Zarr Blog :Experiences of running a UK web design company

I flew back from holiday yesterday - well the early hours of this morning.  It was a 4 hour flight and I had one of the most cramped flights I’ve ever had and I’ve flown about 350 take offs and landing in the last 5 years.  To put it into context, I’m 6ft 5ins - well a few millimetres under that, but I prefer to round up!

Getting into a seat on a plane in cattle-class/economy is normally not too bad, but airlines seem to like packing in as many rows of seats as possible.  On my flight yesterday, when I was sat down, my knees were pressing into the seat in front.  If i contorted my thighs, I could get one leg, or the other (but not both at the same time) so it wasn’t pressing into the seat in front.

The arm rest (I was in an aisle seat) has a little button underneath that allows it to be unlocked to give you a bit more room, or make it easier to get in and out of the seat.

My partner asked one of the flight crew why my arm rest wouldn’t move.  The cabin crew’s words were along the lines of “we’ve got about 20 broken seats and we are waiting for the parts to arrive” and “sorry, there isn’t anything i can do”.  He also said I shouldn’t worry about DVT as my calf muscles weren’t pressed against the seat so I’d be okay.  Now one thing I hate is someone trying to be authoritive on a subject they don’t know enough about. 

There are a couple of things I fail to understand. 

1. As average heights for people are increasing, why don’t airlines provide enough seat space for tall people?  If the seat pitch (from back of one seat to the back of the seat in front) was about 1/2 inch less or if my legs had been 1/2 inch longer, I would not have been able to physically get into the seat - so what would the airline have done then?
2. Why do people who are about 5ft 5ins get the emergency exit and bulk head seats when they don’t need the extra leg room?
3. Its impossible for me when sitting upright to rest the back of my head against the head rest and infact, the top of my shoulders are about a inch from the top of the head rest.  If the plane hit turbulence, or I got jolted forward, there is nothing to stop me from head butting the person in front as my head would completely miss the headrest in front.
4. Following on from point 1, I think airlines should have a legal requirement to state the minimum seat pitch when you book the flight so you can check that you can fit in before buying your ticket.

The airline by the way was Thomas Cook, the DVT ‘expert’ was called Alex I think, and I’m in the middle of writing a letter of complaint - I’ll let you know their response.

For other fellow tall travellers, please have a look at this link on the Sunday Times campaign for Fair Flying.