Southwest Airlines created a high-flying stink when in June 2002, after
winning several court cases, it announced its intention of enforcing its
policy of forcing larger passengers to purchase two seats. The official
reasons for this measure included some very humanitarian points. Claiming
they "value, want and need your business" and "consider it a privilege each
time" you travel with them, they listed their concerns as safety, comfort,
fairness, embarrassment, and maintaining profits by not having to bump a
passenger when you take up an extra seat. They neglected to mention the
airline policy of cramming more people at a time into airplanes without
regard to their comfort. You know the line "some of my best friends are
(gay/black/etc.)? Southwest added they aren't against bigots - 'I mean, some
of our employees are fat!' (Not an exact quote, but you get the picture.)
While Southwest took the brunt of public outcry (along with a lot of cheers
for finally sticking it to fat passengers), don't go thinking other airlines
are much better. In fact, most have a similar policy. They just haven't come
out about it as publicly.
Shortly after Southwest's announcement, people reported an apparent
disregard on flights for the new policy. Anticipating the embarrassment of
being confronted at the gates with agents wielding tape measures and
demanding double fares, things seemed to have blown over. It was as if
Southwest were reconsidering their policy. Unfortunately, this didn't last.
It isn't that it is right for one person to overflow into another's space.
People don't like to have to give up any of what little space they are
allotted on flights. The real problem, as even the average-sized person will
tell you, is those tiny airline seats and the close spacing of the rows. It
isn't just girth that presents difficulties. Consider people with long legs.
The lack of leg room can cause considerable discomfort.
Some airlines are claiming that even though space between seat rows is
smaller, there is actually more room because they have decreased the density
of seat backs by 3 or 4 inches. Whoop-de-doo. Less padding in the seats,
less room between rows. All this means is they were able to fit more rows
into the planes.
This chart has been compiled to provide you with some information about what
to expect on any flight you are planning. You can get information from the
airline as to what plane they are using for any particular route. Figure
just how comfortable (or uncomfortable) you are likely to be by doing a few
quick measurements. You can measure your desk chair for comparison for seat
width. Then relax your arms at your sides and have someone measure the
distance from the outside of one elbow to the other. For pitch, while
sitting measure from your back of your hips to the edge of your knees. Not
going to be a good fit? Talk to the airlines ahead of time to see what
arrangements can be made for your safety and comfort.
Seat width is the measurement of distance between the
armrests on each seat.
Pitch is the measurement of distance from one point on a seat to the same
point on the seat in front of it.
Plane |
Class |
Width |
Pitch |
| Airbus A300-600 |
First |
19.5" |
40" |
| |
Business |
20.5" |
60" |
| Airbus A319-100 |
First |
21" |
35" |
| |
Coach |
17.17" |
30" - 32" |
| Airbus A320-200 |
First |
21" - 21.5" |
36" |
| |
Coach |
17.17" |
31" - 32" |
| |
Economy |
17.8" - 18" |
33" - 35" |
| ATR-72 / ATR 42 |
All |
17.5" |
30" |
| Boeing MD-80 |
First |
19.5" |
38" |
| |
Economy |
17.5" |
33" - 35" |
| Boeing 73-800 |
First |
21" |
40" - 42" |
| |
Economy |
16.7" |
33" - 35" |
| Boeing 727 |
First |
20.5" |
49" |
| |
Economy |
17" |
31" - 32" |
| Boeing 737-200 |
First |
20.75" |
36" - 37" |
| |
Economy |
17" |
30" - 32" |
| Boeing 737-300 |
First |
20.75" |
38" |
| |
Economy |
17" |
30" - 32" |
| Boeing 737-800 |
First |
20.5" |
38" |
| |
Economy |
17" |
31" - 33" |
| Boeing 747 |
Business |
20" |
60" - 61" |
| |
Economy |
18" |
31" |
| Boeing 747 - 200 |
First |
20" |
48" - 50" |
| |
Coach |
17.17" |
31" - 33" |
| Boeing 747 - 200G |
Business |
20" |
60" - 70" |
| |
Coach |
17.17" |
31" - 34" |
| Boeing 747-400 |
Business |
20" |
60" - 61" |
| |
Economy |
17.5" |
30" - 32" |
| Boeing 757, 757-200 |
First |
20" - 21" |
39" - 40" |
| |
Economy |
17.2" |
33" - 35" |
| Boeing 767 |
First - International |
20" |
92" |
| |
First - Domestic |
18.5" - 19" |
40" - 62" |
| |
Business - International |
18.5" |
60" |
| |
Business - Domestic |
18.5" |
49" - 50" |
| |
Economy - International |
17.2" |
33" - 34" |
| |
Economy - Domestic |
17.2" |
32" - 34" |
| Boeing 767-300 |
First |
18.5" |
40" - 41" |
| |
Economy |
17" |
30" - 33" |
| Boeing 767-400 |
First |
18.5" |
39" |
| |
Economy |
17" - 18" |
31" - 33" |
| Boeing 777 |
First |
21" |
88" - 89" |
| |
Business |
20" |
57" - 60" |
| |
Economy |
18" - 18.4" |
33" - 34" |
| CRJ-700 |
All |
17.3" |
31" |
| Delta MD-11 |
Business |
21" |
60" |
| |
Economy |
18" |
31" - 33" |
| Delta MD-88 |
All |
17" |
31" - 33" |
| Delta MD-90 |
All |
17" |
30" - 32" |
| Delta Express - B-737-200 |
All |
17" |
30" - 32" |
| Delta Shuttle - B-737-800 |
All |
17" |
36" |
| ERJ-145 / ERJ-140 / ERJ-135 |
All |
17.3" |
31" |
| Fokker F-100 |
First |
18" |
38" |
| |
Economy |
17.2" |
34" - 35" |
| McDonnell Douglas DC9-10A / DC9-30 |
First |
19.5" |
34" |
| |
Coach |
17.05" |
30" |
| McDonnell Douglas DC9-40 |
First |
19.5" |
34" - 35" |
| |
Coach |
17.05" |
30" - 31" |
| McDonnell Douglas DC 10-30 |
Business |
20" |
60" |
| |
Coach |
17.17" |
30" - 32" |
| Saab-340B |
All |
18" |
29" - 30" |
| Saab-340 SF3 |
All |
17" |
29" - 30" |
