Tall People Problems

Being tall certainly has its advantages – you stand out in a crowd, reach high shelves with ease, and always get good views at concerts. But when it comes to booking flights, those perks can quickly turn into a series of inconveniences.

Standing at 6ft 5, fitting into standard airplane seats feels less like a comfortable experience and more like a test of endurance. The legroom in economy class, already cramped for most people, becomes a major struggle for those of us with longer legs. Personally, I simply don’t fit in – my knees press against the back of the chair in front, and my feet don’t touch the floor!

As a result, upgrading to extra legroom seats often becomes a necessity, not a luxury. For us, this means shelling out an extra £120 or more (if we want to sit together) just to avoid enduring a cramped, uncomfortable flight. The issue, however, isn’t a matter of preference. I’m not seeking luxury; I’m more than happy flying in economy class – we all arrive at the same time. But seats that fit my upper 95 percentile frame would be nice!

Airlines, focused on maximising space and cutting costs, don’t accommodate the basic need for personal space for taller passengers. I can sympathise with the economics – give one person (me) more legroom, and the reverse applies. Really, everybody should have it, and the fewer people you have on a plane, the more expensive it is for us all.

While extra legroom is marketed as a premium service, it often feels more like a hidden penalty for being tall. So, we stump up the cash, bite the bullet, and upgrade our seats, but with great height comes great responsibility. As we’re now sitting in seats near the emergency exits, we’re expected to help the cabin crew in the (very unlikely) event of an emergency!

In the end, it’s a situation that highlights the tension between personal comfort and profit in the airline industry. For tall travelers, it’s a reality we must face each time we book a flight.