gobeavs8

I believe all of the NextGen Q400s have window shades.

firehawk

Thanks all! I am surprised at the responses - I was thinking people would say that they are horrible and you feel more bumps than a 737 flying at the sameish altitude

steveman518

IMO most of the people who say they're horrible tend to fly larger mainline aircraft (like half of the UA forum that absolutely seems to hate anything not mainline) between larger cities because they want mainline everywhere with good frequency, economics be damned. I love them because it meant that I could actually fly from my hometown and allows for flights to smaller destinations that would otherwise not be possible with larger aircraft.

rustykettel

I used to avoid AS when flying from EUG because of the turboprop until I finally took the plunge. 31 Q400 segments in the last year, all but one on EUG-PDX, EUG-SEA, PDX-SEA and reverse. I have no issues with flying them on these routes. SEA-EUG is just enough time to get in the air, drink a cup of coffee or a free beer (although service may be curtailed or cut altogether depending on conditions), and then land.

My personal choice would be 20AB or 19DE. The wife likes 1AB or anything in row 2. Either way, the seat further away from the center of the aircraft (and the props) will have slightly less noise. I think the back is better with 20B as the best but you'll sometimes get some exhaust smell back there. If you like, take earplugs for the first time or so. I did that until I realized it really wasn't that much louder than a jet. Now I just put headphones on.

I also sometimes get motion sickness and usually take meclizine (Bonine/Dramamine Less Drowsy) before flying and I've skipped or forgotten to take it many times when flying a Q400. Also nice to get fresh (well, fresh tarmac) air before and after flying as a break from the terminal air thanks to the outdoor boarding.

You'll be fine and before you know it, you'll be in EUG where the short walk from the plane to the gate is longer than the gate to the terminal exit!

ETA: here's an example from YouTube of a Q400. Just turn the volume up!

3Cforme

Q400s and 737s don't cruise at the same altitude. Think 20,000 feet for the Q vs. 30K for a 737. But it's a short flight: a 737 probably wouldn't go to 30K feet on that route, either.

3Cforme

There's more to roominess than seat pitch and seat width. Curvature of the fuselage matters. Position of seats next to sidewalls matters. Distance to overhead unit matters. If they didn't, one could claim that CRJ-200s are just as roomy as 737s - when knowledgeable flyers know that's a farce.

steveo

I used to fly the Q400 on a pretty regular basis around canada. The pilots on these seem pretty good at finding a smooth altitude and sticking with it, so I have never had issues with turbulence. Based on my non scientific findings their flying seems to be a little more elegant compared to a 737. Also for this flight, you will get great views which should be a nice distraction.

jsguyrus

Now there is a memory! I used to love those planes because there was only as curtain seperating the cabin from the flight deck, and it was usually open. Really fun to watch them fly and be able to see out the front window!!

notquiteaff

As a part time UA flyer (and forum visitor)... I definitely don't like the CR200.

But realistically, they aren't going to fly a 737-800 into my airport any time soon. So I like the fact that UA is serving my airport and just put up with the one hour flight. We should be careful what we are asking for when complaining about QX4 service. When Skywest retired the Brasilias, it left quite a few routes without replacement.

Where I draw the line is when those baby jets get used to fly people half way across the continent. I think I have seen CRJs on SFO-AUS in the past.

beckoa

CRJ200 sucks.

The Q400 not so much.

char777

I used to fly the Q400 in and out of EUG when I lived there briefly. It's kind of a fun experience — it's definitely different than a jet, and it's fun walking out on the apron. Sure, it's not ideal, and it's a little bumpier and louder than a mainline jet, but it's perfectly fine for a one hour flight. I also think the Q400 is more comfortable than the CRJ-200, and the service on Alaska/Horizon more than make up for it.

If it's really important to you, UA has some A319s on a few scattered flights to DEN and SFO now, and AA Eagle flies E175s from LAX into EUG. DL will also start flying CR7s from SEA beginning in April. Though I wouldn't shy away from booking Alaska/Horizon. I usually found their prices, schedules, reliability, and service to be better than the other options out of EUG , even with the connection in SEA/PDX considered. Also be sure to enjoy EUG, which is a comically dated yet quaint and manageable airport.

CMK10

I've never had an issue with them. They're brightly lit, the seats are fairly comfortable, there are some rows with better legroom (unlike say the CRJ-200) and there are bathrooms at the front and rear. Plus it's Horizon so...free beer!

I've flown these RNO-LAX when AS had them and EWR-RDU on UA when they had them, both are overn an hour, and both flights were good.

Kieron

Just at the front on the Horizon models, sadly, though most flights are too short for it to really matter.

The lower altitude makes for some amazing landscape views out the window when the weather's clear across the mountains on SEA-YYC and similar routes.

flyingpigg

It's really not bad. I'd take 40 mins in a Q400 vs. 3 hours in a prius any day. Seats are comfy and like @char777 said walking on the apron is wicked fun.

Just flew last week PDX-SEA and we were told the flight was going to be very bumpy, I think we were in the air 30 mins and it was just fine. Also one of the smoothest landings I've ever experienced.

CZBB

Dear God(s), not this again. "OMG OMG, I have to ride a Q400 for the 100 miles from Portland to Eugene".

As for turbulence, the amount of turbulence you feel is not based on the size of the aircraft, but the wing-loading, which is weight divided by wing area.

Q400 (at max weight): 29500kg / 64m2 = 461kg / m2
737-800 (at max weight): 79000kg / 125m2 = 632kg / m2

So only after you do this math can you say one will be more turbulent than the other.