Article: Not All Economy Class Products Are the Same

[AFF Editor]

Not All Economy Class Products Are the Same is an article written by the AFF editorial team:

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/economy-class-differentiation/

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

 

[SYD]

When I have to fly why, I quite like bulkhead seats eg QF A330 (and the now long gone VA A330s) but the seats are narrower due to the built in retractable IFE screen - which also can’t be used during take off and landing. But if you not too tall, not having someone recline on you is a bonus.

But beware the proximity of bassinets!

 

[Myrna]

"I’ll happily fly on a Boeing 777 with 9-abreast seating in Economy, such as on Singapore Airlines or Turkish Airlines. But I would think twice before booking a long-haul flight on a 777 with 10-abreast seating."
Indeed, a few years ago hubby had to return to Australia at short notice to see his mother. He flew Y with SQ. Flight from LHR to SIN was 3-3-3, but flight from SIN to LHR was 3-4-3 He said it was shocking and never again!

 

[AIRwin]

but flight from SIN to LHR was 3-4-3

A380 not B777?

 

[clifford]

My days of flying long haul Y are well over. However I will take Premium Y when the price is right..

Not to say that I haven't flown millions of miles in Y (yes, really), but now I don't have to, and I now agree with my wife who has always said "if I can't go in Business I'm not going".

Life's too short...

 

[Bjet]

Well... I think most airlines have already changed from 3-3-3 to 3-4-3 in 777s. Few airlines such as Singapore airlines and Turkey Airlines that have 3-3-3 in 777s.

 

[elanshin]

I quite like bulkhead seats eg QF A330 (and the now long gone VA A330s) but the seats are narrower due to the built in retractable IFE screen - which also can’t be used during take off and landing. But if you not too tall, not having someone recline on you is a bonus.

Having just taken the a333 QF row 23 bulkhead, that is just slightly uncomfortable as i can actually stretch. I have no problems with this even on a 737. Row 24 center 4 and JK seats seem fine.

I also contast this with JL 788 bulkhead where i had more legroom than Premium Economy.

 

[tdimdad]

I also contast this with JL 788 bulkhead where i had more legroom than Premium Economy.

Even a normal Y row in JL 788 feels roomier than QF PE...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Another few considerations too!

The *height* of seats. Take the CRJs and the e-Jets. Both 2+2 but the e-jets have seats higher off the ground. This means you get more legroom, but also you can get your full-sized hand luggage under the seat in front, whereas you can’t for the crjs!

Overhead bins can also make a huge difference. There are those where full-sized cabin bags need to go sideways, reducing the available space, and those where they can go wheels first, or even on their sides. The latter two mean much more comfort for all, freeing up foot space.

A third difference is IFE implementation and installation. Have a huge IFE box under your seat and it swallows legroom. Better to have more modern systems without huge boxes.

 

[p--and--t]

A third difference is IFE implementation and installation. Have a huge IFE box under your seat and it swallows legroom. Better to have more modern systems without huge boxes.

Absolutely_ makes a huge dfference

 

[JohnK]

I love flying long haul economy but not sure I'm game for another panic attack on Nok/AirAsia Thai domestic economy.

I'm obese and to be honest I'm OK with QF A330 but have struggled with SQ A350 so much that next trip we are going via SYD (not BNE) to get on SQ A380 and SQ 777.

Hope that's a much better experience than the SQ A350 amd I hope they do not change the schedules.

 

[Myrna]

A380 not B777?

Sorry hubby said it was CX (not SQ - my mistake) and a 777 - 3 4 3 in dreadful pleb.

 

[Myrna]

My days of flying long haul Y are well over. However I will take Premium Y when the price is right..

Not to say that I haven't flown millions of miles in Y (yes, really), but now I don't have to, and I now agree with my wife who has always said "if I can't go in Business I'm not going".

Life's too short...

With your wife 110%

 

[Transair]

Not All Economy Class Products Are the Same is an article written by the AFF editorial team:

https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/economy-class-differentiation/

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

one small point is that seat pitch is not the distance between seats but the distance between respective points of seats (i.e. rear of seat back - rear of next seat back)...just to clarify

 

[The Flying Brick]

I always use DeathStar for a baseline of how bad an Economy seat can really be.

And it doesn't seem to matter which metric that you use for comparison it always DeathStar that claims the wooden spoon.

Thanks for nothing Joyce.

 

[Forg]

I always use DeathStar for a baseline of how bad an Economy seat can really be.

And it doesn't seem to matter which metric that you use for comparison it always DeathStar that claims the wooden spoon.

Thanks for nothing Joyce.

DeathStar does have to be worse than Qantas.

Now when you consider Qantas' trajectory over the last couple of decades, this has DeathStar scurrying to introduce ways of implementing discomfort ... they'll soon be running out of ways to do this short of FA's walking around hitting people on the head with hammers.

 

[ThePointyEnd]

I thought that was a brilliant article, Matt. Very informative. Every frequent flyer will on occasion meet an all-economy flight; being armed with your info is going to make a significant difference to the flight choices, so very many thanks.

 

[SYD]

I always use DeathStar for a baseline of how bad an Economy seat can really be.

And it doesn't seem to matter which metric that you use for comparison it always DeathStar that claims the wooden spoon.

Thanks for nothing Joyce.

Yet their flights are usually full and profitable.

I don’t make a habit of flying JQ but I did do DPS-PER last year as part of a CR to SYD (PER-SYD on QF). I was surprised that it wasn’t awful. A morning day flight obviously better than o/n. Also paying a few bucks for a forward seat (but no additional leg room) did seem to help. Also selecting adjacent aisle seats as 2x PAX is better than “short straw middle seat”…

 

[JohnMcC]

Great and thorough article, and I love the analysis. Sorry but Qantas and Etihad long haul economy is too uncomfortable. The food, smiling attendants and TV of Qantas don't compensate for the seat. JAL and Singapore just get it all done properly. Seat, entertainment (especially SQ), food and flight staff do it better than anyone else across all aircraft and sectors. BTW, the seats could be bigger, wider, more legroom even on JAL and Singapore - but they are ahead of the rest.

 

[bpcmemorial]

A great one not mentioned yet is KLM's "Economy Comfort".

Similar to Etihad's "Economy Plus", it's not Premium Economy, just normal Economy with a lot more legroom. 10cm more, which if you're 6'3" like me makes the world of difference.

And for not a lot more money - iirc, was the same as an "extra legroom" normal economy seat (you remember, the ones they used to offer to tall reasonably fit-looking people at check-in) (sigh).

Flew it last year for the first time Beijing to Amsterdam. I fly back & forth to France a lot and usually go AF, but will now be preferencing KLM for the second leg. With either the first leg from Sydney is Singapore Airlines if you can get it, Qantas if not.