As People get bigger, Airline seats are getting smaller.
I have to say this is (for me) counter intuitive. So why is it happening? In my opinion we are about to be penalized by Boeing Aircraft Corp., who, in the interests of economy, have found a way to reduce the cost per seat/mile on a whole generation of commercial aircraft ill suited to the markets in which they must operate. In short the Airplanes they are building are too small. Boeing has structured a whole generation of Aircraft to fly low density, high revenue, point-to-point routes because that's how they said the industry would develop. The marketplace however, continues to be orientated around high density hub-and-spoke operations, long-haul international and short-haul commuter traffic. Net result is that Boeing is trying to get more 'bums' in each airplane, smaller seats, (new airplanes are being fitted with 17.5 inch wide seats) thinner upholstery for thinner seats, and shorter pitch between rows. the newer seats don't even recline in the conventional man