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By: - 6th January 2006 at 09:47 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The one's with the best safety record, 744, 777, A340, there's no point crossing the atlantic with a nice seat pitch if you won't make it.
But on the other hand I am going to contradict myself here and say I don't really care, I will choose the carrier on the basis of which one I like best, also I always try and support English carriers so BA & Virgin would be my choice even if i HAD to pay a little extra.
By: - 6th January 2006 at 10:28 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Width
In Economy? Logically 767.
The reasoning is simple: in all widebodies, no matter how big, there are 2 sidewalls with windows. In all widebodies, there are 2 aisles to access.
It follows that in a 767, you have 2/7 chance of having a window seat - always only 1 seat from aisle - and only 1/7 chance of a middle seat.
Other widebodies may have more total width, but rarely are they 7 abreast - even A340. You might have more elbowroom in a wider plane - but 7-abreast 767 has enough, and you would have much more chances of a middle seat in any wider planes.
Any objections?
By: - 6th January 2006 at 10:46 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
A tough one.... neither plane I have ever come close to.
(Well, I watched a 767 taxi by at EDI :D)
Supposed I'd choose the classic 747. I'd love to fly a 200.
By: - 6th January 2006 at 10:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
As long as it got me there in one piece, it does not really matter on type. Does anyone actually go out of their way to avoid a particular type?
Have flown Atlantic on A310, A330, A340, DC10, 747-2, 767 & Pacific on A330 & MD11 with a variety of companies and have found it is the airline that makes the difference as each pax fit will be different. ie SQ 747-4 I found very cramped in economy yet the CX one felt more spacious. Have been in the middle seat on 777 of EK and SQ and I know which one I would rather be in.
Best in my mind (even now) was the Wardair A310 LGW-Montreal in 1989 simply because the onboard service was excellent. Not many carriers in economy served each course separately rather than on the same tray or asked how i wanted my steak done!
Next best was probably the MD11 from Tokyo to San Jose - newish service at the time and only 50 people on board so got a row of 5 seats and slept for most of it.
Worst was probably the 767 from MIA to LHR - crew were unfriendly / unhelpful & rude to pax at times.
By: - 6th January 2006 at 10:52 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Doesn't really bother me, but an aircraft with winglets would be good, so I don't get bored looking out the window.
I've flown A310, 744 and 763 on long haul so far, with 763 being the bottom of the pile. Terrible seats was the main problem.
By: - 6th January 2006 at 10:58 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
in 2000, i flew on a British Airways 747-200 to JFK! That was a brilliant plane to fly on
By: - 6th January 2006 at 11:04 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I've flown in a Qantas 744, 742, 747-sp & 763 widebodies, all of which were superb, the best had to be the Qantas 763, wonderfully spacious, I've flown BA 744 many times and I cannot fault this either,
Surely Chornedsnorkak the seating arrangement is totally irrelevant because you can simply pre-book your seat or turn up at the airport earlier to get the seat you want.
By: - 6th January 2006 at 11:29 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I note a lot of people marking down a certain aircraft due to Crew or Seats.
Surely you are all aware, that is not the fault of the airframe?
I mean not to argue with your opinions. Just curious.
I flew a Thomas Cook 752 and found myself desperate to get off of it due to the extreme lack of legroom. Yet, this hasn't made me less likely to fly a 757 again, given a choice.
I saw it as simply a customer thing, if anything, I'll avoid flying Thomas Cook. LOL
By: - 6th January 2006 at 11:45 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Do the airlines decide the type of seats? I remember reading an article about it, but I don't seem to recall the content.
By: - 6th January 2006 at 11:53 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Do the airlines decide the type of seats? I remember reading an article about it, but I don't seem to recall the content.
Indeed they do. There are numerous seat manufacturers.
Infact, just as many "battles" a fought by auppliers of the interiors of the planes as there are battles between Airbus and Boeing for aircraft orders.
Infact, just about everything installed in the cabin is supplied by third parties.
Sometimes new planes are delivered "green" to their customers. That means they either have no interior bar the cockpit or a basic empty interior with standard wall, floor, window and ceiling trimmings.
