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I just found out my next flight to Europe is on a narrow body plane (Boeing 757). I am use to wide body planes to and from Europe. Yes, the seat pitch and width of my seat is the same regardless, but to me, it seems more cramped and less comfortable.
Would you like to fly on a wide body or narrow body plane in your next long 8-hour overnight flight to Europe? (If you were flying in economy class.)
My last 12 hour (supposedly) flight ended up arriving 36 hours late - and they kept us on the plane for somewhere between 8 and 12 hours AFTER the plane landed after an 8 or 10 hour flight. Basically we were on the plane for more than twice as long as the actual flight up to that point had taken. And the pain did not end even after they finally let us off the plane. There was lots more pain, in getting them to put us up overnight, rescheduling the remainder of our flights, and just plain finding something to eat in a foreign country that you don't have any currency for at midnight - keeping in mind there had been NO FOOD OR WATER on the plane after it landed and we sat there for 10 or 12 hours.
I do not see how it would have made the least difference had it been a smaller plane. THAT is horror - a normal flight on a "narrow body" plane just doesn't even come close.
Studies have shown that most people like a larger plane with two aisles and places to stand around when they get restless. But the City Data posters have no trouble being jammed into a tin box in the sky for an all night flight, it appears.
I much prefer wide body planes for a long flight. (Heck, I prefer them for ANY flight.) Having two aisles makes it easier to walk around and avoid the food carts, and having the connector path between the aisles gives you someplace to stand if you want to talk with someone other than your seatmate. It also lets you wait for the bathroom without blocking the aisle.
Finally, on a narrow body, 1/6th of the passengers (i.e. the ones in the window seats) have to crawl over two other people to get to an aisle. On a wide body, it's a smaller number who have to do so. Indeed, on some wide bodies, no one has to crawl over more than one person to get to an aisle. And the number of passengers feeding into each aisle is smaller on a twin-aisle plane, so that helps with having less aisle congestion.
To me, the perfect economy configuration is 2-4-2. No one has to crawl over more than one person to get to an aisle. Couples can sit in the outboard seats and not have to share their space with a stranger. Families of 4 can occupy the middle section, getting to sit all together without sharing their space with a stranger. And the ratio of aisle seats to total seats is higher than in any other configuration (except 2-3-2).
The longest I've done on a narrow body is about 6 hours, either transcontinental or from Hawaii to the West Coast. Obviously, I survived the ordeal. But it's certainly not my first choice. I will seek out a wide body for a long flight, and I'm even willing to consider paying a bit more or traveling at a less convenient time for one. But it's not the overriding determinant, and other factors come into play as well.
BA is using Airbus A318 on transatlantic flights with only-business class configuration, just around 32 flat bad seats -> single aisle, but paradise.
Some airlines cramp 3-4-3 in their 777 (10 abreast -> widebody, but hell.
I also like 2-4-2 config, but 757 are really okay, as long as the seats are. My 757 tatl was PIT-CDG with DL on a former NWA plane that offered decent seat pitch. Advantage of the single aisle is boarding and offboarding goes much quicker, less people at the gate, less people at the immigration. Disadvantage is that there is no proper divison between coach and first, as long as you are flying in first/business that is annoying.
Upper deck of the 747 is like single-aisle all-business class at many airlines, feels much more cozy and quiet than lower deck twin aisle.
I don't care about narrow or wide as I am no fat. It is the leg room that is more important.
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