AF1 has the advantage of having larger engines than standard, and it isn't loaded with 300+ passengers. And, yes, it is an amazing sight to watch that beast lift off.
I live in an area where there is minimal choice of airlines going to frequent destinations (to see family). Fares are non-competitive out of the closest airport for me (KXNA which is a big WalMart International business hub) so I must drive over 100 miles to the next nearest airport KTUL or KMCI. I cannot afford to fly first class as I am retired and on fixed income. I have driven two long hard days to the east coast in lieu of air travel, but that isn't cost effective, either. So, yes, it sucks to be me. I know how the Jews must have felt enroute to Auschwitz in the cattle cars. And my options are growing slimmer by the day as my own time is running out.
Very, very seldom do I have the option to actually choose my seat. For example, I recently flew from KTUL on American (737) to KDFW, then KDFW on Emerites (777) to Dubai, then Dubai (737) to Kathmandu and back. The reservations were made way back in March 2013. Both American legs had a flight change and aircraft change (737 to 757) before the flight. Boarding passes and hence seat assignments were made at the terminal and were not available online prior to the flight, though I tried. Most flights today are full and overbooked.
As far as restricting other persons comfort, I have no choice. I cannot make my knees shorter and if I am seated in a normal position and there is no room for the person in front to recline, there is no way I can accommodate that desire. Sorry. It's not a matter of choice. His/her gripe is with the airlines, not with the passengers. I pay for my seat and happen to use all of my space, which does not exclude encroachment from in front.
I am a fairly trim 6'4" male. Seat width shouldn't be an issue, but it is because two people cannot possibly share an armrest that is 2" wide - someone loses that battle of elbows.
But the real issue for me is legroom. Southwest up to now has afforded the best knee room in coach with about 2" between my knees and the seat back frame in front of me. I used to always fly Southwest whenever possible for that reason and their somehow more efficient boarding routines. But if Southwest begins reducing that knee room, I'm gone.
On most planes, I can easily prevent the person in from of me from reclining the seat simply by sitting in a normal position which wedges my knees against the seat back frame. This has the added advantage of keeping their unwashed hair out from under my nose. The other side of that coin is that I never recline my own seat if there is someone directly behind me unless they are a very small person.
If airlines are insistent on making me pay for my anatomica
That's what I thought, too. But if you put a timer on it, Southwest, with their "turn 'em loose" boarding gets the plane boarded faster than any other airline. And I beg to differ on the legroom. I am 6'4" and have long upper legs. In a United 757, if I sit with my butt against the seatback, my knees will touch the back bracing on the seat in front of me. Not so on Southwest's 737's. It comes in quite handy because with my knees jammed against the seatback, the passenger in front cannot recline the seat. I get bruised kneecaps but it works. It's only an inch or so, but it's there.
Southwest is still the leader in boarding. No bag fees encourage more checked baggage, quicker loading and more overhead storage space. They also have an inch or two more knee room for taller passengers. Let's hope the others learn from them.
First, I'll guess we don't know the whole story. Flights are never diverted without due cause because of the scheduling and expense issues involved. Every few added minutes in the air cost thousands of dollars to the airline. With today's full aircraft, you don't just put people on another flight, find another plane or shift crews around randomly.
Second, choice of inflight entertainment is a double-edged sword. If the movie had been "Leave It To Beaver" or "Donna Reed" reruns, everyone over the age of 10 would be fast asleep or otherwise occupied with no complaint. If I recall, the last flight I took with inflight entertainment required headphones so as not to disturb passengers who did not wish to watch the show. Could they not throw a coat or blanket over the seat back?
The airline does not rate movies, the entertainment industry does. Most likely this was one of a batch purchased which had never been watched by airline personnel. I cannot imagine an airline paying an e
One can assume that airlines have indeed spent time and experimentation on boarding procedures. To date, the fastest boarding I've found is with Southwest Airlines queue system with random seating. I have no idea why. Perhaps because window seats are preferred. This is somewhat less of an issue since checked bags are free on Southwest and there is more overhead space available as a result.
Common sense would suggest that passengers should board window-middle-aisle, back to front. Yet some allow persons with assigned seats to board aisle seats first, who then must stand and block the aisles to allow window and middle seats to enter. Baggage fees compound the problem since more people are cramming suitcases into overhead compartments which becomes a slow shove-and-stuff exercise in time waste.
For what it's worth, from one who flies in the coach section with my 6'4" frame, I can tell you that the Southwest seat spacing is about 2" greater for kneeroom that any other plane I've flown on. 757's are the very worst with narrower seats and no breathing room. I can actually prevent a seat in front of me from reclining in most planes by sitting in a normal position with my knees on the seat back frame in front of me. I can't do that in the SW 737's. SW has also removed those silly 1st class seats which is how the add another row or two.
Strange that the device should simply decide to self-destruct after hours/days of existence. I suppose it's possible, but highly suspicious if it was tucked away in a purse or pocket and not being used. What now? Ban all lithium-powered devices from commercial aircraft?
