What Do You Want?

1. For the most part, nothing. However, I am of the height and size that airline seats are designed for. I do like the extra legroom for "plus" (not Premium) seating, and my current status gets me upgraded nearly every time.

2. See number 1, but if I were to pick one option, it would be seatback entertainment (which is now standard), but beyond that, it would be some type of footrest, either the train style drop down, or recliner type lift.

3. Even just skip the $20 voucher and cut the price. I turn down the meal about half the time, the constant snack, meal, snack, light meal thing leaves me bloated and out of the mood to have a decent snack or meal when I arrive. Basically, I would rather save myself for a great coffee and pastry once settled; or a nice light lunch, depending on timing.

4. The only thing I can think of is a regular power outlet at every seat, not just premium/plus options.

1. A couple of hundred dollars.
2. Leg room. I bring reading & music options, and I nap/sleep a lot on planes.
3. I would absolutely hate this idea! First, have you seen the options at the Spokane airport? I’m lucky if Starbucks is open! Second, I don’t want to smell everyone’s meals for hours solidifying near their feet while they wait to eat on the plane - ugh! Third, $20 is going to get a salad and protein drink at an airport. I want to eat more than that during a flight from the west coast of the US to Paris. Fourth, if the TSA lines are too long, someone’s not going to have anything to eat on the plane. Fifth, now imagine the long TSA lines now queuing up at the food counters trying to make their flight, also. Yep, don’t like this option! LOL!
4. My big wish list item is that when we reserve an international flight several months ahead, that the flight route and connection times wouldn’t be rescheduled - that the original airport connections & times would stay the same. Delta is typically changing my schedule to go through JFK, etc. instead of a direct flight from Seattle-to-CDG.

Happy New Year!

Sorry I was unclear on #3. The premise would be you would eat at the airport eating establishment before boarding and not bring food onboard. That would be a messy and smelly disaster!

1. I would pay up to twice the standard economy ticket price on a given flight for Premium Economy on that flight. I will even go 4x for Business Class, depending on the airline, and cabin configuration (e.g, I wouldn't pay for United's old "Coffin Class"-configured 787-9s but would for Polaris).

2. Definitely seat width and leg room.

3. Would totally suck. I've been in some airports where the dining choices have been pretty poor.

4. Eliminate checked bag fees and start enforcing carry-on limits.

#1 $200, but would prefer to have it for the trip over, not the return

#2 seat comfort. Its part of my jet-lag avoidance routine, to try and sleep on international flights as much as possible, and not stare at the computer screen for hours

#3 also part of the routine to not eat meals during the flight over, so as to better adjust to time change. Id use the voucher for light snacks.

#4 absolutely concur with Alan J.

1. Premium economy is my base fare. I don't even look at economy fares. For an overseas flight I'd only be looking at Business class.
2. If I had to choose between these 3 I'd be looking for a different airline that gave me all 3. Or at least the extra seat width and entertainment. I'm short, so leg room is not an issue.
3. Absolutely not.
4. Increased staffing on their phone lines to reduce wait times.

It’s interesting the see the difference in the responses to #3. Those of us on the west coast view this much less favorably then those further east. Additionally, the current airport configurations wouldn’t handle the additional customers sitting to consume a meal.

I agree, Patty. It also makes a big difference, plus now that I don’t live in Seattle, I’m lucky if it’s just a 13-hour flight from Spokane to Seattle to Paris. That’s a long time to think a meal eaten at the airport would be enough to not arrive at the destination without a headache.

It’s interesting to read people’s #4 wish list item!

1) $300
2) Leg room (or seat pitch). I just want enough space to be able to reach down and grab an item from the bag under my seat, or to open a laptop when the seat in front of me is reclined
3) Not interested
4) Enforce the rules. Allow only one bag per person in the overhead (not five, as I saw on Delta on one flight); don't allow people to just grab other people's assigned seats because they feel like it (as happened to me on another Delta flight); don't allow people in basic economy to stash their bags in the overhead area reserved for premium economy .....

1. $500 round trip.

2. Seat width and especially leg room. I bring reading matter and try to sleep.

3. Awful idea for the reasons everyone mentioned. The inflight meals can be a nuisance, like when you want the bathroom, but they break up the monotony of the flight. (Plus it's a little engineering challenge to eat all the food and put everything back neatly to hand the flight attendant. Nesting bowls, aligned utensils, crumpled napkin, etc. There would be no challenge to this in an airport eatery.)

4. Hard to pick just one, but I guess it would be a free checked bag for everyone who wants it. This would save overhead space in the cabin and speed up boarding and deplaning. That said, you get a free checked bag on transatlantic flights. But the question was broader than that.

1. $0. I'm willing to put up with 8 hours of a bit of discomfort.
   There are other things I'd rather spend money on once my feet are on the ground at my destination.
2. Entertainment. I'm 6'2" but being distracted with entertainment can keep me from thinking of discomfort.
3. I do like that idea.
4. Accountability to follow policy and law when flights change, delayed, cancelled, etc.

