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Hum, expert in here will correct me if I'm wrong, but, beside the bins, over the years, version after version, I feel that airframes actually slowly shrunk.

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The original 747-100's engines were underpowered. That's whey there's extra space for the lounge and more space. As engine technology caught up the aircraft seating increased density.

You might feel that way, but that isn't correct.

Over the years, the airlines _have_ reduced seat pitch, and as you can see from the 747 illustration, added an additional seat in the middle section as well.

The layout in the picture seems to be 3-4-3, which pretty typical for 747s - I don't think anyone does 3-5-3.

I recently (a few years ago) flew transatlantic on a 3-5-3 747 (Delta).

I did a quick look through every 747 layout listed at https://www.seatguru.com/charts/longhaul_economy.php

I don't see any 3-5-3s - everyone was a 3-4-3. If anyone was doing it, they've since retired the plane/layout.

In recent history, Delta only flew 747s between 2009 and 2018 (they were originally Northwest planes, acquired in the merger). I can't find any evidence that any of them ever had 3-5-3 seating.

That is why I used the verb feel.

Now, at least in short-medium range Airbus, my sore ass really believe that more than the pitch has been reduced ! ;-)

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