The SwampButt Underwear Summer Travel Series.
The Role of Seat Size, Passenger Size, Heat and In-Flight Behavior.
What Airlines Could But Will Not Do To Make Passengers Happier (Or At Least Less Angry).
July 17, 2025 – When people traveling by air are subject to poor customer service, summer’s heat, and smaller spaces for larger people, there is going to be trouble. The heat is on. Ask any hotel employee, amusement park ride attendant or pet sitter and they will all agree that summer vacation season is now in full swing. Summer vacation is a fun and often family inclusive happening. Or, it is supposed to be fun. Too often what supposed to be relaxing time off from the hustle of everyday life turns into another set of hassles. Airline travel is now a full contact sport. The ticket desk scene is more like a WNBA game than a que for boarding the plane.
The peak of vacation season is summer, and it is hot. Heat has well-documented effects on mood and behavior: scientific studies have shown that elevated temperatures increase irritability, lower frustration tolerance, and can even trigger aggressive outbursts—a phenomenon sometimes called “heat rage.” Nothing like being wedged into a seat with a couple of sweaty meat wagons on either side.
Plenty of Good Reasons for Bad Behavior
Higher temperatures, sweaty people, fewer flights, smaller seats, higher prices, mismanaged luggage, expensive parking and understaffed kiosks or unattended/automated services all by the airlines are stressing the public out. Stress is a physical and chemical reaction inside the human body. It can lead to yelling, screaming, and even fisticuffs. If airlines wanted to make this better, they could make one change that would reduce stress, increase customer satisfaction and immediately make the bottom line greener through customer loyalty. That remedy; make the seats and aisles larger. It will never happen. Why? You already know but read on anyway.
Decreased Seat Size and Density
Over the past decades, most airlines reduced seat width and pitch (the distance between seats) to maximize capacity, efficiency, and profit. Today’s economy seats are narrower and offer less legroom than in previous generations. The size of passengers is going the other way, growing ever larger.
Let’s Go Fatty
American adults, on average, are both taller and heavier than in past decades. According to Center for Disease Control (CDC) data, both average body weight and obesity rates have risen steadily in the U.S. Diminished personal space can increase feelings of discomfort, frustration, and even physical pain, especially on longer flights. According to Helio, from 1990 to 2021, the percentage change in the age-standardized obesity prevalence among Americans increased by 158.4% (95% UI, 123.9-197.4) in male adolescents and 185.9% (95% UI, 139.4-237.1) in female adolescents, whereas the percentage change in obesity prevalence was 123.6% (95% UI, 112.4-136.4) in adult men and 99.9% (95% UI, 88.8-111.1) in adult women. This means a higher percentage of passengers may find airline seating uncomfortably restrictive—even more so for those considered above average in size. Or put simply, it’s going to suck.
You Are In My Personal Space
Americans need a ‘barrier’ around them. The size of the barrier depends on the individual and the relationships between them and others. According to Psychology Today, ‘Americans prefer an 18-inch distance between themselves and someone else during a casual conversation.’
The publication went on, ‘this is generally called the personal space bubble. At this range of 18 inches to 4 feet, we are close but not that close; we can reach over and pat the other person’s back. This space is known as friendly but not intimate. We are in this space when we must speak privately with another person, and the outer limit of this zone is acceptable in close business relationships.’
Safe to say that there is not this amount of space between passengers. “There is less space between passengers on airlines than there is between the bricks on the Egyptian Pyramids,” said keeper of trivial knowledge and SwampButt Underwear spokesman, Nick Heraldson. “I mostly get seated in the middle between two plus sized individuals,” Heraldson went on. “I feel like they should help pay for my ticket since their blubbery arms and side-fat are slopped over into my seat. I can’t move, never mind buckle my seat belt or ‘feel free to move about the cabin’ when the seatbelt sign is off. I can’t even get a full breath. Because the pressure from the two-corn fed, never ordered a salad travelers on either side keeps my sides caved in.” The SwampButt Underwear Summer Travel Series.
Links to Unruly Behavior
While there is no excuse for rude, often confrontational and sometime violent behavior there are reasons.
– Physical Discomfort: When people are physically uncomfortable or in pain (from cramped seating, being pressed against a neighbor or two, or unable to move easily), stress and irritability rise. “I get muscle cramps from being folded into a seat meant for a child,” Heraldson declared.
– Increased Tension: Tight spaces may inadvertently cause unwanted physical contact with others—touching, bumping, or invading personal space—which can quickly escalate into heated words or disputes.
– Loss of Control: Feeling physically trapped or unable to adjust one’s posture can increase anxiety, particularly for those who are already uncomfortable with flying or with confined spaces. “What about those who are claustrophobic,” Heraldson asked. “What.”
– Trigger for Incidents: Research and industry reports indicate that physical discomfort is a common catalyst for disputes between passengers and between passengers and crew—whether about armrests, seat recline, or accidental contact.
Broader Behavioral Impact
Small seats are not the only cause of bad behavior, but they amplify other contributing factors—fatigue, travel-related stress, and frustration with delays or service issues.
– Vulnerable Populations: Large and tall passengers, persons with disabilities, elderly travelers, and even parents of small children are disproportionately affected by limited seat space, increasing the risk for disagreements or emotional outbursts. “The only kind of children I really dislike are other people’s,” Heraldson admitted. “Why the little monsters are allowed to kick me in the back of my seat from coast to coast is unacceptable. Of course, if I were to deliver a roundly earned spanking, I’d be thought the criminal.”
Bottom Line
Airlines face pressure to keep costs down, remain competitive, and keep investors happy. Great, except this leads to leading to “densification” of people on board. But the continued reduction of personal space especially during summer can have unintended negative consequences for safety, customer satisfaction, and inflight harmony. Put differently, the airlines do not care about passenger comfort or safety. If they did, they would fix this. Addressing this issue requires a balance between business needs, passenger well-being, and the maintenance of a respectful onboard environment. None of this will ever happen.
Scientific research and aviation experts consistently find that higher temperatures in crowded spaces—such as airline cabins during summer—elevate physical discomfort, lower tolerance for annoyance, and increase passenger irritability and the likelihood of conflict. Airlines and passengers are both urged to take steps during hot weather to minimize these negative effects by managing hydration, promoting efficient boarding, and maintaining cabin air circulation as much as possible. No one in a position to make a decision that would make this better, is going to. “With quarterly bonuses at stake for airline executives, most of which are tied to profit, this too will never happen. Ever.
About SwampButt Underwear
The SwampButt Underwear Summer Travel Series.SwampButt Underwear is a real company that specializes in high-performance, humor-forward underwear engineered to evaporate moisture before embarrassment begins. Made from Lycra/Spandex we make and sell a product that helps solve a problem; the challenge of visible butt sweat. SwampButt Underwear is trademarked in the USA and foreign countries. We paid a lot for it so please do not use it without permission. To learn more visit: https://swampbutt.com.