I agree with that, and it of course has the better comfort benefits. It will just cost people more to fly with fewer seats, and I can kinda sympathize with the airlines in that regard. People want first class seating to Hawaii for $200RT.
I disagree. I don't think anyone expects first class seating, or anything approaching that, for coach prices. But the airlines have now reduced seat pitch to the point where even normal-height males (and taller females) are cramped and crowded. In fact, the seating has gotten so tight that there are many calls for the FAA to study evacuation times. Would it cost the airlines money to increase seat pitch an inch or so? Yes, it would. So the price goes up enough to cover it. If the FAA mandated this, all airlines would have to do it so the playing field would remain even.
Let's look at a Delta 737-800. According to Delta's web site, they are configured with 16 first class seats that have a width of 20.5" and a pitch of 36" to 38". (Arranged 2 - 2.
https://www.delta.com/us/en/aircraft/boeing/737-800They have what they call "Delta Comfort" seating, which is a separate section of the cabin that appears to be less than Business class but better than coach; basically what coach used to be several years ago. 36 seats, arranged in six rows 3 - 3, with a seat width of 17.2" and a pitch of 34".
And then they have Main Cabin (coach). 108 seats, eighteen rows 3 - 3, with a seat width of 17.2" and a pitch of 31" to 32". Main cabin includes the two wing exit rows, which are oversized, Going back from there, there are fifteen rows that have the standard pitch. I don't know why they list the coach pitch as 31"-32", but lets' use 31.5" for figgerin'. Fifteen rows at 31.5" is 472.5 inches. Now remove one row, which would sacrifice six seats. The resulting seat pitch would be 33.75" -- which is basically the same as the "Delta Comfort" seat pitch of 34".
What would it cost them? Probably impossible for anyone outside of Delta to calculate, because of the myriad of ticket prices based on the distance flown the cost of fees and fuel at the two airports involved, how far in advance the seat is booked, the day of the week, the season of the year, the phase of the moon, and who knows what else. Pick a number ... $300. 108 seats at $300 is $32,400. Take away six seats and we need to charge $317.65 per seat to break even.
BUT ... six fewer passengers means less weight in people, and less weight in baggage. I don't know what it actually costs in fuel to carry one "average" passenger with his/her "average" luggage, but it costs something. So that offsets to some extent the increased cost of eliminating one row to increase seat pitch.
I just don't think limiting or eliminating the recline feature from seats in the answer. In recent years, airline seats have not only been tightened up in pitch, they've also been made thinner and less comfortable. A flight of more than an hour in a non-reclining coach seat would be absolute torture. The answer is to increase the seat pitch.
It's pretty sad that traveling on a Greyhound bus today is more comfortable than traveling in Coach on any of Boeing's or Airbus' newest aircraft.
