Skift Take
The disparity between haves and have-nots is seen on a micro level as airlines continue to squeeze seats in the back of the plane to offer more rows where passengers, who can afford it, pay to actually fit.
Southwest is one of several airlines squeezing seats closer together in order to pack in more passengers, create rows with extra legroom for people willing to pay more, or both. It has started adding six more seats to its planes, losing an inch of room between seats in the process. WestJet, out of Canada, is whacking several inches of space to make room for a section of higher-fare seats with extra legroom.
Even JetBlue Airways, which has long boasted the most legroom in the industry, announced earlier this month that it had removed an inch of legroom in the rear 11 rows of its Embraer E190 aircraft to accommodate expanded legroom in new, higher-priced rows.
The Daily Newsletter
Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.
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Tags: fees, jetblue airways, southwest airlines