Question about configurations

[popovici]

While playing whith different configurations for airplanes, i noticed the system gives u - lets say an indication about the passanger confort - below the class - poor, fair, good, excellent.  The interesting part - and an example i noticed - if i fill up all the seats on high density - says 'poor' - but on some planes is enough simply to take out 2-3 seats and it changes to fair. Also taking out seats in a plane changes the parameter from good to excellent. Is that a game parameter,which the pax takes into consideration or is just some information to help me design the interior?

[brique]

Seat comfort is a factor in passenger decision making : but it doesn't seem to be a major one in itself : Sami has said that better seats will allow for higher pricing, but my experiments didnt show any marked benefit to upgrading them, certainly not enough to justify the re-config costs. If the demand is there, the pax fly anyway, and price seems to be a more important variable than seat quality, in my view, certainly for economy-class. I would suggest its a factor that may come into play more when you have competition and the other variables are more or less equal, then it may give you an edge, particularily for C/F -class pax.

[popovici]

Got it - how about that poor-fair-good-excellent indicator? anyone knows what it is or experimented whith it? as i wrote, u can take just a few seats out and obtain a better 'rating' let's say. A high density initially gives u 'poor' - a few seats out and u get a 'fair'. How about that 'rating'?

[brique]

That I cant say : it may reflect some category in the game engine, but as the overall effect of seat quality, on its own, seems relatively minor, I'd guess those categories would somewhat disappear as quantifiable effects. That's just my opinion, from mine own observations and experiments in that area.

There is probably a defined benefit in the engine, but I doubt that Sami will reveal the exact amount, same as with the other factors, to stop calculator-wielding gamesters building the perfect aircraft.

edit : of course, if you want to try out those changes and then can see significant effects, that would reduce the mystery somewhat, I for one would be interested in your results ; Some-one may send a highly-trained team of reindeer-riding hitmen to confiscate your calculator though...