New materials, designs provide better legroom

The nation’s airlines are thriving today and serving more people than ever because we share the same goals as our customers. If our carriers don’t provide a safe, affordable experience with topnotch service, they won’t survive market forces. It’s that simple. With 2.3 million passengers on 27,000 domestic flights daily voting with their wallets, this is quite a market force.

So the idea that airlines would intentionally downgrade the flying experience or undermine safety is a flawed premise. The opposite is true, in fact. Airlines continue to invest in a wide range of innovative technologies to maximize personal space in the cabin while maintaining a level of comfort passengers expect. And safety is, and always will be, our top priority.

Those who want the government to regulate seat sizes often cite seat pitch, an outdated metric. New materials and seat designs — including the way seatback trays and magazine sleeves are designed — actually provide better legroom, even when the pitch is reduced. Carriers continue to be transparent about these options when a flight is booked.

But the regulate-now crowd has been arguing that seat comfort is suddenly a safety issue. It is not. We support the federal government’s role in determining what seat size is safe. The Federal Aviation Administration has affirmed that all U.S. carriers meet or exceed federal safety standards regarding seat size, and the FAA approves seat configurations before they go into service.

Flying today is accessible to millions more people than decades ago because airlines have become more egalitarian. A record number of people are flying because competition is fierce, fares are historically low, and fliers can customize their travel experience down to the last detail, which, yes, can include their choice of seat.

This is something to be celebrated, not regulated.