Legroom increased on jets

Thursday, Feb. 3, 2000 | 11:40 a.m.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON -- American Airlines announced today it will spend $70 million to give every passenger flying in coach class more legroom.

The airline plans to remove 7,200 seats from 707 planes so passengers will have 3 to 5 inches of additional legroom.

The announcement came with an unusual mea culpa from Chairman Donald Carty and other executives at the Texas-based airline, who acknowledged that the industry has long ignored passengers' top complaint: cramped quarters.

"To some degree, this is an industry that has lately been in denial," Carty said.

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