Fly the Friendly Skies?

So, I had occasion to take a domestic flight recently. The last time I flew was actually just a couple of months ago, but that was a 23 hour flight to India so I believe the planes are larger and service is better for an international flight. Not a lot, mind you, but a little.

The particular flight I'm talking about was with American Airlines, but I'm sure you could drop any other airline's name in here and it would be just as appropriate.

Now, I will preface this by sharing that I suffer from slight gait problems and have difficulty moving through tight spaces. That, coupled with the fact that I'm nearly 6 feet tall and just a little heavier than I have been in awhile (not nearly large enough to merit two plane tickets I assure you). But with that in mind, I still believe I'm justified in saying, the airlines need to do something about the tight quarters and lack of distance between seats!

If I had chosen to recline (I use the term "recline" loosely), I would surely have ended up with my head in the lap of the man behind me. "Recliner Lady" in front of me didn't seem to mind the new do I gave her when I had to pull her hair out of my mouth and give her a personal blow dry with my lips. It is no exaggeration that putting down the beverage tray (yes, it is only for beverages now unless you want to sell your first-born for a bag of peanuts) would have caused some serious injury to my person. It's a good thing those tray edges aren't sharp or it might have cut me clean in half had I lowered it.

Because I know how uncomfortable it makes me, I do not recline in an airplane. If for some strange reason (which I cannot imagine in my wildest dreams) I might have to recline my seat, I would certainly tell the person behind me before cranking it back and assuming their knees are out of the way. A courtesy Recliner Lady didn't extend to me. She moved her seat back the minute we were in the air and didn't bring the seat forward again until the Flight Attendant announced we were ready to land. It was only a 4-hour flight after all.

Is it because I've gotten old and crotchety, or didn't flying used to be a lot more fun? In an effort to make a bigger buck, I fear the airlines have taken most of the fun out of flying. I realize the importance of Security and I'm willing to concede that little inconvenience. Moving through the queue like a herd of cattle who are headed by prod to the branding iron, I realize, is for the sake or our safety. I get it. But, I think the airlines could give us a little more latitude when it comes to our comfort inside the plane. Granted, I don't know what it costs to fly a plane from San Jose to Oklahoma, but I cannot imagine that taking away 3 inches of leg room from each passenger to add 20% more seating can possibly be justified. Especially when coupled with the fact that rates have gone way up, additional taxes have been added, and luggage fees are now the norm.

I'm not sure what the answer is. None of us is going to stop flying to teach the airlines a lesson. But, at the very least how about a little courtesy among the passengers? Tell me, is it really that much easier to rest with a minute incline of 1-1/2 inches, than if you use a neck pillow and stay upright the entire trip?

I will give a shout out to Southwest Airlines; even though their seating is tight, their Flight Attendants seem to have a light-hearted approach toward flying, and that does carry over to the attitude of the passengers. I guess the key ingredient is a sense of humor, and expectation of the worst scenario to come out ahead. That way, when your knees are black and swollen after your trip, you can at least say the flight attendant was a hoot!