The seat of power

Much of what the survey highlighted was that the seat of all power for airlines is, well, the seat. Here's a little of what we found:

• Two thirds of all respondents who had travelled by air disagreed with the statement 'I have no preference when it comes to seating' – the least fussy were the Filipinos (64% agreed) and the most particular were the Thais (89% disagreed).
• Forty-one percent say they are 'really fussy about my seat and a bad one can ruin my flight experience'.
• Three quarters say 'I would like to have an option which allowed me to change seats if I was unhappy'.

A massive 89% of Taiwanese, 87% of Americans, 84% of Thais and 83% of UK travellers agreed they would appreciate a seat swap if they were less than thrilled with where they were asked to park their posteriors.

Sheri Lambert said this would be bedlam for the airlines.

"It's one thing to not like your seat when you are on a short 45-minute flight. Most of us can deal with that. But it's entirely another thing when you are cramped and miserable across the US or travelling even farther afield.

"In an ideal world, travellers would always get to select their first choice seat prior to departure. That is tough though, especially given current flight loads.

"While large-scale programmes like this are challenging, it does point to the role of options for passengers choosing seats ahead of departure and informative websites like www.seatexpert.com.

"Indeed, some US carriers have experimented with seat surcharges for those who prefer certain placements, but the jury is still out on this one," she said.

And it's not always obvious things that drive the likes and dislikes of nationalities. Some of the Thai respondents' trepidation about seating can be attributed to culture, says Synovate's Managing Director for Thailand, Steven Britton.

"One of the things you are taught in Thailand – and is reinforced all the time when you are growing up – is that you should not step over people. Thais will do nearly anything to avoid this. Airline seats are so tightly packed together in economy that a Thai stuck in a window seat would probably refrain from visiting the bathroom for hours rather than step over several people."

So airlines are dealing with people in uncomfortable seats, as well as uncomfortable people in seats!

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> Transactional travel or sky-high service?

> Up in the air about intimacy

> Children shouldn't be seen, or heard

> Air travel to nose dive?

> How can an airline fly high?

> About the Synovate global air travel survey