her employee ID info and reported her.
It does not make sense to ask people to buy 2 seats regardless of the cost. An overweight person only needs a seat about 8 inch wider, not 18 inch wider than the regular seat. I am OK to pay 30-40% higher than the regular cost but not twice of it (note: the first class seat costs 2, 3 times higher than the economy seat). The airlines should configure the seats to accommodate people.
A chartered bus is more comfortable and luxurious than a plane, which is kind of crazy when you recall the ‘glamor’ of PanAm and TWA, and modernistic airports compared to dirty stinking bus stations.
Hebegebe is right about airlines giving the customers what they want, which is the cheapest prices possible. Except maybe when airlines such as Frontier charge for water and the seats are so flimsy you are scared they might collapse beneath you. Will travelers pay $100 more for 2 extra inches of width? It’s a free market, mostly.
Regarding tall vs obese: yes, legroom is a problem for tall people, but in nearly every aspect of life, being tall is a big advantage, at least for men. And folks are sympathetic to tall guys having to duck through doorways an all. There is nearly no privilege in being obese, save a few exotic exceptions like sumo wrestling. If losing 50 or 100 pounds was easy or even just moderately difficult, why are so many of us obese?
Here’s the rub-in order to make seats larger the airlines would have to shrink the number of seats on each flight, so the real question is, are you willing to pay 40% more for your flight to ensure adequate space for large customers?
It’s a tough question. We all say we want more space, but it seems given the choice between more space (for instance in business class) or lower prices, most of us go with the economy seat.
@Sue22 The airlines can combine 3 regular seats into 2 wide seats for overweight people and make the same amount of money. Wider seats are different than first class seats. First class seats are for richer people who need luxury (meals, wine, cheese,… and special attention). By the way, first class seats are only 4 inch wider than economy seats although they have more leg room.
I just read an article this week that the AVERAGE woman is now a size 16. So that means half are larger. I’m sure the same holds true for the male half. Despite this fact, airlines have moved in the opposite direction - towards cramming in more seats. Airlines own part of the responsibility here - both for those that are taller and heavier.
Adding a couple of inches of room to each seat shouldn’t equate to tickets going up 40% or more as suggested here. Business class costs are due to more than a few extra inches of space.
What other business can you name where seats are getting smaller? Theaters and sports arenas are going bigger not smaller.
Business class tickets are different. They can be changed. cancelled,… without penalty. I don’t see any reason not to have wider seats for economy class.
In terms of inflation adjusted dollars, for what other commodities besides gasoline & airline tix do customers feel it’s a god-given right to pay less now than they did in the 70’s?
The US carriers went to a 2-class cabin bcs there wasn’t enough customer demand for differentiation into 3 classes…
“In terms of inflation adjusted dollars, for what other commodities besides gasoline & airline tix do customers feel it’s a god-given right to pay less now than they did in the 70’s?”
Long distance phone service for one, another industry where free pricing/competition was previously constrained by government regulation. Are airfares cheap now or were they artificially high pre-1978 due to government abetted monopolistic practices?
