The Importance Of Leg Room

As Ryanair announces plans to cram more passengers in its planes - we look at the best and worst airlines for legroom and ask whether fliers are feeling the squeeze

Ryanair has agreed a £13bn deal for up to 200 new Boeing planes, each of which - thanks to slimmer seats and reduced galley space - will be able to accommodate more travellers.

The budget carrier announced that it will fly its new Boeing 737 MAX 200s with a total of 197 seats – eight more than the 189 seats possible in the 737-800 planes currently being used.

Michael O'Leary, Ryanair's CEO, said the extra seats would generate around €1million of additional revenue per plane per year and that, with the new planes, he hopes to start a new price war in Europe, “which, like all the old price wars, Ryanair will win.”

Yet this latest move to increase passenger numbers in economy comes in a month when rows about legroom caused three planes to be diverted. Will Ryanair passengers have less room?

Ryanair claims legroom space will actually be increased, thanks to the svelte seats and smaller galleys. While not revealing the exact dimensions, or a configuration plan for the new plane, it has said the pitch (ie. depth - the key indicator for legroom) will be at least 30 inches on average.

Airbus, however, Boeing’s rival manufacturer, said the MAX 200 configuration would mean removing three of eight galley trolleys - used for serving drinks and meals - to make way for more seats. This, it said, would leave only five trolleys for the 197 passengers. "Even low-cost carriers need more than that if they are serious about on-board sales and ancillary revenues," Mary Anne Greczyn, an Airbus spokeswoman, told Reuters.