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Feature: Tips for Computing in Coach, Part 1

The airplane is gaining altitude, and the use of portable electronics is now permitted. As a passenger in coach, you reach carefully under the seat before you, hoping to avoid inadvertently putting your head in your neighbor's lap. You remove your notebook from its bag, place the computer on the tray table, and prepare to work.

Then the person in front of you reclines the seat--all the way. Quickly, you lower your notebook's screen to keep it from being cracked. You move the computer away from the reclined seat, but now it's too close to type on comfortably.

Welcome to coach-class computing. And with the crowded summer travel season approaching, it's about to get worse. This week I've got the lowdown on why it's expected to be a long, hot summer for notebook users, plus tips for finding the roomiest coach seats so you can work more comfortably. Next week: tips for laptop users in coach on making the best of a cramped situation.

The Coming Crunch--and What It Means to You

Why are the skies expected to be so crowded this summer?

For one reason, rising fuel costs have made it even more urgent for airlines to fill seats. Also, with so many large airlines in or facing bankruptcy, there's a greater need than usual to sell tickets. And competition from low-cost carriers is forcing traditional airlines to keep fares low, which in turn increases ticket demand.

"It's definitely going to be a love-thy-neighbor summer," said Terry Trippler, one of several airline experts quoted in USA Today on the coming passenger crunch.

Fewer empty seats in coach means less room to move or spread out. While that's not comfortable for anyone, it's particularly challenging for mobile professionals trying to work. When you're squeezed into a small seat with someone on either side, and the seat in front is reclined all the way, and you've got a notebook with a 14-inch screen or larger, and you're trying to type and drink a cup of coffee...well, you see where this is going. And it's not pretty.

Investigate Seat Pitch

So what can you do to avoid a claustrophobic--and unproductive--plane ride in coach?

Before making your reservation, research the seat pitch on your flight's coach cabin seats. Seat pitch is the distance from one point on a seat to the equivalent point on the seat in front.

U.S. airline's domestic flight coach seats range in seat pitch from approximately 30 to 36 inches, with many at 31 inches. The larger the seat pitch, the more distance you'll have from the seat in front of you.

In my experience, a coach seat with a 31-inch seat pitch on a crowded flight is miserable when you're trying to work. You can minimize the pain by taking an ultraportable notebook, such as the Sony VAIO VGN-T150P/L with its 10.6-inch screen. A laptop with a 17-inch display is pretty much out of the question.

The single best source for information about domestic and international flights is SeatGuru.com, which provides details about seat pitch and seat width for many aircraft types. Information is sorted by airline, because a Boeing 747 operated by one airline may have different seat pitch and amenities than the same plane operated by another airline.

Start With Low-Cost Carriers

In efforts to acquire and keep customers, low-cost carriers such as JetBlue and Southwest Airlines are more likely to offer coach seats with larger seat pitch than more established, larger airlines, according to The Wall Street Journal's travel editor Scott McCartney. For example, "Delta's 757s in its regular service have a minimum seat pitch of only 31 inches in coach, while the 757s devoted to its discount carrier, Song, have a roomier 33 inches," McCartney writes.

McCartney's The Middle Seat column is essential reading for frequent business travelers. His columns are online but require a paid WSJ.com subscription to access.

United Economy Plus has the largest seat pitch in coach class among domestic carriers: 36 inches. But those seats are available only to passengers paying full fare, elite members of United's mileage program, or lucky last-minute upgraders.

Don't Assume International Flights Are Roomier

Contrary to popular assumptions, many coach seats on international flights have no more legroom than similar seats on domestic flights. For instance, international Air France and Virgin flights have a minimum seat pitch of 30 inches, notes McCartney. The majority of coach seats on international flights have a 31-inch seat pitch, with the largest--Singapore Airlines--at 37 inches.

Not All Coach Seats Are the Same

Not all coach seats on the same flight will have the same seat pitch. For instance, rows 13 through 25 on JetBlue's A320 planes have two more inches of seat pitch than rows 1 through 10, according to SeatGuru.com's seat map.

Also, exit-row seats often have a seat pitch of 34 or 36 inches, while other coach seats on the same plane may have only 31 inches. The extra legroom is to ensure the exits aren't blocked, of course. But to sit on an exit row, you must be willing and able to help others in an emergency. Also, your seat may not recline. Still, for notebook users, the extra space can make an enormous difference in comfort and productivity.

How Do You Deal?

Do you have survival tips to share with other coach-class notebook users? If so, write to me.