mad_atta

Can't believe they have finally gone! I flew my share of flights on them, including my first-ever NZ long-haul (KIX-AKL in Y in '98, a genuinely excellent flight) and first NZ J (SYD-AKL on the 762) but I also don't have much nostalgia for them... not least because the post cabin refresh J seats were actually worse than the originals! As others said I'd far rather pay fewer airbucks to upgrade to 777/787 PE, which is in many ways a better product than 763 J.

As someone else said, though, I am nostalgic for the rapidly disappearing livery, though. An NZ widebody thundered overhead when I was at Maroubra beach the other day - it was a 772 in the old livery, and I had a twinge of nostalgia at that.

So with 763 to 787 transition now complete, has that resulted in any schedule reductions? I saw something saying that overall there's a 3% increase in capacity, but relative size difference of 789 vs 763 is greater than that, so surely something else has changed?

cavemanzk

Over the past 12months or so, they have slowly been increasing the Tasman Capacity and have even swapped some services from A320 to 789/772.

deltatrav

Does anyone have pics of the Y/Pacific class cabin circa 2005? I have memories of taking it back then and thinking that their Y cabin looked/felt almost like J!

cavemanzk

I think there are a few on airliners.net if you’re talking about the late 90s Y cabin?

The deep green seats? With foot rests?

deltatrav

yes, exactly! I can only find images from the back on airliners.net

akl_cat

I remember taking the 763 to HKG in early 2000's on a day when NZ38/39 (the 744-operated AKL-HKG-LHR flight) didn't operate. Those seats certainly weren't anything like J or even U seats today. I couldn't remember the pitch or the foot-rest, but the lack of IFE alone made me never wanted to do another long-haul on the 763s and always went with NZ38/39 to HKG afterwards

cavemanzk

I think it was 32" on the 763, and 34" the 744.

How things have changed in regard to IFE its now a disappointment if you don't have free WIFI and a in seat power source.

Thai-Kiwi

I think 32-34 inches seat pitch in Y on the 767. My first ever upgrades on AirNZ was on a Circle Pacific fare in 2002 routing WLG-AKL-HKG-SIN-BKK-KIX-HNL-AKL-WLG. Upgraded both AKL-HKG and HNL-AKL sectors on the 767.


Pics from SQTalk and Jetphotos.net and belong to the respective uploaders cited.

cavemanzk

You can still encounter those Y seats, on QF’s oldest 738s flying domestically with Australia.

deltatrav

I was hoping one would exist showing the front which had the footrest. thanks for the help!