Contrary to popular belief, it seems that passengers are happy to see their ability to recline limited.
The “recline or not recline” debate is as old as mass air travel and is as hotly debated as the ownership of the armrest or the right to keep the window blinds closed.
Between the supporters of the ban on reclining seats out of respect for the backseat passenger and those who consider it a quasi-constitutional right, no common ground has been found.
Delta limits seat recline
We have seen airlines gradually introduce “pre-reclined seats” on medium-haul flights, i.e. seats where the backrest is initially more inclined than on a normal seat but which do not recline more. The reason is simple: optimization of space and densification of the cabin without creating a revolt or a generalized fight.
Delta recently announced that on certain short routes, the ability to recline seats would be reduced. Not abolished but reduced. On some aircrafts “in test” the maximum inclination will go from 4″ to 2″ and in first (in fact the business of domestic flights) from 5″ to 3,5″. Not to add seats and put more passengers (on the contrary Delta is rather in the logic to give more space to the passengers) but for a better comfort.
We could have expected an outcry from the customers and well it was not the case, on the contrary. The initiative was even praised for the clients.
Between the tilt and the computer the customer has chosen
There are two reasons for this.
The first one is that the screen on the back of the seats is fixed at Delta on the concerned devices and therefore difficult to see when the backrest is tilted.
The second is that passengers find it easier to use a computer. Indeed, using the laptop on the tablet while the back of the front seat is largely inclined is quite problematic, even with 10 or 12″ screens.
A reaction to be tempered for two reasons.
The first is that this is obviously the reaction of “frequent flyers”, a business clientele that prefers to optimize its time by dealing with its emails, especially since Delta offers a very good quality WiFi. We will wait a little time to have the opinion of the leisure customers.
The second is that we are talking about flights of less than 2 hours. I can’t see the same initiative being greeted in the same way on a “Trans-con” between New York and Los Angeles.
But anyway, a surprising reaction and a welcome initiative from the airline.
Photo : Delta Airlines cabin by EQRoy via Shutterstock
