Pain

[c9]

As neat as it might be, I don't think I could handle the crowds on a flight on an Airbus A380.



Check out the coach section... 3 seats at each window, and four more in the middle... gah.

Update: For comparison, here's a typical 747 seating layout, with 416 passengers in 3 classes.

Comments

[primary-suspect.livejournal.com]

I don't think the A380 is going to be a huge seller so there is a good chance none of us will ever fly on one unless we go out of our way...

[c9.livejournal.com]

I agree, I think it's going to be a flop. Pearson is able to handle them, but only Pacific-Rim and Chinese airlines are going to use them much, methinks.

What's really scary is the idea that some airlines may actually be able to use them on really high-density routes, and run them as completely coach (no first class), with over 800 seats.

[ironmanjt.livejournal.com]

I disagree. You won't see them in the US/Canada, but if you fly to Asia you're going to see them for sure.

[c9.livejournal.com]

What I'm curious about is which European airlines will actually go for them. They're heavily invested in Airbus, but there aren't as many routes that really need that density. Maybe they'll each just buy a couple for show.

[ironmanjt.livejournal.com]

I've heard rumour they want them for two types of routes:

Europe to India
Europe to SE Asia/Australia

I predict Emirates will go back on their word and do some 2-class ones. They could make a killing shuttling workers from Pakistan/India to the middle east with these things.

[jamincan.livejournal.com]

Lufthansa, Virgin and Air France for starters.

So far those airlines that have ordered the A380:
Emirates: 43 (2 cargo)
Korean Air: 5
Qatar Airways: 2
Virgin Atlantic: 6
Lufthansa: 15
Malaysian Airlines: 6
Air France: 10
China Southern: 5
Qantas: 12
Etihad: 4
Thai Airways: 6
---
FedEx: 10
UPS: 10
ILFC (leasing company): 10 (5 cargo)

In addition, many of these airlines have options for several more

[jamincan.livejournal.com]

Oops, add 10 for Singapore Airlines as well.

[rostin79.livejournal.com]

and you know you'd be smack in the middle section, in the middle, with 3 screaming kids all around you, and have puke on your shirt from one of the little fuckers.

[leapfish.livejournal.com]

Plus I wouldn't be able to flash my husband anymore without also giving a peek to one or two other people.

[rostin79.livejournal.com]

a whole different catastrophy in iteself!

[ironmanjt.livejournal.com]

Same as a 747 though.
I can't believe they are going to do 2-2-2 in first. ICK!

[c9.livejournal.com]

True -- but it's like having another half 747 on top! It would be like being in a crowded mall on Saturday afternoon!

[ironmanjt.livejournal.com]

LOL more than another half. That's why it's nice to fly up front. Legroom is nice, but the best part is NO OTHER PEOPLE!

[c9.livejournal.com]

LOL -- it's true! I think when standby passengers get put in first class, they should instead give them my seat and I'll go suffer up there.

One time leapfish and I were on standby, and he got the last coach seat, and then I got a seat in business class. He was not impressed.

[ironmanjt.livejournal.com]

No offence to you, but shame on the airline for that. They should be moving their frequent fliers (50,000+ miles per year people) up there and freeing up seats in coach.

[thespos]

That is what happened to me - I got upgraded to first class and they gave my seat in coach to a standby passenger.

[ironmanjt.livejournal.com]

It's happened to me several times.

From their point of view, who's worth rewarding with a free upgrade: someone who you know will keep coming back, or Joe Shmo who will only come back if you're the cheapest.

[c9.livejournal.com]

Oh I agree, now that we're getting up there in miles. :)

Actually, we determined that we can only just make the first status level with AC if we buy tix for all our remaining potential trips this year, rather than use any points. And even then we'll still be low class in the rankings.

[ironmanjt.livejournal.com]

LOL, yeah, it's amazing how slowly they seem to add up, eh?

I will end up (estimated) this year with:

DC - YVR x 6 = 30,000 miles
DC - singapore = 28,000 miles
DC - Amsterdam x 2 = 16,300 miles
DC - Minneapolis x2 = 3,700 miles
DC - LA x2 = 9,500 miles

So that makes 88,300 that I know of this year. I usually save my miles to use on the really long trips. We just cashed in almost 200,000 to go to Sydney for New Years, so really excited for that!

