Single Aisle Planes across the Atlantic

[Foreigner]

The future of flying across the pond from/to Eastern Europe may be in single-aisle airplanes:

Your Next Trans-Atlantic Trip May Be on Boeing’s Diminutive 737 - Bloomberg

 

[harvyk]

Yeah, no thanks...
Typically I try to avoid 737's for anything longer than about 2 hours, so on a transatlantic flight a 737 would not be my first choice, and yes I would pay (a bit) extra to avoid them.

 

[yohy?!]

awful but 757s have been doing this for years I thought?

 

[TonyHancock]

I don't mind the airbus A318.

 

[UP4014]

Once seated and G&T in hand does it matter much. Doesn't to me.

Matt

 

[ric_melb]

Speak to Americans forced to fly in 757s by corporate airline policy. They hate them. Its quite crazy for an airline to fly say 180 passengers on a 737 with only two toilets for economy.
I think another issue could be the range of the planes in unfavourable weather. I would not be choosing a 737 or A321 on comfort, safety, or toilet grounds.

 

[TonyHancock]

I would not be choosing a 737 or A321 on comfort, safety, or toilet grounds.

To be fair this is an A318.

 

[Skyring]

I don't mind the airbus A318.

Yeah, a tiny plane making a long journey, with British Airways service. Sounds awful, doesn't it?

 

[TonyHancock]

Yeah, a tiny plane making a long journey, with British Airways service. Sounds awful, doesn't it?

Yes...but an almost unlimited supply of Gin!!!

 

[juddles]

As much as everyone says their views, as always price will win. If these smaller routes are opened up by small planes at a lesser cost, they will work.

 

[dajop]

As much as everyone says their views, as always price will win. If these smaller routes are opened up by small planes at a lesser cost, they will work.

Although with these thin routes - from a consumers perspective - I expect it's not always just about price , often convenience comes into play Many people familiar with travel via large US or European hubs are quite happy, perhaps even to the point of paying a few dollars extra, to suffer in a cramped narrow body for 6 hours nonstop - in preference to routing via or driving to a larger hub, adding several hours and often a good measure of stress to the journey.

Whilst in the frequent flyer world the mantra is "Why fly direct when you can connect" the saying tends to be reversed outside the pages of AFF, FT and like sites ...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I note many are unhappy with narrow-body aircraft transatlantic (or any long haul) - but at the same always select the upper deck of a 747? Same cabin width. Worse overhead bins. Lower ceilings.

Same same no?

 

[dajop]

I note many are unhappy with narrow-body aircraft transatlantic (or any long haul) - but at the same always select the upper deck of a 747? Same cabin width. Worse overhead bins. Lower ceilings.

Same same no?

If the seats in the 737 were the same as in most upperdecks of the 747 most wouldn't complain so much about 737's ... And if not, even in economy having the lockers beside the window provides extra degree of comfort that you don't get in a 737 ...

 

[harvyk]

I note many are unhappy with narrow-body aircraft transatlantic (or any long haul) - but at the same always select the upper deck of a 747? Same cabin width. Worse overhead bins. Lower ceilings.

Same same no?

As someone whom is not a fan of 737's for anything other than short haul, but will happily fly long haul on the top deck of a 747, all I can say is the 747 has a vibe about it. Plus it's only got a limited number of rows up there, it just feels different.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If the seats in the 737 were the same as in most upperdecks of the 747 most wouldn't complain so much about 737's ... And if not, even in economy having the lockers beside the window provides extra degree of comfort that you don't get in a 737 ...

Yeah - I was assuming the narrow bodies plying the north atlantic would have international long-haul configurations rather than standard domestic recliners. Although Icelandair seems to make a good go of it, but they have fares to match.

 

[RooFlyer]

Air Canada flies a A319 between St John's Newfoundland and LHR; 5 hours for C$339 cheapest economy fare, C$2,556 dearest economy fare.

No gin.

 

[RooFlyer]

I note many are unhappy with narrow-body aircraft transatlantic (or any long haul) - but at the same always select the upper deck of a 747? Same cabin width. Worse overhead bins. Lower ceilings.

Same same no?

No. Last time I tried to use the stairs in a narrow body plane in flight to stretch my legs, the FAs were not impressed.

And if you are in the upper deck of a 747, your flight experience, being J will definitely be superior to a narrow body in almost any class.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Norwegian have a plan to operate their lcc b737s on trans Atlantic ex Ireland. Cork to Boston was on the cards but don't know if it happened yet. There was an all business 737 from Houston to Stavanger at one point before oil prices went down.... 5000 miles I believe.

 

[straitman]

awful but 757s have been doing this for years I thought?

Remember that the 757 is really only a 737/767 hybrid!

 

[suze2000]

Yeah nah. I hate 737s, the seats are just too narrow. I'll go out of my way to avoid flying on one. I will fly MEL-SYD, but no further.

Icelandair might fly trans-Atlantic, but they do stop in the middle, so pax can get out, stretch their legs and go to the toilet. And most of them like to stopover in Reykjavik for a few days, so it's a bit different to a six-hour flight without a stop. Still would try to avoid it though.