Boeing 747-8 Passenger Version

[Shano]

Todays Australian reports on LH ordering 20 747-8 passenger jets, with options for 20 more.

CHAMPAGNE corks are popping in Seattle after US manufacturer Boeing this week secured a $US5.5 billion ($7billion) order for passenger versions of its stretch jumbo jet the 747-8 from the heart of Airbus territory.

German carrier Lufthansa became the first airline to commit to the passenger version of the big jet with a solid order for 20 planes and options for 20 more, with deliveries starting in 2010.

I wonder if the other airlines might start seriously considering the 747-8 as an alternative to the A380 now that there are confirmed orders for the passenger version.

 

[NYCguy]

Hopefully LH will use the opportunity to move the 747 F cabin down from the upper deck and back into the nose where it belongs!

 

[JohnK]

LH's order could certainly be the catalyst for other airlines to follow suit.

With expected passenger capacity to be 467 on a 3-class 747-8, an increase of 51 on the B747-400, it sounds a little better than the expected passenger capacity of 550 on the A380. Generally I find the premium cabins on a 747 to be very good but the economy cabins very poor and uncomfortable.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

LH's order could certainly be the catalyst for other airlines to follow suit.

With expected passenger capacity to be 467 on a 3-class 747-8, an increase of 51 on the B747-400, it sounds a little better than the expected passenger capacity of 550 on the A380. Generally I find the premium cabins on a 747 to be very good but the economy cabins very poor and uncomfortable.

NZ in economy on 747 isnt too bad. 34" (and with slimline seats) and avod ife.
SQ not as good, 32" and avod ife.
TG okay seat 34" but poor ife.

 

[Altair]

Pitch is not everything.
In the 747, and 737, 757 and 767 the seats are also narrower than the Airbus counterpart. The operators of the 777 with 10 across EK and TG that I know of also have narrow seats, in fact my only experience of EK, never again.

 

[JohnK]

Pitch is not everything.
In the 747, and 737, 757 and 767 the seats are also narrower than the Airbus counterpart.

I have found the A330 more comfortable than the 747. I have never been on a 757, not that I remember anyway, and I do not like the 767 at all.

Is it just me but I actually find the 737 seats, especially the QF 737-400, much more comfortable than the seats on the B747-400. Not comparing pitch here.

I don't know what iThe operators of the 777 with 10 across EK and TG that I know of also have narrow seats, in fact my only experience of EK, never again.

I did not enjoy the experience, or the seats, in business class on a EK 777-200 and a CX 777-300. I can only imagine what it would be like with 10 across in WHY.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

EK doesnt fly 747s trans-tasman (or at all?), but agree 10 across sounds horrid. Thankfully EK's business and first class fares are normally very competitive so easy to justify avoiding their economy.

 

[Altair]

EK doesnt fly 747s trans-tasman (or at all?), but agree 10 across sounds horrid. Thankfully EK's business and first class fares are normally very competitive so easy to justify avoiding their economy.

Hmmm no mention of EK 747 (yet). If you see an EK 747 it is a leased Atlas Air for their cargo operations, but unlike QF they have painted it in EK cs.
The 10 across was for their 777. Also EK was instrumental in getting Airbus to widen their A350 offerring when they brought a row of 3x3 seats to put into a cabin mockup to shown Airbus that you could not put 9 across in the old new A350, unlike Boeing with the 787. Note the 787 was not being sold as 9 across until QF chose it suggesting the same "corfortable" width, (I read this on one of those A vs B sites where Boeing fans think 747 seating width is comfortable)...as the current QF WHY offering.

 

[codash1099]

Pitch is not everything.
In the 747, and 737, 757 and 767 the seats are also narrower than the Airbus counterpart. The operators of the 777 with 10 across EK and TG that I know of also have narrow seats, in fact my only experience of EK, never again.

I've always found seats on Airbus more comfortable than the equivalent Boeings. For some reason, 737's always seem to me to be less comfortable than anything else, even 767's. Haven't flown Y in a 747 for some years.

 

[JohnK]

EK doesnt fly 747s trans-tasman (or at all?), but agree 10 across sounds horrid.

When did we discuss EK 747s?

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

When did we discuss EK 747s?

You talked about 747s and then altair mentioned EK.

 

[mainly tailfirst]

Pitch is not everything.
In the 747, and 737, 757 and 767 the seats are also narrower than the Airbus counterpart. The operators of the 777 with 10 across EK and TG that I know of also have narrow seats, in fact my only experience of EK, never again.

Oh dear. My father and his partner are flying EK to the UK next year on a 777 in Y. Since he is a rather solid bloke, I fear he's not going to enjoy it much.

