Originally Posted by
DrCordell
Dipping my toe into the AA pool because I have some Avios from an old credit card that I needed to burn. Booked one-way from BCN-JFK in Y, because I figured how bad could it be?
I've made a huge mistake. A 9.5 hour flight without seatback VOD? Are you ****ing kidding me? They actually charge people MONEY to fly an international flight on a plane that hasn't had an interior refresh since 1992?
This post is mostly just to complain. But holy hell am I glad to have picked Delta for my business flight allegiance. There aren't enough drugs in the world to keep me tranquilized in Y for ~10 hours with nothing to do but stare at a seatback.
Well it's not a 9.5 hour flight. It's closer to 8. I think I've done this in 7.5.
But anyways, this route is normally with a 772, but seasonally it's switched back to a 763 because they can't fill a 772. It does stinks there is no personal IFE on the plane. I guess as someone who flies this route about 10 times a year, I've come to raise a flag when I see 763 under plane operated for the AA66/67.
But that being said, I actually find the seats on the 763 much better for sleeping than on the 772. But if you wanted to watch movies, yeah you're out of luck.
When I feel like I want to watch movies and it's a 763 on this route, I'll route through LHR (AA100/107 is the 77W - my favorite plane in the AA fleet) or fly a BA 744 HI - J with newly refurbished cabin. Plus flying through LHR you get the lounges there assuming you have OWS or OWE.
An alternative is to fly through MAD, but I've found IB's service in Y rather lackluster.
That being said, I too would probably choose Delta if I had to fly direct and my only other choice was AA's 763 (and I wanted IFE). Absolutely avoid UA's BCN-EWR route. I flew it twice. Delayed by hours each time and the food is inedible.