Experts opine that although there is a minor difference between seat pitch from airline to airline all Indian carriers adhere to global standards of flight seating and reduced seat space is not only an Indian norm
Following the alleged molestation of a minor actor on a Delhi-Mumbai Vistara flight, the question of crammed seating in flights has come to the fore. In the age of budget carriers, globally flights have increasingly reduced the 'seat pitch' or the distance between seat rows to accommodate more seats to book profit. However, experts opine that although there is a minor difference between seat pitch from airline to airline all Indian carriers adhere to global standards of flight seating and reduced seat space is not only an Indian norm.
" It is not a seat space issue. An airline like Vistara has a decent seat space. It is as per universal order." said Jitendra Bhargava, Former Executive Director, Air India.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), a global body that looks into issues of flight safety, also has no regulations for seat pitch, passenger space or seating room as it is the airline that determines seating along with the aircraft manufacturer and the aircraft's certificating authority. CASA only looks into the tested strength of seats to ensure that seat types, including the seat belts, meet international standards.
Bhargava thinks that the recent issues of sexual harassment on flights are more of a conduct issue and less of an ergonomic concern. " You cannot put your feet on another person's seat. What we need is a lesson in flight etiquette. Earlier the aviation industry was elitist. Now everyone is flying." said Bhargava.
Flyer's Rights an American NGO in a passenger safety hearing recently argued, that the average seat width has reduced from around 18.5 inches in the early 2000s to 17 inches in the early to mid 2010s. The "seat pitch" it added has gone from an average of 35 inches to as low as 28 inches in some carriers in its submission.
"It is a global trend. Low cost carriers want to fly more passengers. They reduce the seat pitch and increase the number of seats to increase their revenues. " said Sudhakar Reddy, Founder, Air Passenger Association of India.
AWARENESS MUST
- With carriers putting more passengers in planes than before, discord among flyers are likely to become frequent
- Experts stress the need for increasing awareness of flying etiquette among users
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