My wife and I flew EK to Maroc a couple of years back in an A345 and I was very impressed with their Y product and had no problems recommending it to others. My name may be rather muddy with the old chap in a few months

Out of interest, was it just the width/location that was an issue, or was the service not up to scratch?

mt

 

[stryker]

Out of interest, was it just the width/location that was an issue, or was the service not up to scratch?

mt

Service on EK can be very mixed, in my experience (but I've only flown them in C class). Y class would probably be worse.

I think one of the problems is that there aren't all that many citizens of the UAE working as FA's on EK, so they tend to trawl various Asian countries for staff, with mixed results.

 

[mainly tailfirst]

Service on EK can be very mixed, in my experience (but I've only flown them in C class). Y class would probably be worse.

I think one of the problems is that there aren't all that many citizens of the UAE working as FA's on EK, so they tend to trawl various Asian countries for staff, with mixed results.

Interesting. I only have limited experience, but I found the flight crews on the DBX-PER/MEL legs to be a mix of british, middle eastern and indian. English with all of them was excellent. The DBX-CMN leg was not so good (english speaking wise), but the FAs were still very polite and attentive.

Aside: when we disembarked in CMN, about half the passengers on our flight decided to take the EK blankets with them! The crew didn't seem to notice/care, but it was rather funny to see all these red EK blankets on people's sholders as they crewed for immigration.

mt

 

[thadocta]

I've always found seats on Airbus more comfortable than the equivalent Boeings. For some reason, 737's always seem to me to be less comfortable than anything else, even 767's. Haven't flown Y in a 747 for some years.

Oh dear - here we go again.

The seats are the same, no matter which aircraft they are fitted on.

It is up to the airline as to how they want them configured in what aircraft, as far as pitch goes.

If you fit the same seats in a 73H as you do in a 333 (or indeed, a DC-3, for that matter) to the same specifications (pitch and so on) then you will get the same physical comfort (things like airvents and windows notwithstanding, and again, this is an airline thing rather than a manufacturer thing).

Can we please get off the A vs B argument.

Dave

 

[dajop]

The seats are the same, no matter which aircraft they are fitted on.

It is up to the airline as to how they want them configured in what aircraft, as far as pitch goes.

Agree with the general thrust of your argument, for comparing apples with apples, but don't some airlines vary more than just pitch in their seats? Some airlines have different width seats installed on different planes. (at least according to Welcome to SeatGuru! Your Guide to Airplane Seats and In-flight Amenities)

Someone with experience with Emirates only may be forgiven for thinking that Airbuses have wider seats than 777's (given the way that EK have chosen to configure these planes - seat guru listing a width of 17.5" vs 17"). Similarly on SQ's 777-300's have wider seats than their 747's.

Also 2 seats placed together may appear to have more room than 3 seats placed together as both passengers can take up more room without actually spilling into the space of another passenger, whereas with 3 seats together the middle passenger has no window or aisle space to move into.

 

[serfty]

Service on EK can be very mixed, in my experience (but I've only flown them in C class). Y class would probably be worse.

I think one of the problems is that there aren't all that many citizens of the UAE working as FA's on EK, so they tend to trawl various Asian countries for staff, with mixed results.

EK have been recruiting here in Oz for quite some time.

My Son in Law's Sister has been an EK FA for a nearly year now; Her Mum is currently holidaying in the Dubai reqion with her.

 

[Altair]

Oh dear. My father and his partner are flying EK to the UK next year on a 777 in Y. Since he is a rather solid bloke, I fear he's not going to enjoy it much.

My wife and I flew EK to Maroc a couple of years back in an A345 and I was very impressed with their Y product and had no problems recommending it to others. My name may be rather muddy with the old chap in a few months

Out of interest, was it just the width/location that was an issue, or was the service not up to scratch?

mt

I have been on EK twice, both in Y. First time A340-500 and the service was quite good and there was more room in the seat. I believe the seats are different between the 340-500 and the 777-300 but someone could look up a site and prove me wrong. The pitch was ok, I am not 6 foot but in the 777 it defintely felt narrow, I saw people in the aisle seats leaning out, and I was scrunched into the window. The 777 was from NZ and I felt the service was not that good but you get the inconsistency with virtually any carrier. I remember the A340-500 IFE as good but I cannot remember too much about the 777 besides how it was cramped....I remember AA and UA flights on the 777 and they were terrific compared to what I went through and it was only trans-Tasman.
As far as I am concerned I will avoid any Y flights on a 777 that has 10 across in Y, the only other I know of was TG and then I changed the airline when I was planning a holiday.

 

[codash1099]

Also 2 seats placed together may appear to have more room than 3 seats placed together as both passengers can take up more room without actually spilling into the space of another passenger, whereas with 3 seats together the middle passenger has no window or aisle space to move into.

Now that you mention it, my seat preference of aisle generally seems to result in side seats on both 763 and 33x and this no doubt influences my feeling of greater comfort.

And I apologise for preying on the sensitivity of thadocta