Originally Posted by
blueskadoo
Hello all. Apologies first and foremost if this is an improper venue for such a question, but I am not sure of a better place to ask such a question. I am getting ready to make reservations for something I haven't done in over 20 years...fly to Europe. As comes with age, the method I used to fly (coach, cheap as possible) doesn't quite agree with me as much as it did and I don't want to be miserable when we arrive to BCN. Since my lottery numbers haven't come up quite yet, I've narrowed it down to either a flight on DL with 2 stops (ATL and then CDG) with the longest leg in "premium select" or an AA flight with 1 stop (MIA) with the longest leg in what they call "premium economy". The price is just about the same so my question becomes is the Delta product superior to the AA product such that an extra stop would be worth it. We do not have any status with either airline any more so complimentary upgrades won't make much of a difference. The only real extra variable of import is that my husband uses CPAP and would like if allowed, to use it during the overnight flight. Does either permit or prohibit its use? He has all the accessories you need so we're at least prepared on that part. I've been out of the flyertalk game for a while as we have started taking short little flights to easy locations, but this is a bucket list trip we're doing, so just trying to do it right! Any and all insight is deeply appreciated.
Here's Delta's webpage on CPAP machines:
https://www.delta.com/us/en/accessib...ces-medication
AA's website is not as descriptive, but here's an FT thread where someone said they've used a CPAP on an overnight flight on AA with no issue:
Use of portable CPAP on overnight flight during mask mandate
As for your question about AA vs. DL, the answer is "it depends" on quite a bit. Where are you originating from that your connection would be ATL (DL) or MIA (AA)? On the surface, knowing few other details and that you're not chasing other things like status, one connection is almost always better than two. In addition to just having the risk of standard delays (weather, mechanical, ATC, etc.) by adding an additional connection/flight, CDG can bring with it its own issues with increased risks of strikes by French ATC and Air France. There's also the advantage of on arrival in Europe being at your destination versus having an additional connection, which the AA option offers. But also depending on your origin, going via MIA could bring with it significant back-tracking.
The hard product (the seat) is generally the same between AA and DL in Premium Economy/Premium Select but the cabin layout will depend on the specific aircraft type. DL's A350 is 2-4-2 in PS, as are AA 777s in PE. DL's A330s are 2-3-2 while AA's 787s are also 2-3-2. If on DL it's a 767 (-300 or -400) with PS, the layout is 2-2-2 with no middle seats. But one wild card factor might be what seats are available on the TATL segment on each option. In PE/PS, I've preferred the bulkhead row because the legroom is still sufficient and no one is reclining into you. You can in most cases still get out from the window seat without the person in the aisle seat having to get up. In other rows, this is unlikely.
Another question to ask: is either airline returning options where the TATL segment is operated by a codeshare partner (I.e. is the ATL-CDG segment operated by Air France?) That would be an additional factor since Air France's PE hard-product (seat) is generally perceived as not as good as other PE seats given the way the seat reclines.
Other wild card factors: what are the connection times like, if this matters to you? Do you have a variety of connection times? Or is either airline only returning options where the only connection option is say a 40 min connection between the US domestic segment and the TATL flight?