Cramped Skies and Compromised Safety: Are We Ignoring the Basics?
A Journey That Sparked Concern During a recent tour across Europe, I flew with several budget airlines — all operating single-aisle aircraft such as the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX . These modern workhorses are designed for efficiency, but many airlines have pushed that concept to the extreme. By reducing seat pitch and removing in-flight entertainment systems , they’ve managed to fit in extra rows of seats — maximising revenue at the expense of passenger comfort. But the consequences go beyond discomfort. Two serious safety concerns caught my attention. 1. The “Brace” Position Problem In the event of an emergency, passengers are instructed to adopt the brace position to minimise injury. Yet, with today’s seat spacing, many — especially taller passengers — simply can’t comply. When the available space doesn’t allow a person to bend forward adequately, the entire instruction loses its effectiveness. It may check a box on a safety checklist, but in re...