Short-haul economy seats vary in width 17-18, pitch 28-32

A 2023 analysis by consumer group Which? has found that economy seats on short-haul flights typically vary by about an inch in width, a difference that can noticeably affect passenger comfort. The study measured seat width, defined as the distance between armrests, and identified a band of 17 to 18 inches across a range of carriers, with some airlines consistently offering the wider measurements and others sitting at the narrower end of the scale.

Which? reported that several carriers offer 18-inch economy seats, including easyJet, Wizz Air, TAP Portugal and Lufthansa. At the other end, a number of airlines were identified with 17-inch seats, with examples including British Airways, Jet2, KLM, Norwegian, Ryanair, TUI and Aer Lingus. Some carriers fall between those figures: Vueling was cited in the midrange with about 17.5 inches on certain aircraft. Seat width can vary by aircraft type and cabin layout, so individual plane models operated by a given airline may differ from the carrier average.

The analysis also examined seat pitch, the distance between two seat rows and an indicator of legroom. Which? found that most major short-haul operators have seat pitch in a band between...