Delta reduces seat tilt on some planes to protect its "personal space"

After take-off, domestic Delta Air Lines passengers will notice something different on board domestic flights this weekend. They may be able to sit and relax – but only until now.

Delta said Friday it was going to reduce the tilt of its A320 seats to four inches in economy class starting Saturday. However, that's not because the airline squeezes more seats in the cabin – and you may find that it's a good thing. According to Delta, this is a test to preserve the personal space of the passengers.

Ekrem Dimbiloglu, director of Delta's onboard products and customer experience, told The Guy Points that the reduced tilt was an effort to protect passengers sitting at the rear. Anyone who has put his laptop on a flying tray knows too much of the woes of a sudden tilt.

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The reduced inclination will not only affect passengers in economy class. Those in first class will also see a two-inch reclining removed, the seats going from 5.5 inches to 3.5.

"It's hard to believe that an airline that takes something away from passengers today could be a good thing," said The Points Guy's chief editor, Scott Mayerowitz, in a statement. "But if you take Delta at the word, it could make the flight more comfortable for some. Anyone who has ever tried working on a plane only to have the screen of his laptop slammed by the seat in front of him will welcome the change. "

The change will only happen on the A320s, which provide domestic flights of an hour or two in duration across the country. During this time, most passengers are standing and working rather than going back to sleep, so the reduced incline is not likely to affect the flight routines of many people. Only time will tell.

This story was originally published by Travel + Leisure.