Planes - extra leg room seats

[hc4361]

I am thinking of writing to the airlines, my MP and anyone else I can think of to stop airlines charging very tall people a supplement for the extra leg room seats.

I think a seat should at least allow the passenger to sit down with feet on the floor and knees at a natural angle without paying a penalty for having long legs. On a recent flight the legroom seemed shorter than ever and I could not get the tray down because I could not put my feet flat on the floor so my knees were in the way.

The extra legroom is not a luxury for me, but an essential.

Your opinions please

[rojash]

You have my sympathy.
However, by extension you could argue that people with big feet shouldn't have to pay more for large shoes, size 24 dresses should cost the same as size 8, and so on...

[EDDIE51]

I believe that Ryanair has a booking system that allows you to book such seats but there is a charge for it as you say. It is a unfortunate fact that airlines are trying to pack as many passengers in to planes as possible and seat pitch is being shortened. I wish you luck but I don't expect you to have much success as in air travel profit is paramount. The airlines view is that on short haul flights you are expected to put up with some discomfort in return for the low price.

[237SJ]

Good luck with that one.
The only possible angle you could approach the subject is from a medical point of view. You could argue that there is a health aspect involved in someone who is tall and is unable to put their legs in a position that doesn`t impair their movement and impact on their health (DVT for example). In which case you will get more sympathy from the CAA

[rojash]

... you also hit the problem: what happens when the number of tall people on a flight exceeds the number of extra legroom seats? Presumably tall people will have to ensure that they book really early or they might spend months waiting for a flight that can accommodate them.

[237SJ]

In my experience, it isn`t the tall people that have the bulkhead seats. It`s just people who like the extra legroom.

[hc4361]

Excellent points, thank you all.
It is a fact that I no longer dwarf everyone in a crowd - people are getting taller.
I used to find it very difficult to buy trousers but now I can buy off the peg anywhere.

[sunny-dave]

Agree entirely hc4361 - if there were a few seats that were the only ones that black/female/gay passengers could travel in without significant discomfort, then those passengers would get first crack and no airline would dare charge extra for them (except paddyrianair of course).

But it seems that discriminating against men over 6ft 2in or so tall is fair game. I always hope that the barsteward who invented this extra charge is sat behind me at the cinema ....

[237SJ]

That will probably be Michael OLeary then

[vivandorron]

Hi rojash...I didn't realise that one had to pay different prices for varying sizes of clothing and footware of any particular manufacturer. But it is a along time since I last shopped.!! Albeit at M&S.

Ron.

[Brinjal]

You also have to pay extra to book an aisle seat or a window seat. You also have to pay extra on some flights to pre book two seats together. It is just away of making more more. All seats should have that little extra leg room because unless you are 5'4 or less then you have a problem

[jno]

if you're talking about Ryanair, when I travel with them it's only for short-haul flights (and I'm not particularly tall). Any more than about three hours or so and I take a proper airline and pay for my comfort.

[welshlibranr]

sadly budget airline cabins are no better than cattle trucks, you think you are getting a bargain, you are not!.....I would never fly with any of them!.....

[DaisyNonna]

Being 5'2"- just! I find train seats uncomfortable. Feet do not touch the floor unless I sit on the edge of the seat. Backrest is anything but. Oh, and while I am moaning am fed up of travelling in trains in the depth of winter when there is no heating on. One way of saving money I suppose.