Anyone who has traveled coach (and let’s face it, that’s the overwhelming majority of us) knows the torture that the seats in this section are: cramped spaces, hard cushions, rigid armrests that stick into your legs or ribs, and that oh-so-wonderful tiny sliver of reclination, enough to be bothersome when the person in front of you leans back into your lap, but not enough to really give you any kind of comfort when reclining yourself. Things get even better when you are of above-average width, as I am (and as are a large potion of gamers) and you end up in far more physical contact with your next-seat neighbor, fine if you’re flying with a friend/significant other, not so much if you aren’t.

Delta Airlines seems to have finally wisened up to the plight of the demographic which actually fills planes and, as reported in various sites, is set to unveil new coach seats on some of their planes by 2010.

Called the Cozy Suite and developed by Thompson Solutions, the new staggered-design seats offer an extra 15% space than regular seats, or in layman terms, an extra 2 inches (5.08 cm). It may not seem like much, but in the world of airlplane seats, it’s quite an improvement.

The new design allows for the same amount of seats in a plane but in a more efficient configuration, allowing passengers extra seat room, extra leg room (yay!), a nook to recline against, forward-sliding seat reclination and the ability to get up and get to the aisle without bothering your row mates. The high-backed seats also offer a modicum of privacy (perfect if, for example, you want to get a quick roleplaying game going while on your way to/from Gen Con or Origins or whatever).

Personally, I cannot wait!