Originally Posted by
CO 1E
AF is installing 10-abreast in coach?? KL really has degraded AF - can't wait for that to happen to CO when it merges with another carrier. Is KL going 10-abreast, as well?
Well, AF has had 10-abreast on their Carribean and Indian Ocean planes (CIO) for a while. I then heard that they were going to operate some 10-abreast on US routes, starting this summer, and sure enough, I just checked out the seat map for AF7 JFK-CDG on 7/15 and ExpertFlyer shows the dreaded 3-4-3.
At first, I would have thought that this was the CIO version of the 77W, but this plane has F and J, while the CIO version only offers 2 rows of J and no F. So, this is obviously a new configuration. The CIO version does not seem to have extra pitch, like EK, and it is unclear if this one will. And there does not appear to be any Y+, as on the CIO version.
KLM is going 10-abreast on their new 77Ws from what I can tell as well. Considering that AF seems to treat KLM as an in-house LCC, this is not surprising.
The only question is what will be worse 10-abreast 777s or 9-abreast 787s?
And, let's be honest, do you think it will actually take a merger for CO to go 10-abreast? If they think they can get away with it, they will.
Originally Posted by
CO 1E
It depends on what class of service you are considering and what amenities and services are important to you. For coach, if you want a more seat pitch and AVOD, go with NW, then KL, then, to a lesser extent, AF. Avoid DL and CO. If you want free booze, go with AF. If you want consistently good service (for the most part), do not care about AVOD, can endure poor seat pitch, and want to pay for booze, go with CO.
By all accounts, coach on a KL 747 should be avoided, as well. 31" pitch. No in-seat video. Terribly uncomfortable seats. My wife flew on one last year and still hasn't forgiven me. It sounds like, hands down, the worst ST product in the sky.