Single Aisle Planes across the Atlantic

[JohnPhelan]

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?

Indeed. I've long thought the negativity towards narrow body for long haul is mainly psychological. (With the exception of the diminution of the effects of turbulence on a larger aircraft.)

 

[Isochronous]

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.

What's the rationale for such a policy?

 

[Pierre_a]

I flew a 757 NYC - LHR on a red eye in Y a few years back, Continental as I recall. It was bl00dy terrible, but its hard to distinguish how much of the horror was down to the aircraft and how much of it was down to the airline being Continental. To put it in context, the journey over on the same airline was a 777 in 3-3-3 config and that flight was similarly appalling.

My takeaway was to avoid setting foot on a US airline again.

 

[dajop]

Indeed. I've long thought the negativity towards narrow body for long haul is mainly psychological. (With the exception of the diminution of the effects of turbulence on a larger aircraft.)

Psychological it is, but surely that has a basis in experience. Most travellers experience narrow bodies on short hauls and LCC's. If you look at the seat pitch (as indicated by seatguru) of narrow bodies flying into/around Australia it is mainly 29" and 30" (although seatguru quote 31" for VA - not sure if I believe that). For long haul flights it is typically 31"-32".

You get off a medium-long haul flight, say on SQ or EK flight where you've sitting for 7-14 hrs in 32" seat pitch and onto a QF 737 where you have 30" seat pitch - 5 cm less legroom - you notice the difference (or I do anyway). Therefore not unreasonable that people have a dislike of narrowbodies. If the narrowbodies for longer flights had 32" seat pitch they may well be Ok.

 

[ric_melb]

What's the rationale for such a policy?

This was a few years ago but the company had a special deal with American, no doubt with cheaper negotiated fares. Their travel bookers were instructed to book flights on American trans Atlantic wherever possible. Policy was strictly enforced. Of course some staff came up with clever methods of defeating policy, but could not always.
At the time American generally flew two engined planes such as the 757 and 767. Other airlines and particularly BA were flying 747's which people far preferred.

 

[JohnK]

There are people who prefer cheap flights and don't really care about the carrier or the configuration.

I know some people from OOL who travel to Thailand quite regularly and travel Air Asia. Just bite your tongue and put up with it for a few hours. They also stay in cheap(er) hotels but don't skimp when it comes to golf, eating and drinking.

 

[NM]

Single aisle, but a little quicker than a B737, B757, A318 etc.