Is Anyone Comfortable in Their Airplane Seat Right Now?
Based on a new survey of Thrillist readers, it looks like the answer is no.
Last month, I asked Thrillist readers if anyone out there was actually comfortable in their plane seat. Lord knows I haven't been. On a recent flight in an economy seat, both my lower cheeks went completely numb, and my neck started spasming. I was not able to get comfortable. The seat didn't recline even one inch, there was less than an inch of cushion anywhere my body made contact with the seat, and even with the seat next to me open, there wasn't any way I could position myself that would relieve the pressure building in my back.
This was, unfortunately, not a rare occurrence. Any time I am flying economy, I find myself needing over-the-counter drugs in order to lull my body into a deep enough sleep to evade the sensations of extreme discomfort, or outright pain, that flying causes. Not one to think my experiences speak for everyone, I began to investigate. Does everyone feel like this?
Well, maybe not everyone. But definitely a lot of people. In last month's Thrillist survey, 78% percent of respondents shared that the seat on their last flight was uncomfortable. Another 15% responded that they thought their seat was comfortable, while the remaining 7% shared that it was somewhere between.
For the people who said their seats were uncomfortable, these were some of the reasons why:
- "The seat padding was highly insufficient. My rear was sore for a couple of days after a longish flight."
- "The narrowness of the seats. Legroom is nice but I'd rather not have T-rex arms while being stuck in the middle seat."
- "It was rock hard, very thin, and I was in agony for most of the flight."
- "Cushion was thin and the pitch of the neck area pushed my head forward and there was no lumbar support."
- "I could feel the metal in the seat infrastructure."
- "Cushions thin, recline was poor!"
- "The cushion was so thin it felt as though I was sitting in a folding chair!"
- "Lack of legroom, lack of armrest space."
These were just a few of the responses from the survey. For respondents who said their seat was comfortable on their last flight, their reasoning for that was, unsurprisingly, the inverse. Most respondents who said their seats were comfortable also weren't seated in the economy section; they were seated in either business class or first class. So it is possible to find comfortable seating; you'll just need to shell out for it.
Most respondents to the survey said they flew on United, American, or Delta. Other common airlines included Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska, and Frontier. In total, 18 different airlines were represented by respondents to the survey, so even as certain airlines get scrutinized for their uncomfortable seat designs, this is clearly not an issue that is exclusive to any single airline. An overwhelming majority of respondents shared that the comfort of seats has declined over time:
- "They have gotten so much more less comfortable," one respondent shared. "I feel like I am sitting on a bench with my head pitched forward making sleep almost impossible."
- "Flying since the '60s," another person wrote. "A steady decline. A bus has more comfort."
- "Yes they are less comfortable and provide a negative value for the cost of airfare," said another. "Standing room would be more comfortable."
One answer on why plane seating felt so uncomfortable seemed to sum up most passenger frustrations pretty succinctly:
"Seats on planes are inhumane. They wonder why there are so many fights. Well, if you put people together that closely it's actually gross," survey respondent Kristin Herring, from Florida, told Thrillist. "My flight Sunday night was so uncomfortable. I sat next to a guy and his arm was in my space. He just put his arm on the only armrest and invaded my space. I had to keep my shoulder pulled forward so we didn't touch and I ended up with a sore shoulder and neck. Also, you can't even use your table to use your laptop. The seat in front of you can lean back and crush the lid. You have to keep your elbows behind your body because the laptop is so close you can't type. It's ridiculous and something needs to be done. You can't get by someone in the aisle without touching and brushing by their body. It's awful and I've been wondering how we can get the airlines to change. They charge a lot of money to not provide your own space."
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