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Airbus Survey: 41% Willing to Pay for More Space

A survey conducted by Airbus (possibly the only company with an official titled "Head of Passenger Comfort" indicates that almost over half of long-haul passengers think seat size and space is a critical issue, and 41% are willing to buy more when available. Airbus has been pushing the seating issue, because for now, their planes have a little more space than Boeing's new offerings. Here's the press release from Airbus.

The best part of every trip is realizing that it has upset your expectations

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Wonder what an airline would charge me to NOT take their flight at all ?  Sometimes, that would be the best value, IMHO.  The airlines have made it SO not fun in recent years.   Just whack me on the head and let me know when we land.  Thanks.  Wish that someone would hurry up and invent the StarTrek transporter.  Beam me up !

Well, so far I've gotten by in what they give me, but I'm old enough to know the difference and might wanna change up someday. And I'd sure rather pay for real estate than baggage space or airline food.

 

Give me one bag free, no soda or peanuts, no movie, no blanket and especially no airline magazine...and hey, I'll spend $50 or so to spread out a couple or three inches!

 

Ever stop to think about those magazines? They're printed on heavy stock, a real weight-bomb, you only read them if you have to turn the kindle off for take-off, and the only revenue stream is the ads. Think how much fuel they could save not hauling about a billion pounds of paper back and forth.

Good for Airbus!  It seems the airline industry may have reached a tipping point where people will pay a little more for a little comfort.  I hope that's the case and that they listen and provide options.  I always look for a good airfare, but I also look at what kind of comfort that airfare buys me and am willing to pay a little more for a little more.

 

8-12 hours on a plane is not great fun, although I can divert my attention usually.  But it's made infinitely more pleasant by a few extra inches of seat width and leg room.  We should pay for that extra real estate on what it actually costs the airline in lost seat sales (Let's say 10 seats are not installed to make room, you divide the cost of those 10 seats among the remaining seat fares).  

 

Air New Zealand was among the first to consider this.  On their long haul flights, two people can pay for a third seat and thus have a 3 seat bench for themselves.  Their seats actually make a small bed on which you can lie flat if you want.  It would be snug for 2 people but lying flat sure beats sitting up and sleeping.  I've never flown with them since this option was created, but would definitely consider it next time I'm heading that direction.

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