Class Wars

Check in your Legs at Bag Drop or Amputate and stow them in overhead Bins?

Over the years, we have witnessed both First and Business Classes evolve radically in terms of comfortability. In terms of seating, for example, first class have shifted from a large seat to an angled fully reclining bed, and finally to the Etihad style private-jet-like mini en suite or the luxurious residence aimed at the rich and famous. Same goes for Business Class, which changed from a medium sized seat to a full recliner.  This style was introduced nearly 20 years ago and is now widely accepted as the industry standard by most large airlines, thanks to British Airways!

One would expect the same evolution in the economy cabin, where 70% of the passengers are crammed, which funds the majority of the operating costs. Unfortunately, conditions have actually deteriorated. For example, a Boeing 777 was designed to accommodate nine seats abreast; it has now changed to 10 seats abreast, reducing the width and space between each passenger dramatically. Generally, nine abreast would give a generous 18.5 inch width, but, thanks to breakthrough by Emirates, the majority of large carriers now carry ten seats abreast, bringing the width down to 16.9 inch. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If everything above isn't bad enough, let's carry on. Now, passengers are having to sacrifice leg room too. What twenty years ago was 34 inch has now been cut to now an average of 31 inch as is offered by BA or Qatar, or, even worse 28 inch as is offered by EasyJet. Judging by the way the trend is unfolding, over the next twenty years, the economy passengers will probably be asked to either check-in their legs at the bag drop counter or just amputate themselves and stow their legs in the overhead bins. As dramatic as it sounds, it's the sad reality for those who can barely afford air travel despite travelling in groups, with families, or even the elderly.

We are also in the know about plans by seat and interior manufacturers to reduce space even more, further squashing passengers. The plans are to have economy passengers sit in a face-to-face configuration. Now, imagine sitting like that on a 14 hour flight! Things will carry on this way until someone revolutionary decides to disrupt the trend just like when BA stunned the aviation world by turning their first class seats into angled lie flat beds.

I am going to change the industry in ways the world hasn’t imagined. Not only will we improve the economy class dramatically, but we’ll also dismantle business and first class products. We want to level the playing field, abolish the class wars, and offer a human class configuration, not a cattle class one.

By Kazi Shafiqur Rahman, Founder and CEO, Firnas Airways