For flyers, the most important thing on an airplane is comfort and space. Both are at a premium for a flat that does not end in torture. Needless to say, passengers are always on the lookout for the same. However, in this day and age, space is a luxury and all airlines have cut the size of their seats to the bare minimum. It is a tight fit! Yet, there is one airline that has made possible for flyers to get a seat that is comfy and spacious. And it got rewarded for the same. In this year's Skytrax World Airline Awards, Japan Airlines has recently won the prize for the Best Economy seat. This is the second time that the coveted award was won by this airline after securing first place earlier in 2015.
 
Passengers flying economy on Japan Airlines can enjoy greater leg room due to an increased seat pitch, which is an industry term for the distance between the back of your seat and the back of the seat in front. As well as the available space for your legs, the measurement includes the seatback structure and cushions, plus the tray table. On Japan Airlines, the JAL Sky Wider Seat pitch is reportedly 84cm, according to a report by The Independent.
 
As a point of comparison, easyJet carriers have a seat pitch of 74cm, while Ryanair’s seats are 76cm, said the report, adding that those additional centimetres can make the difference between comfort and cramped conditions while airborne.
 
The report further informs that space between armrests is up to 48cm, depending on the aircraft, and seat width on easyJet seats is 44cm, while Ryanair’s clock in at 43cm.
 
Besides offering passengers more space, Japanese Airlines reportedly gives economy fliers free, unobstructed spaces underneath seats, a plastic bottle holder and accessory pouch to secure gadgets or books, a plug socket and 27cm touch-panel monitor on which to enjoy movies, games and audio programmes.
 
According to the report, rather than arranging blocks of seats in groups of three, as is common on many Boeing 777 aircrafts, Japan Airlines arranges its economy seating in blocks of three-four-two. This not only provides more options for different passenger group sizes, but also provides ease of aisle access for passengers and cabin crew, the report added.
 
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Talking about Japan Airlines’ success, the report said that less than 10 years ago, the company had filed for bankruptcy after amassing debts of 2 trillion yen (£13.6bn). According to Reuters, the failing company benefited from a taxpayer-funded bailout and was only freed from government imposed restrictions on route expansion in April 2017.