Coming to a new continent has brought forth many surprises, one especially which pertains to airlines. As I was booking my flight to DC, I was highly confused about the “upgrades” available at extortionate amounts: one of the offers being more leg space. Am I supposed to pay double my ticket price (or more) to receive 12.5cm more leg space? To continue my astonishment, I further found out that I have to pay extra for in flight meals, as well as to check my bag in, but I wouldn’t have to pay these charges if I upgrade to first class.

Thinking in terms of profit-maximization, this all makes sense. If there’s less leg space per person: overall there’s more space for more rows, ergo more passengers, hence more opportunity to make more profit. But why would non-North American airlines then include such things, which are labeled as benefits here, in the original price? That would depend on the vision the company has to keep going: North Americans seem to rather make more money now, when airlines from other parts of the world would rather have satisfied customers, who then return to their services.