This Airline’s Middle Seat Is Getting Bigger

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Getting stuck in the dreaded middle seat when flying easily puts a damper on any trip. But that could soon change if you fly with Frontier Airlines.

Frontier is giving passengers in the middle a little extra room by installing new 19-inch seats, according to Conde Nast Traveler. By contrast, Frontier’s aisle and window seats span 18 inches.

While that extra inch might not seem like a lot, it could make wedging yourself into the middle seat just a bit easier.

“This will make sitting in the middle seat a little less uncomfortable,” said Daniel Shurz, Frontier’s chief commercial officer.

While middle-seat passengers will gain additional room, some customers may be disappointed with other changes Frontier is making.

The new cabin layout on Frontier’s Airbus A320s and A319s allows an extra 12 seats to be added to each flight.

Frontier passengers will lose about 2 inches of space between their seat and the seat in front of them. The seats will also be thinner because they’ll have less padding, and they won’t recline. Frontier told Conde Nast that the seats are “prereclined” so travelers won’t have to worry about people leaning back.

It seems like Frontier is adding one comfort and taking away others. But as Fortune notes, many passengers who fly on Frontier aren’t expecting much in the first place.

[Frontier is] ranked as one of the five worst airlines in the United States, racking up bumped passengers, complaints and mishandled bags. Barely more than half of its planes land on time. With such low expectations, flyers might just view the new middle seats as a rare and unexpected perk.

What do you think of Frontier’s bigger middle seat? Do you fly Frontier? Share your comments below or on our Facebook page.

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