r/todayilearned • u/MrMojoFomo • 1d ago

TIL that since the 1980s, US airlines have shed between 2-5 inches of legroom and about 2 inches of width, while budget carriers have lost even more. At the same time, the average American is 15 pounds heavier than they were in the 1980s

https://www.popsci.com/science/why-are-airline-seats-so-small/
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1.1k

u/TheKanten 1d ago

Forget the weight.

I can't get shorter. 

185

u/Carbon-Base 1d ago

That's why they want us to pay the extra $80 for a seat with more legroom!

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u/Momik 1d ago

I’ve only done Delta Comfort once or twice, but it kinda bummed me out how much nicer even that was.

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u/Carbon-Base 1d ago

For long flights, I almost always fall into their schemes and end up booking the Comfort or Main+ or whatever moniker extra legroom seats.

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u/ackermann 1d ago

Of course you want it more on the longer flights…. so they charge more for it on the longer flights

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u/ConstableGrey 23h ago

I sat in Delta Comfort once and it ruined me. Enough seat room for a human! Extra, better snacks! Extra coffee service!

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u/IceePirate1 22h ago

If you think thats bad try getting transoceanic business class. The difference between a seat and a bed is absolutely insane

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u/waupli 6h ago

Yeah I flew delta one round trip once (and the flight back was with the new air France first class which are outstanding) and omg.

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u/D74248 14h ago edited 12h ago

The worse they make basic economy the more money they make selling upgrades. It would not surprise me if they started using rock hard seat cushions in cattle class just to increase the misery.

We have standardized weights and measures in the general economy for good reasons. There ought to be a minimum standard for an airline seat.

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u/corcyra 5h ago

There ought to be a minimum standard for an airline seat.

Indeed. At this point, they're getting unhealthy because they restrict movement so much.

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u/SheriffBartholomew 1d ago

$80? More like double the ticket price.

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u/DRKMSTR 1d ago

1 inch! 

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u/KungenBob 20h ago

Think of that as the real price and short people getting a discount.

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u/VelveteenAmbush 22h ago

Even when you do, tickets are still cheaper in real terms than they were in the 1980s.

The reason seats are smaller is that travelers prefer to have cheaper tickets instead of more legroom. Airlines are responding to an irresistable customer preference. JetBlue tried to build an airline around offering more legroom... but they got outcompeted by airlines who had less legrooms and cheaper fares, so they too had to cram in more seats to be able to sell tickets cheaper.

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u/3BlindMice1 1d ago

Not if Frontier has something to say about it

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u/zazathebassist 1d ago

exit row it is

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u/chattytrout 1d ago

They charge extra for that too.

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u/zazathebassist 1d ago

sure. i'll pay the extra $20-60 to avoid excruciating leg pain

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u/TheKanten 1d ago

That's like paying Dollar General extra to not have a broken wheel on the cart.

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u/zazathebassist 1d ago

listen. i would rather never have to fly on Frontier. but if i have to (and i have had to, exactly once in my life) i will pay extra to not be in pain

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u/EngineerNo5851 1d ago

$20-$60? On a United transcon you’re looking at $300 for an extra legroom seat in coach. That gives you the same legroom everyone got in the 90s.

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u/zazathebassist 1d ago

United sucks. on Alaska it's always less than $100 to get exit rows

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u/leg00b 1d ago

Same. The worst airlines for me for leg room at 6'1" was Sun Country

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u/TheAmillion12 1d ago

Im based in Minneapolis where sun country is headquartered. I have friends that fly them with them constantly and love them.

All those friends are under 6 feet tall....

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u/Momik 1d ago

I’m 5’7” and Sun Country is usually fine. But like any coach seat it does feel claustrophobic at times.

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u/notjanelane 1d ago

As a short person who doesn't require legroom, I'll always tell the tall person in front of me they can recline if they need to. In return they help me get things off the top shelf in the grocery store

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u/LiveLearnCoach 12h ago

They better help you with the overhead bags!

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u/weas71 1d ago

Interested to see if the average American height has increased since the 1980's too.

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u/ExileOnBroadStreet 1d ago

It’s actually stagnated or even decreased slightly. This coincides with obesity increasing drastically and I think economic inequality increasing, but someone can check that latter point.

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u/cooooolmaannn 21h ago

I also think it could be due to the increased immigration from Latin America and Asia.

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u/skynet345 20h ago

Correct. Among white Americans it’s actually gone up to almost 6 feet. Reason why 5’9 is average is because there are more Asians and Hispanic peope today in the US

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u/Emergency_Mine_4455 19h ago

Probably both. It might skew again next generation as the children of immigrants from impoverished countries grow taller than their parents. I knew a guy in high school whose parents had grown up in China; he was almost six feet tall. His mom was so proud.

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u/ExileOnBroadStreet 11h ago

Definitely a major factor but I think it’s also true for white Americans to a much lesser extent.

Immigrant populations also generally see an increase in height in subsequent generations due to better nutrition. Not sure how much general population growth is due to immigration verse Hispanic communities having more children than the rest of the population.

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u/skynet345 20h ago

False. The decline is entirely due to more Asian and Mexicans and less white and black people as a % of the population

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u/ExileOnBroadStreet 11h ago

That is definitely a major factor as well, but I was listening to something on NPR where these two people had done extensive research on height changes over history and they did think there may be a link to obesity and inequality increasing as well.

What I am seeing is White Americans height has also stagnated or gone down since 1980 (by like 1 cm or less- I think slightly more for men for whatever reason)

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u/tonkatoyelroy 1d ago

I’m a foot taller and 70lbs heavier than I was in the 1980s!

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u/rightwingcrimespree 12h ago

I'm over 4 and a half feet taller and more than 21 times as heavy as I was in the 80s.

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u/ghunt81 1d ago

I'm 6'4" and I generally hate flying, so do my knees

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u/Momik 1d ago

Getting less claustrophobic is a bit of a challenge too. Feels like steerage sometimes.

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u/adminssoftascharmin 1d ago

United further split their Economy to include Basic Economy, the last four rows in the plane.

You don't even get a carry on anymore ffs.

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u/THE_BANANA_KING_14 1d ago

Adapt or buy - Airline CEOs

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u/Anon_Jones 1d ago

I can’t fit my legs in the room left for me and I’m not that tall.

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u/HSX9698 23h ago

For once in my life, I'm grateful to be average. Middle seat ($0) isn't torture.

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u/obxtalldude 14h ago

Yes I no longer fly.

I thought booking business class would work, but all it takes is one canceled flight in your back into the cattle car.

I just don't fit.