When I was a small child, and I used to go on holiday with my parentile beings, I always had plenty of legroom with my seat, what with my legs being tiny, but my dad always struggled to fit his legs into the space provided. But, we could never sit in the front rows of each section where there aren't any chairs in front, as I had to be older than 16. Now I'm 18, I find that my 6 foot 2 inch frame finds it even more difficult than my dad's did to fit into aeroplane seats, unless we get these front row seats. However, my mother would still join us in the front row, despite being a teeny weeny short person, taking up a seat that a normal person should be using.

I suggest that every seat in each column be on a set of rails, and when booking a flight, you should specify your height. Although the heights would have to be verified at check-in, so you don't lie. People could then be seated in a way that the seats be manouvred backwards and forwards to allow more or less legroom for people that need or don't need it. Of course it would mean that the rows would be a little staggered, but a computer program could be used to give a correct set up of spaces to keep the rows as even as possible. The chairs could then electronically reposition themselves ready for the next flight. Possibly only three different legroom settings could be used: Normal person, short-arse, child and/or midget. That way me and my dad don't have to sit with our kness in our ears all flight while my mum swings her legs freely around the great chasm in front of her. And we don't have to pay extra for front seats either.
-- quaero curvus, Sep 13 2005

I don't.
-- DrCurry, Sep 14 2005


+ for //parentile beings//

Can't say I'd ever need these though 'cos I'm weeeeely wiccle.
-- squeak, Sep 14 2005


At a mere 6'1" I've been waiting for the resizing of table and chair specifications. I suspect the measurements of all the furniture we use were established somewhere in the forties.
-- normzone, Sep 14 2005


I can't say I have any trouble with tables and chairs, and I'm quite tall - although baths are a major source of discomfort.
-- fridge duck, Sep 14 2005


I'm 6' 4" and I'd love this idea. I don't think the "sliding" method you propose would pass safety muster easily, and it would add weight to the plane for the mechanism. But fear not, you could still do this.

Based on population demographics (or, after implementation, customer data), you could figure out roughly how many "tall" "medium" and "short" rows you might need, and lay out the plane with an appropriate assortment.

You'd need to mix them up, to allow different height people in the same party to still sit near each other. For example, row 26 on the left side might be a "tall" row, while 26 (or 27) on the right side is "midget" row. This would allow a married couple with different heights to be right across the aisle from each other.
-- krelnik, Sep 16 2005


I recall that the Australian standards for various "average person" type measurements were revised a while ago (last year, I think). Not because of increasing height though - it was to account for a massively larger average weight.
-- Detly, Sep 17 2005


Welcome to Midget Airways. We pack in twice as many seats and charge half the price of regular airlines!*

*verified short arses only.
-- Obeardedone, Sep 17 2005


I like the way [krelnik] has thought about this. Not sure it would always work though, as different nations of people are different heights, the average Japanese height for example would be lower, and the average height for the Dutch would be higher (I believe it's the Dutch who are the tallest nation, correct me if I'm wrong). Also, high five for being 6 foot plus!
-- quaero curvus, Sep 18 2005


Extremely high five even?

I like that despite being of above-average height, you still classify the largest setting as 'normal'. It suggests the "I am the normal one, it's everyone else that's weird" mentality.

Perhaps the national airlines could have different numbers of seats. Air Japan could have considerably more seats than Dutchjet.

I would suggest moving this to the public: air travel: seat category.
-- hidden truths, Sep 18 2005


Well when I compare to myself, I'd say I'm 100% normal. I'm 6ft 2, the same height as me, and I have two arms and two legs, exactly the same as myself. I look a little like myself as well. So normal.
-- quaero curvus, Oct 13 2005



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