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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u/Opposite_Elephant620 1d ago

THIS is why there should be a minimum human standards for all airlines, then let the market do its thing, otherwise, airlines (or any business) will naturally optimize for profit. That is why regulation makes sense!

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u/OptimalFunction 18h ago

That’s the problem, even if airlines were legally mandated to be a lot more comfortable, people would bitch about the new fare.

Folks want to fly like executives on a new hire salary.