Originally Posted by simon_n10
The IL-86 is a flying ship. It's massive. A giant tin can. Very impressive on the outside. But inside it's totally crap. Watch out for the seats that keel over, the ripped carpet, the toilet doors that swing open and shut, the tray tables that are bits of jagged metal hanging off the seat in front. Scary
The wooden fittings inside the Il-86 are something of a throwback, as are the open stairwells down to the lower level closed off only be a cord. To exit via stairs, one descends the staircase and out through a lower-level door. The fact that the engines pivot significantly on the nacelles and the whole thing creaks during take-off somewhat bothers me, however. Note that the Ilyushin that sometimes appears on the LHR runs is the Il-96-300, which is a significantly better aircraft (notwithstanding the recent grounding, which according to some Russian press reports was because of failrue to adhere to proper maintenance schedules on the Il-96-300s not used in revenue service, i.e. Mr. Putin's bird, and not to any material defects in the aircraft itself).