Remind me not to fly, united or otherwise

[polaris93]

Nation & World | New saddle-like airline seats would pack cabins more | Seattle Times Newspaper

Comments

[hannahsarah]

Those things look horrid! My back aches just thinking about it. It looks like it would put most of your weight on your femoral arteries, which is very dangerous while flying, and might cause Deep Vein Thrombosis.

Besides, how would most Americans fit their fat asses in there?

[polaris93]

Oh, there's something even worse: over-booking airlines is common practice, but if all those extra passengers could be fitted into airlines, on top of what has been a normal amount up until now, structural stress on the aircraft would increase enough to cause real problems. If the aircraft fitted with those seats weren't kept well-maintained at all times, they'd start losing aircraft in a hurry. The insurance companies would ratchet up their rates for both passengers and airlines to impossible heights. And Amtrak and Greyhound would begin to thrive again. ;-)

[hannahsarah]

Amtrack is awesome, too bad it doesn't go overseas.

I'm in no hurry to Ride the Dog. I did a Greyhound trip cross country once, and it was the worst 3 1/2 days of my life.

[polaris93]

Amtrack is awesome, too bad it doesn't go overseas.

After a number of those overbooked flights go down in the drink and insurance companies cancel those companies' insurance, you can bet that such flights will take place only within countries, and not overseas. Airlines will go back to regular seating then.

I'm in no hurry to Ride the Dog. I did a Greyhound trip cross country once, and it was the worst 3 1/2 days of my life.

That's not true of one hell of a lot of Americans, me included. A lot of us traveled Greyhound in our youth, and if it were necessary now, could do it again. Including me.