Originally Posted by DuckDuckSwan
I don't quite understand this. Delta's 763s have 17 inch wide seats in coach. Alaska's "miserable sardine-can" 738s have 17 inch wide seats in coach. In first, while the AS 738s offer 3 inches less legroom, the seats are 2.5 inches wider than in the DL 763s. Aisles are the same size. Would you be kind enough to explain how one is substantially more sardine-canish than the other in terms of passenger comfort?
For many people, a wider aircraft with two aisles makes them feel less claustrophobic and, thus, they enjoy the ride of a wider cabin (regardless of seat width). I loved the DC-10 and L-1011 as well, but only with the original 8 across seating in Y (not the 9 across seating of the 80's and 90's). I agree that a wider SEAT is more comfortable.
That being said, I have heard very negative comments about AS 738's in Y (something about the aisles being more narrow than other aircraft). Never flown Y on one myself, but the FA's were the ones complaining!