In both cases the Airline then fits them out themselves or contracts a third party to do so.
By: - 6th January 2006 at 11:54 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Airframe
Look at it this way: the question was about airframe. Yes, for comfort, the airline, seats and crew matter. Airline decides price, too, which is explicitly equal.
As for getting middle seats: it is not helpful to just suggest to prebook seats or turn up early. If it helped, everyone else would do it first, so chances are the only seats left are the middle ones.
The airline can be unfriendly or friendly. But it is hard for them to change the advantages of B767 narrowness.
A few airlines actually cram 8 abreast in 767. This must be horrible. But it is rare.
And very few airlines fly anything bigger that a 767 7 abreast in Economy. If they have 7 abreast, they call it, at a minimum, Premium or Executive Economy.
So, yes, pitch varies, seat comfort varies, crew service varies. But, for other things equal, a 767 is better than anything else.
By: - 6th January 2006 at 12:20 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
As for getting middle seats: it is not helpful to just suggest to prebook seats or turn up early. If it helped, everyone else would do it first, so chances are the only seats left are the middle ones.
Rubbish
Of course it's helpful, I've flown long haul on widebodies more times than I can count and it works every time, to suggest otherwise is a little short sighted
Dean
By: - 6th January 2006 at 12:25 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Rubbish
Of course it's helpful, I've flown long haul on widebodies more times than I can count and it works every time, to suggest otherwise is a little short sightedDean
I must agree.
Even on charter flights with Monarch and Thomas cook I have been able to ask for a window seat and get it because I turned up early enough to be withing the first 30 to 40 to check in.
As a basic rule of thumb, if you want to secure a window seat, make sure you in the first 30 to check in. Having said that, its still possible to get a window seat with 50 folk in front of you. But deffinately ther earlier the better.
By: - 6th January 2006 at 12:30 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Or pre-book, which is as easy as 123 (only ever tried this on schedule not charter) :)
By: - 6th January 2006 at 12:34 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I can't be bothered with the arguments as to which aircraft is the more comfortable or how you get window seats. For me it's very simple. I've never been on the 742, 767, MD-11 or A340, so any one of those four will do!
Paul
By: - 6th January 2006 at 13:14 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Or pre-book, which is as easy as 123 (only ever tried this on schedule not charter) :)
As have I on continental. Prebooking 2 months in advance ( I think it was that long) and even re ordered the booking a week before the flights, six in all in one week, For every single flight I got the seat I had booked.
By: - 6th January 2006 at 13:37 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I can't be bothered with the arguments as to which aircraft is the more comfortable or how you get window seats. For me it's very simple. I've never been on the 742, 767, MD-11 or A340, so any one of those four will do!Paul
No ones arguing :)
We're discussing ;)
By: - 6th January 2006 at 13:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
No ones arguing :)We're discussing ;)
Fair point, my apologies. Bad choice of words on my part :)
Paul
By: - 6th January 2006 at 13:56 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
As have I on continental. Prebooking 2 months in advance ( I think it was that long) and even re ordered the booking a week before the flights, six in all in one week, For every single flight I got the seat I had booked.
But it's still not guaranteed. Twice in 2005, Continental changed the equipment, once from a 767 to a 757, the other time from a 757 to a 767 and
caused confusion and complaints all round as familied found themselves separated. As we always check in early, we managed to get our choice of rearranged seats.
As to the original thread, I am a 767 fan but, in the end, it's all about convenience, price and service.
By: - 6th January 2006 at 14:10 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
747 all the way!
I recently flew to MCO on a BA 777, and although the cattle class 'economy' seat stated 32" seat pitch, it felt like 29".
Compared to flying with Virgin on a 747 to SFO about two years ago, their lowest economy seat was awesome, lots of room!
Posts: 530
By: cheesebag - 6th January 2006 at 08:34
Of crossing the atlantic with airlines charging identical fares operating the following aircraft, which would you choose and why?
742
744
MD11
A340
777
767
????????