Plane seats are too small: Airlines continue to prioritize profit over comfort, safety
- Airline seats are getting smaller as airlines prioritize profits over passenger comfort and safety.
- The lack of minimum seat size regulations in the U.S. allows airlines to continue shrinking seats, posing potential health and evacuation risks.
- Passengers can try to find more space by booking specific seats or using improvised comfort techniques, but the ultimate solution lies in government regulation and airlines prioritizing passenger well-being.
Pamela Vetter deals with small airline seats like many passengers: she pretends they don't exist.
"I have a fully charged phone, and I just watch a movie," said Vetter, the vice president of a networking organization in Los Angeles. "I immerse myself in it to distract me from the small seats."
But lately, it's been getting harder to make believe small airline seats aren't a problem. On her recent flight from Chicago to Los Angeles, the economy seats felt narrower and offered less legroom than ever.
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"My knees nearly touched the seat in front of me," she recalled. "Then, when the person in front of me reclined, it got even worse, so it was challenging to lower my tray table when the fight attendants offered us drinks."
She's right. Planes don't just feel more cramped than ever – they are more cramped. There's also a growing realization that small seats pose a real threat to our health and safety. And while there are ways to beat the system, the ultimate fix isn't up to passengers.
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Why are airline seats getting smaller?
Less than half of airline passengers can now reasonably fit in seats, according to FlyersRights, a nonprofit organization that closely tracks airline seat sizes.
"Airlines continue to shrink passenger space to force more people to pay more to upgrade to more legroom or larger seats," said Paul Hudson, president of FlyersRights.
But why are the seats tighter than ever? There's one obvious explanation: Back in 2022, Congress asked the Federal Aviation Administration to set a minimum seat size, but that didn't happen. Airlines have long interpreted a lack of minimum requirements as a license to squeeze their seats closer together – and so they have.
Is there a solution? Yes, but it won't be easy.
The flight that changed everything for me
We could have a polite discussion about shrinking seat sizes, but instead, let me tell you a story about a trip that brought this problem into sharp focus for me.
I recently flew from Helsinki to Copenhagen. As I boarded the aircraft, I noticed the uncomfortably thin and narrow seats. Like Vetter, after sitting down, I could feel the seat in front of me pushing against my knees. There was no room to lean back. Then I saw the passenger behind me struggling to fit into his seat.
I turned and saw him protruding into the aisle.
I felt sorry for the traveler and for the guy next to him. I also empathized with the passengers who had to squeeze around this traveler when accessing the lavatory.
And clearly, there were some safety issues here – a lot of safety issues.
Imagine if we had to evacuate the plane. Would he have been able to make it to the exit? Would he have blocked other passengers from getting out of the plane?
That flight changed the way I feel about seat size. Small seats are a safety hazard, and it's just a matter of time before people die.
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'The FAA failed us'
In the U.S., we had a chance to address shrinking seat sizes, according to Bill McGee, a senior fellow for aviation at the American Economic Liberties Project.
"But the FAA defied logic with a study that concluded tighter airline seats do not impede evacuations during an emergency," he said.
McGee said the problem is that the government hasn't updated its testing methodologies to reflect egress from airline cabins in the 2020s – particularly because tighter seats are now coupled with larger Americans and record-high passenger loads.
"Tighter seats are uncomfortable, a financial rip-off, and a health threat due to blood clotting issues," he added. "But worst of all, they present a danger to safe evacuations."
So, is there a way to survive your next flight without getting cramped, suffering a blood clot – or worse?
How to find space on a flight
Even as the amount of personal space shrinks, there is a way to find more room. But it's not easy.
- Look for the "secret" seats. If upgrading isn’t in your budget, try getting an aisle or emergency exit row seat. Exit-row seats have more legroom but are not wider than the average economy-class seat. (As a bonus, there are no young children in the exit row seats, so you might be able to sleep better.)
- Improvise. Look, economy class seats were not designed for your comfort. They're designed for airlines' profit. So channel your inner MacGyver, said Andy Abramson, a frequent air traveler who runs a communications consultancy in Las Vegas. "I try to make myself more comfortable by putting my coat behind me like a pillow," he said. "I’ve also found that rolling up a magazine or newspaper and placing it in the small of my back offers some relief." But for long flights, it's still pure torture. There just isn't enough space.
- Pay for it. If you can afford a seat in the economy "comfort" or "plus" – which gives you about the same seat pitch as economy class a few decades ago – then experts recommend you do. "Especially on long flights, if you can swing it, you should," said travel coach Ariel Figg. Of course, that's what the airlines want you to do. No one should have to make that choice, and every seat should have a humane amount of space.
But these are imperfect ways around a flawed system. The fact is, we're getting bigger, and the seats are getting smaller.
Airlines are wrong about seat size
Maybe the U.S. government and other aviation enforcement bodies lack the courage to set minimum seat standards. However, airlines must know they are on the wrong side of history.
We've been here before. In the 19th century, greedy landlords in New York could rent tenements with poor lighting, inadequate ventilation and no indoor bathrooms. The cramped apartments were breeding grounds for disease but highly profitable to owners.
But in 1901, a progressive government passed laws that set minimum size requirements for tenements and required adequate lighting, ventilation and indoor bathrooms. And today, even the most ardent airline apologist couldn't imagine living in a rental without these basic amenities.
Passengers can continue trying to beat the system by booking the secret seats with a little extra legroom or angling for an upgrade. However, what this problem needs is clear-headed, thoughtful government regulation.
And airlines need to do the right thing – before someone gets hurt.
Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He foundedElliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer issues. He publishesElliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and theElliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you canreach him here or email him at [email protected].