I sometimes feel like I’m the only blogger in the world who actually doesn’t mind flying US Airways. In general, I’ve found their people to be reasonable, their airplanes to be clean, and more importantly – on time, and Dividend Miles has worked out pretty well for me as a lowly Silver Preferred member. When they finally fix the lack of fleetwide wi-fi issue, I think they’ll really be on to something. If they only had inflight power!!!
On Friday, MrsMJonTravel and I returned from Orlando to Washington (DCA) in First Class. I even sprang for 6,000 miles each to upgrade us in advance because we had a shocking amount of luggage (for us) and I didn’t feel like sweating the battlefield upgrade on vacation. We were seated in 2A and 2C. Now…this wasn’t the first time I’ve flown First Class on a US Airways A319, but it may have been the first time I’ve done so when the person in front of me felt the need to recline. And the results speak for themselves:
And just in case you think I’m being unfair by using a shot with my headset case in the seatback pocket:
The seatbacks sit pretty far back when not reclined. The act of reclining means you are laying on the tray table of the person behind you. Guess I will stick with bulkheads on US from now on. I know they tightened the upfront pitch up a bit when they reconfigured cabins after the US-HP merger, but this was the first time I’d experienced the results so mightily. Seriously, that ain’t right. Still didn’t make me want to move to coach though.
@SW – since when do they do that? Purchased First seats always seem to fill up front to back. Out of the 12-15 times I’ve been upgraded, I’ve landed in Row 1 exactly once (which incidentally means I usually miss out on my first choice of meals, but that’s a different story)
Maybe that’s why US is the only carrier that holds on to row 1 for their elite members.
Exactly, John. Those AA seats feel downright roomy.
The difference between the US first seats and the new slim AA first seats has always amazed me. Wayyy more knee room on AA, but probably the same pitch.
Seriously? We need to start this debate again?
The seats are designed that way, your exactly same seats have the same feature.
I am not saying that I won’t be upset if someone recline right into my knees, but to say that it is wrong to recline, I just cannot agree to that logic.
Well, not sure where I said where it is wrong…. just offering an observation of the way these seats work. Though I think it is tacky to drop your seat back rapidly without thought of what might be going on behind you. That is all.