So it’s a week or so before Christmas and I’m traveling on AA50 DFW to LHR. Of course, as it’s a week before Christmas we’re talking a busy flight. An 1840 departure overnight to London arriving about 0930 next morning.

Now I make no excuses for my size, I’m 6′ 2” and the days when I could claim to be just over 200 pounds are well past; but these seats in Cattle Class are really horrible!

They are narrower than ever, and just to compound the misery factor the height of the seat-back has been reduced proportionately (after all people might not notice until they try to relax, recline and look for a little neck support, say on an over night flight for example) In point of fact, you’ll notice as soon as you try and recline your seat because the whole assembly tilts from another location further up the seat-back, about where the arm-rest is. This causes the seat squab to slide forward driving your knees into the seat in front. The way I see it, anybody over about 5′ 8” will struggle to get comfortable at just about any time other than on a short haul flight..

Another point of interest is the multi-tier pricing in the ‘Economy Cabin’. Seats near emergancy-doors now cost more than isle seats, which cost more than seats near restrooms or the miserable seats in the middle of the crowded rows.

I know that I’m sensitive about the food Airlines serve but there isn’t much of interest on a long-haul flight so the food the Carrier blesses its patrons with has disproportionate significance. Westbound the chicken at least had the look and taste of chicken, Eastbound, last night, there was the semblance and feel of a meat byproduct, which was a shame as the mashed potato was actually potato judging by the lumps it contained, beans and carrots were exactly that. No surprises there! And American still serves a little bag of pretzels with your ‘Complimentary Beverage’. Lastly Breakfast, and frankly the best meal of the flight. After seven hours of sitting near upright in the dark trying to sleep but only discovering a whole new set of pressure points the rapid approach of end of that part of your journey makes Breakfast a blessed relief. For all of that, the blueberry yogurt with some kind of granola mix to add to it, dried fruits and a blueberry ‘thing’ somewhere between a cookie and a muffin really was quite pleasant.