Class Conflict
Expanded business class seating puts the squeeze on economy-class passengers.
Airlines such as US Airways, TWA and Lufthansa
have been giving their planes' front seating sections
facelifts to draw business travelers.
But there's a downside to the improvements: Airlines adding
legroom to their first-class sections may squeeze
economy-class seats closer together to make space. That's what
happened when TWA enlarged its Trans World First cabin from 12
seats to 20.
"The temptation to make economy class more narrow is
enormous," says Vince Vitti, president of corporate travel
agency VTS Travel Enterprises Inc. in New York City. "But if
you put in one more row, everyone winds up with their knees in
their noses."
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US Airways removed a row of economy-class seats when it
introduced its new Envoy Class to Europe, but the
remaining economy-class seats weren't moved closer
together in the process.
TWA's economy-class seats used to be the roomiest in
the business, until it expanded its forward cabins. For its part,
TWA is unapologetic for putting the squeeze on passengers.
According to Jim Brown of TWA, the extra space was moved to the
forward cabins because airline officials realized they had been
giving economy-class passengers additional legroom free of
charge.
Christopher Elliott is a writer in Los Angeles and a
columnist for "ABC News Online."
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