From Marie
4) Enforce the rules. Allow only one bag per person in the overhead (not five, as I saw on Delta on one flight); don't allow people to just grab other people's assigned seats because they feel like it (as happened to me on another Delta flight); don't allow people in basic economy to stash their bags in the overhead area reserved for premium economy .....

Yes, yes, yes!

1. All up from MEL or SYD takes about 23 hours both ways. She who must be obeyed has decreed business. I do what I am told. Qatar, Emirates and Skippy have great aircraft, interiors and lounges. Qatar tops the tree.

2. Do not have to choose.

3. Would not happen over these routes with these airlines. But if, I would be ordered to change airlines.

4. Employ more female pilots. They know how to put those big machines down on the runway with a delicate touch. Always feel secure when I hear a female Captain or First Officer making the initial announcements.

Fireworks over Sydney Harbour so must be 2022 already. Enjoy Europe in 2022. Too complicated for me and I do not like the idea of having my brain tickled and scraped by a little plastic brush. I confess to being lazy. Uk in 2023 for another crushing of what passes for the Pommy cricket team.

Best Wishes on with dreams. Ron

1. $500
2. Although I'm only 5'5", extra leg room-I had a Premium Economy seat on Virgin one time and people could actually get to the aisle without the other people on their row getting up. The plane was a brand-new Airbus.
3. Absolutely not. If your connection is late, you'll really be hungry if you connected and then had a 7 hour or more flight to Europe.
4. Enforce the overhead rules.

1. I paid $200 once to upgrade at the gate on Virgin Atlantic. I don't think I would go much higher than that.

2. Seat size/leg room. I'm pretty happy reading a book.

3. I am 100% certain that I am indifferent on this issue.

4. Minimum 32" seat pitch (though apparently the customers have spoken with their dollars and are happy to accept a 29" seat pitch to save $19 -- see Spirit Airlines).

1. $200 for the long haul from Seattle going to Europe. Im one of those persons who typically fly economy; Even waiting the 24 hour window to choose my seat, as I am often a solo traveler and usually find an aisle (preferred) or window seat. It helps that I am a small person.
2. Leg room, even though I am short, I need to stretch out in my seat during the flight. I have my own entertainment and do use the USB. Saying that though, not all aircraft have seat plug options.
3. $20 voucher would be nice at my airport in Seattle since the choices for food and snacks are quite good and I am a person to arrive at the airport in plenty of time, typically. Ugh, the carts! I like to get up during the flight and stretch my body and the carts are a nuisance. I hardly ever eat the meal offered onboard. Just yuck!
4. Like someone else said, it would be great to have a footrest, since I am short and seat plug options.

Happy Néw Year! May 2022 bring good health and perseverance to all travelers here on the Forum and around the world.

Question 1. I'd pay about $500, which is why I've never flown ticketed premium economy...typically it would be at least an additional $1000 (more like $2000) each way.

Question 2. All long haul airlines ex NZ seem pretty similar in seat width/leg room, and 24 hours is a long time to kill without entertainment (and would be unusual to be omitted long haul ex NZ). Although, I'd bring my own entertainment if it meant I had a roomier seat (I'm glad the days of 2 movies each leg on a shared screen that I couldn't see are gone).

Question 3. $20? No way. I'd have to bring 12 + hours of snacks and replenish at whichever stopover for the second 12 hour leg. You'd have a plane load of hangry passengers. Not safe!

Question 4. ...While I'm totally ok in the average seat, it would be a game changer to have the headrest to be where my head actually rests, the back support to be where I need it and there to be a footrest.

1. $300 one-way. I value Premium Economy at $30/hr over Comfort Plus/Economy Plus/whatever the airline calls their extra-legroom economy seats. LAX-CDG is ~10 hours.

2. More room. Last I checked I can carry-on my own entertainment, which is not true for extra space :-)

3. Nope, would not like this idea.

4. Agree with Dave upthread--minimum seat pitch all-around, but as he noted that's more of an "airlines reacting to the flying public" thing than a straight airline decision.

It's unfortunate that these are even considerations. Remember when air travel was a pleasure?
1--We might pay $100 or so, but it seems that the additional charges are much more than that. We'd rather spend our dollars at our destination.
2--Entertainment can help make an uncomfortable seat more endurable. We have been on international flights without entertainment (older planes) and they were the worst.
3--A voucher system might be OK for people whose departure airport is a real international hub, but for us it would add stress. Our "international" airport just connects to larger airports, and airline schedules often barely add enough time to get to gates from connecting flights. Additionally, eateries are not open from 11:00pm-6:00 or 7:00am.
4--Enforce the rules concerning luggage, masks, seat encroachment, etc.

I hope that my response didn't appear large font and blue for all of you. I really hate technology.

@ musicmoll1

Yes, it is in big blue font. The thing that triggers this is by starting the paragraph with the # character. You can go back and edit and add a space in front of the # or replace it and it will go away. Happy New Year.

Thank you, Stan. It's good to learn new things.
And Happy New Year to all of you. I hope it is full of travel adventures.

musicmoll1 pointed out something I wish the airlines would be more diligent about and that is mask reminders/control. Difficult to do, I’m sure.