Cathay Pacific flight attendants have raised concerns about the airline’s recent decision to add more seats to some aircraft, saying the new layout has made in-flight service slower and more difficult.
The change, introduced in April on a number of Cathay’s Boeing 777 aircraft, increases economy seating from nine across to 10 across. To fit the extra seat, individual seat widths were reduced from 46.99 to 43.43 centimeters.
The Flight Attendants’ Union shared the findings of a crew survey that described a noticeably heavier workload for cabin staff. With more passengers on board but no increase in staffing levels, each attendant is responsible for a larger number of passengers, and that has affected the speed and efficiency of routine tasks.
Narrower aisles contribute to the problem. When attendants are working in the aisle and passengers move past them, tasks become more complicated and slower to complete. According to staff reports, a full flight now requires around three hours to finish meal service—about a 30 percent increase over the previous seating configuration.
Passengers are also experiencing longer waits for lavatories, and there is reduced space for carry-on luggage in the overhead bins and under seats. The union said these changes have led to an increase in passenger complaints about comfort and service delays.
Cathay Pacific responded that the 10-across layout on the 777 is consistent with the current industry standard and is already in use by many other international carriers. The airline noted that, compared with similar configurations on other operators, Cathay’s seats remain wider. Cathay also said it is adding an additional lavatory to each regional 777 aircraft to help address passenger needs.
While the airline positions the shift as an alignment with common practice across the industry, cabin crew and passengers point to clear operational impacts: longer service times, tighter aisles, and reduced personal space. These factors have created new challenges for crew efficiency and passenger comfort that the union says need ongoing attention.