[air travel] fighting for those vital inches in cattle class

One of the four reasons I stay put over here is this: a study for the Consumer Associations' Holiday Which? magazine found that Britain's second biggest package holiday firm, Airtours, had the most cramped seating arrangements on long haul trips. On an Airtours flight [to Sydney], the seat offered was just 16.2 inches wide and had a backrest of only 28 inches width. An entertaining article by Rob Woodburn of The Age [link lost, sorry] then addressed the issue: to what extent are you prepared to fight for your in-flight rights? During my recent visit to Canada I read … about the lanky Ira Goldman and his battle with the airlines, in 2003, over his canny invention Knee Defenders, hard plastic devices that you wedge between your lowered food tray and the back of the seat in front, to stop it reclining. What struck me was not only the vehemence of many of the commenters but that the comments went on for page after page after page. Clearly it was an issue which touched the heart. More here.