Yet Another Reason to Hate Flying

According to a recent news story, budget airlines are experimenting with so-called "saddle seating" so they can pack more people into an airplane (Click Here).

You sit at an angle, you support yourself with your legs, and you get a whopping 23 inches of leg room--down from the "roomy" 30 inches of most coach seating.

I'm sure hoping this doesn't catch on!

I'm not afraid of flying, but I hate it.  It is a giant hassle (getting in and out of the airport, all the security issues, etc.), and now it often takes me a couple of days to recover.

I knew I hit middle-age when the airline seat, the softness or hardness of the hotel bed, along with the pillow I slept on, had as much to do with the success of the trip as anything else.  It is hard to speak or do business when your neck is out of whack or your back hurts.

I hate being packed into a small and uncomfortable seat.  I hate being told that you can't get up and move around the plane like the good old days.  I remember dressing up to fly, eating real food on plates with silverware.  Everybody watched the movie. 

Remember the lounge upstairs in the second level of the 747?  You could hang out there, chat and even play pong.  Now that was the way to fly!

No wonder TV evangelists, celebrities, politicians and athletes buy their own jets.  Sure beats saddle seating!

Comments

[DM Heebner]

I think the large contingent of business men & women who fly, being a former frequent business flyer myself, will rise in revolt if this happens. There's no place for their laptops and the large "carry-on" cases. I'm with you, I hope this never happens :0

[DSY]

I couldn't last more than 20 minutes in that position.

DSY

[Andrew]

Oh man - so much for flying with kids if this catches on!!!

[CVanDyke]

This idea is DOA in the U.S. Maybe skinny Europeans who wear those tailored, form-fitting suits could handle this, but not Americans. Not business travelors. If this does catch on here, it might start a resergence in rail travel. That would be all right.

[MattH]

If they ever make pilots use seats like this... I'm finding a new career.

[Chris S]

The sight of a plane load of people walking kind of funny after 3 hours in the saddle might be amusing. If they really start using these, I'm wearing spurs and maybe take up chewing tobacco as well.

[Ray Wade]

Oh my.... this will just not do! Flying is hard enough as it is already!

[Mike]

What! You mean you don't have your own jet - what sort of minister are you?

[hb]

I can just see all the pending lawsuits for phlebitis, thrombosis, restless leg syndrome, etc., (Not sure about thrombosis, but you get my drift!). Can you imagine what would happen if something went wrong and you got stuck on the tarmac for 8 hrs? That's Purgatory.

[acroamaticus]

That looks like torture.
Surely, only cowboys, or as we call them downunder 'jackaroos', could handle this for any length of time.

[DB]

Oh for the days of train travel -- roomy and leisurely, but alas expensive and slow.

[GPLeague]

That is ridiculous. Why don't they just strap you in some suspended cocoon knock you out w/ sleeping gas til the flight's over. That saddle will do wonders for your legs and back, not to mention the typical groin injuries that the men can enjoy after a long trip! And yea, I do remember the food and it sure beat honey roasted peanuts!

[Will]

The added fees for everything are also a pain. Now they're charging for checked luggage, for a paper ticket, for food or movies, etc. Rynair in Europe was proposing to charge for restroom usage - talk about a captive audience! Pretty soon they won't pressurize planes - they'll rent you an air canister good for the duration of the flight. No obligation to rent, of course, if you can get by on what little real oxygen there is at 30,000 feet, you're welcome to it.