Alaska Airlines is giving you an inch, but not a mile. Yes, you will get an extra inch of legroom on the carrier's planes, something Alaskans traveling thousands of miles to the Lower 48 will surely appreciate.
The Seattle-based airline says it's installing lighter and thinner seats. The seats, which will weigh around 24 pounds, are about 30 percent lighter than the current seats it uses in its fleet. The Los Angeles Times reports that "despite the thinner cushions, Alaska spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said the new seats have won industry awards for design and comfort."
The move will allow Alaska Airlines to save 8,000 gallons of fuel a year per aircraft, The LA Times reports. This falls in line with the carrier's commitment to become a more "green-friendly" company.
Late last year, Alaska Airlines launched a bio-fuel program to power select flights between Seattle, Portland, Ore., and Washington, D.C., commencing six months after Alaska Air Group joined a strategic partnership with Northwest regional stakeholders to explore the possibility of using sustainable bio-fuels for aviation.