[leapfish.livejournal.com]

not only did I get the last coach seat, but i got the one with the engine right beside my head. damn MD80's.

[putaindemerde.livejournal.com]

Jesus, claustrophobia much? :-P

I hate planes anyway... I hate crowded ones even more... and that plane crowded? oh, heck... I'm dizzy and sweating just thinking about it...

Are these new planes or have they been around for a while? And which airlines carry/will carry them?

[c9.livejournal.com]

No, they're not even flying yet. The A380 enters service next year, it's just test flights right now. For comparison, the new Boeing jet enters service in 2008, and is much smaller. They're making very different bets.

[putaindemerde.livejournal.com]

Have you always been this into planes? Or are you just one of those well-informed folks who knows a lot about everything? :-)

[c9.livejournal.com]

A little bit of column A, and a little bit of column B. My plane interest has definitely bloomed in the past couple years, not sure why. But I'm know around work as the easiest way to get a piece of information -- most people come to me before they go to Google. :)

[putaindemerde.livejournal.com]

I can see that being Vincent's pet name for you...

"Hey, Google, c'mere honey!" ;-)

[thespos]

I have flown on a 747, and it was just so huge...

I could barely handle the quantity of people on the A320 this week - it was a moral imperative to be upgraded to first class.

I will say, tho, that the Airbus planes tend to be roomier, both for legroom and width. I may just be lucky in the planes I have been on or the airlines I have flown with, but they tend not to pack them in quite the same way as they do on Boeing jets.

[c9.livejournal.com]

One way to look at it: Airbi are newer, and therefore the airlines may have more recently decided to stop packing 'em like sardines. I also find Airbi roomier, but I suspect it's the newness, and not the brand, at least with Air Canada.

[thespos]

Airbus planes don't seem flatter and fatter to you?

You could be right, tho. I am a frequent flyer on America West, and their fleet is definitely newer, and they are a comparatively younger airline.

[ironmanjt.livejournal.com]

You're just lucky.

The airline chooses seat pitch (legroom) so it has nothing to do with Boeing vs Airbus. These days, almost everyone has 31-33 inches of room in coach as the standard. The major exception is United who has 34-35 inches in "Economy Plus."

[thespos]

Really? Hmmm... Seemed roomier than that, and very comfortable. On this last trip, I flew coach westbound, and first class eastbound. Naturally, first class was practically a reclining seat with a footrest, but coach on this trip was not bad at all.

Go America West! :-D

[ironmanjt.livejournal.com]

Hee hee, check out SeatGuru (http://www.seatguru.com) if you want details for your upcoming trips :)

(can anyone tell I love talking about this stuff?)

[thespos]

Very cool site! Thank you!

I guess my legs are just not as long as I thought they were. :-)

[ironmanjt.livejournal.com]

Grin, I'm 6'3, and sitting in most coach classes for over an hour is actually quite painful.

[thespos]

That's why I'd have you in the lavatory joining the Mile High Club. :-P

[ironmanjt.livejournal.com]

Joining? I've been a member for almost 10 years and 3 continents ;-)

[thespos]

I meant me. :-P

[scott8424.livejournal.com]

Can you imagine the nightmare in customs if two of those arrive at the same time? A longer line than the women's restroom at an Air Supply concert.

[jamincan.livejournal.com]

To be fare the 747 economy seating is 3-4-3 as well, while the upper-deck economy on the A380 is 2-4-2. It seems to me that the major loss is for first class with the 2-2-2. I wonder if airlines would actually go for that configuration of if they'll opt for something else instead.

[sisyphus238.livejournal.com]

Perfect vehicle for the Rapture, assuming there are enough to fill it.

[cap-hill-latte.livejournal.com]

I wonder if they'll have to retrofit airport lounges to handle the crowds. The BA flight to London is one of the few 747s that leave SEATAC - they have to use the lounges for four or five gates to hold everyone before boarding. Including a glass 'holding pen' for the steerage class passengers to wait in while they watch the upper deck passengers decend from the executive lounge - with spiral staircase, natch.