IF you think  coach / economy flights are bad now….just wait…it’s getting worse in 2015!

If you think flying coach  is a cramped and claustrophobic experience, then you’re going to hate what’s coming in the months ahead.

An increasing number of airlines are starting to install more paid-legroom seats on their planes (because people buy them), eating into the legroom of the standard coach seat – which we all know is already limited.

Airlines such as JetBlue, American, United, Frontier, and Spirit are introducing a new class of roomier seats with names such as Economy Plus (United) and Classic Plus (Frontier) that offer passengers more space to spread out but at a higher price tag.  To make room on the plane for these pricier seats, the standard coach experience gets a little more cramped.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SIT ON A BICYCLE SEAT?

While luxury airlines unveil multi-room apartments in the sky, the future of economy seating for the rest of us is looking smaller and even less comfortable.

In a recent patent filing, plane manufacturer Airbus included diagrams for new standing seats. (ABOVE).

The design is meant to fit even more passengers on flights, specifically on short-haul trips where the added discomfort could be more tolerable, at least in Airbus’ estimation.

Even though the Airbus plan is still just a concept, there is no question air carriers want to fit more economy passengers on each plane.

Boeing is working on adding capacity to its 737 narrow-body airplane model, which is used for short-haul flights. The manufacturer plans to squeeze in more passengers by reducing the space between seats by two inches.  Read more at MASHABLE.

“I don’t want to be tortured,” says Judy Greene, a musician who lives in New York.

Durnford King, a TV writer based in Santa Monica, Calif., wonders, “What’s next, rolling passengers up in bubble wrap and packing them in like sausages?”

How to avoid economy “minus” in 2015

Find airlines with more legroom, for now. Some airlines still offer a civil amount of space, even in economy class. One of your best bets is to find planes configured for international travel flying domestic flights. Depending on the aircraft type, your seat may have as much as 33 inches of pitch.

Book for comfort. Expedia.com just added a service called RouteHappy, which displays flights based on comfort. Hipmunk.com also lets you sort fares by “agony.”

Lobby for legroom. Tell your elected representative it’s time to draw the line and to set minimum seat standards on planes. Getting rid of what passes for economy class today would be a good start.  Read more on this  at USA  TODAY.