American Airlines has abandoned plans for a 29-inch seat pitch, just weeks after it was announced.
The airline planned to reduce main cabin seat pitch from 31 inches but will now cut it to 30 inches.
AA said it had been able to achieve this by eliminating one planned row of main cabin extra seating, which has extra legroom.
“Designing aircraft interiors is an art and a science. It requires us to take into account customer experience, revenue, and other considerations,” said American Airlines President Robert Isom in a memo to company employees.
“We’ve reassessed what’s appropriate for the markets served by our new 737 MAX and have found a way to deliver a minimum of 30 inches of pitch for all Main Cabin rows. This is the right call for customers and the right call for our team members who take care of them.”
“It is clear that today, airline customers feel increasingly frustrated by their experiences and less valued when they fly,” the memo added.
“We can be leaders in helping to turn around that perception, and that includes reviewing decisions that have significant impact on the flying experience.”
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