The ideal airplane service

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

The Ideal Airplane

The New York Times Magazine Travel Special recently asked, "If the perfect plane could be spliced together using the best innovations of the world's carriers, what would it look like?"

Basically, they took nine aspects of flying and found which airlines do it the best. Here’s what they had to say:

First-Class Seat: Emirates' huge ultraluxe “suite” provides a flat-bed seat, minibar, and “Do Not Disturb” sign.

Business-Class Seat: Qantas Airways’ 6 ½ foot ergonomic pod with built in shoe box and PC outlets.

Premium Economy Seat: Virgin Atlantic’s all leather two position footrests and extra seat tilt (38 inch pitch).

Economy Seat: Cathay Pacific Airways’ 17.5 inch seats and Emirates 34 inch pitch.

Interior: Air France’s restful wood and oatmeal scheme in first class and a sleek gray and navy palette everywhere else.

Entertainment: Lufthansa’s Wi-Fi Internet coupled with Virgins’ on-demand movie selection.

Meals: Air New Zealand’s entrees, which were advised by chef Govind Armstrong of Table 8, combined with Lufthansa’s wine list and Continental Airlines’ ice cream sundaes.

Lavatory: Malaysia Airlines triple-size first class bathroom and Southwest’s spring-loaded lid and seat.

Attendant: A Eurofly looker wearing a British Airways pinstripe suit accompanied with the charming demeanor of the Air Tahiti staff.

Funny how the list is dominated by foreign carriers minus CO's ice cream sundaes and SWA toilet seats and lids

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Originally Posted by njgtr82

Funny how the list is dominated by foreign carriers minus CO's ice cream sundaes and SWA toilet seats and lids

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The United States is dominated by Corporate Aircraft, so, the rich & elite travel on Gulfstreams & BBJ aircraft.

Outside of the US, where the Corporate Aircraft Industry is not as strong, they are still flying on commericial aircraft & so, the product has to be good enough to keep the customer happy.

(Somebody is going to be happy that Southwest made the list! :wink: , though, is it a coincidence that Southwest was associated with the "crapper"! :lol: )

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Economy Seat: Cathay Pacific Airways’ 17.5 inch seats and Emirates 34 inch pitch.

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jetBlue is 18 inches with the same seat pitch in the back of the plane, and PTV.

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Originally Posted by T-Bird76

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Economy Seat: Cathay Pacific Airways’ 17.5 inch seats and Emirates 34 inch pitch.

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jetBlue is 18 inches with the same seat pitch in the back of the plane, and PTV.

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Maybe, Jetblue could have received an honorable mention or something:

Jetblue
A320 Coach Class
pitch - 32-34.0"
width - 17.8"

Jetblue
190
Pitch - 32-33.0"
Width - 18.0"
http://seatguru.com/airlines/JetBlue_Ai ... s_A320.php

Ice cream sundaes? Continental? I'm assuming this is in 4-digit ticket land?

regardless of what paople say,. i'm still most comfortable in the belly of a C-5 with a box lunch and sleeping bag...

The US industry suffers a bit from geography. Since America is a large country, the vast majority of the US carriers' network routes are domestic sectors where the customer is extremely price sensitive. This has led to a commoditization of service, with the exception of a few specific examples (e.g. United's P.S. from NY to LA, etc.).

On the other hand, Singapore, Cathay, Emirates, etc. have essentially no domestic markets and have to distinguish themselves on longhaul international sectors where the customer is often a business traveler seeking premium amenities, even in economy class, and is willing to pay for them.

In sum, geography (and history) make for very different markets, and I find it doubtful that a US airline would ever be the overall winner in any of the global surveys because the situation necessitates US competitors to run cost (as opposed to service) focused operations.

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Originally Posted by cancidas

regardless of what paople say,. i'm still most comfortable in the belly of a C-5 with a box lunch and sleeping bag...

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All of my enjoyable flights have been aboard the upper decks of cargo 747's. No passengers, no movie, no service! Lots of room, access to the kitchen and unlimited access to the jumpseat! Oh yeah!

Here I am sleeping in the jumpseat of a NCA 747-200! I think that I was up for about 32 hours, probably the only reason that anyone can actually sleep in a jump seat...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...hotos/Mike.jpg

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Originally Posted by Midnight Mike

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Originally Posted by cancidas

regardless of what paople say,. i'm still most comfortable in the belly of a C-5 with a box lunch and sleeping bag...

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All of my enjoyable flights have been aboard the upper decks of cargo 747's. No passengers, no movie, no service! Lots of room, access to the kitchen and unlimited access to the jumpseat! Oh yeah!

Here I am sleeping in the jumpseat of a NCA 747-200! I think that I was up for about 32 hours, probably the only reason that anyone can actually sleep in a jump seat...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...hotos/Mike.jpg

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Holy $hit Mike that was you!! LOLOLOL Dam you were so young! AHAHA

[quote="T-Bird76
Holy $hit Mike that was you!! LOLOLOL Dam you were so young! AHAHA[/quote]

Yeah, go on Tommy & enjoy yourself, I think that photo was taken back in 1990's, maybe 1994.

Was that after one of your hits during your mafia days? ;)

Great pic! Wowo, how lang ago was that taken? In a 742? Great pic, thanks.


I wonder how the article would have come out if only US carriers were used in a comparison.

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Originally Posted by mirrodie

Was that after one of your hits during your mafia days? ;)

Great pic! Wowo, how lang ago was that taken? In a 742? Great pic, thanks.


I wonder how the article would have come out if only US carriers were used in a comparison.

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Mario

Yep, 747-200F, Nippon Cargo Airlines, they snapped that picture on the Narita, Japan - Anchorage, Alaska leg.....

My question is, how were you able to fly jumpseat?

I am quite content with any airline so as long as it is a jumpseat cargo or cattle line. I like a room with a view.

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Originally Posted by nwafan20

My question is, how were you able to fly jumpseat?

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Old rules before 9/11, if you worked for a Cargo Airline, you were able to ride in the upperdeck, and the pilots would let you sit in the jumpseat. I lost count of the number of times that I sat in the jumpseat.....

For me I would try to sleep in the back or get some work done & the Pilots would call my name on the intercom to report to the Flight Deck to keep the pilots company :D

I rode the jumpseats for both Nippon Cargo Airlines & Polar Air Cargo.

Heck, pre-9/11 on some foreign carriers any passenger could visit the flight deck in flight if the crew ok'd it. I did several with Gulf Air (763) and BA (741, 742, 744, 777) in the '90s including in one case jumpseat for the landing.

For me I would try to sleep in the back or get some work done & the Pilots would call my name on the intercom to report to the Flight Deck to keep the pilots company

You were the entertainment! :) We'll call him Jester ;)

Heck, pre-9/11 on some foreign carriers any passenger could visit the flight deck in flight if the crew ok'd it. I did several with Gulf Air (763) and BA (741, 742, 744, 777) in the '90s including in one case jumpseat for the landing.
Yeah, those were the days, I did several times on QF and TN, sat for jumpseat landings 3 times thus far.