Boeing 787-8 / 788 Dreamliner MCE and Economy / Coach / Seating (consolidated)
 

Pre-Premium Economy refit seat chart courtesy of SeatGuru. Full chart at https://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Am...eing_787-8.php.

LAA 787-8 / 788 Dreamliner MCE and Economy / Coach / Seating (consolidated)
 

I don't think there's a 788 economy class seating thread (yet, or at least one I can find), but this from the well-respected Dallas Morning News aviation columnist, Terry Maxon, caught my eye:

Ouch!

Source: http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2...iday-220.html/

Sad thing is, I think he's probably right. I was in 19K the other day, which is a middle bulkhead seat that has effectively unlimited legroom but no room width-wise at all. I spent the whole journey feeling squeezed from both sides, and the other people in the row were not overly large by any means. I'm not sure the window or aisle would have been much better, especially given the narrow aisles.

It was bearable for a two hour domestic flight, but I will definitely try and avoid this plane in Y for anything international.

It's been said numerous times: 2-5-2 economy seating is far superior to 3-3-3 and is preferred by passengers. That middle seat in the block of five isn't occupied until the load factor exceeds 89%. With 3-3-3, someone is stuck in a middle seat once the load factor exceeds 66%. Everyone agrees that the 2-3 arrangement of the MD-80s is a plus (on the two-side, AB on AA), and yet AA has abandoned its long-standing 2-5-2 preference on its widebodies. With 2-5-2, there just aren't that many mandatory middle seats, and middle seats just plane suck.

I understand that blocks of two don't work in the back of the 777s where AA is going 10-across, but there was no reason to abandon 2-5-2 for the MCE sections. It's nice of AA to keep the wider seats for MCE on the 777s, but arranging them 3-3-3 is just plane stupid.

AA's joint venture partner across the Pacific is sticking with its more humane 2-4-2 econ seating on its 787s even as they're reconfigured with the lie-flat J seats (replacing the slanty J seats). If AA wanted to be a leader, it should have arranged the 787 MCE in a humane 2-4-2 configuration.

AA 787 dreamliner coach comments?
 

I was fortunate to see the 787 unveiled while covering the event up at Boeing on 07/08/2007.

All the airline execs were there ordering their interiors and the airplane was really toted for being more fuel efficient.

A huge push behind this airplane was using design and planning to make it appear more spacious, hence the large windows and the large entrance foyer, as well as the overhead cabin design. Also, the cabin pressurization is different to allow better comfort. Some of these chagnes may be good whilst others may be smoke and mirrors/

Also you can't forget they crammed in all this personal entertainment, in the hopes that you'll forget being canned like sardines....part of that smoke and mirrors...

So bearing all that in mind, I have read a lot about the business class section. But how good/bad is the coach class experience? I understand AA really crammed in the coach class seats and the one report I read was that it was pretty tight in coach. While that may be the case, do the other design aspects help make for a better flight in coach? Is the personal entertainment, the large windows and the air cabin pressure making it more tolerable in coach?

(Bear in mind, I know there was an inaugural flight, but wasn't sure if it was in full service yet.)

AA 787 dreamliner coach comments?
 

I was fortunate to see the 787 unveiled while covering the event up at Boeing on 07/08/2007.

All the airline execs were there ordering their interiors and the airplane was really toted for being more fuel efficient.

A huge push behind this airplane was using design and planning to make it appear more spacious, hence the large windows and the large entrance foyer, as well as the overhead cabin design. Also, the cabin pressurization is different to allow better comfort. Some of these chagnes may be good whilst others may be smoke and mirrors/

Also you can't forget they crammed in all this personal entertainment, in the hopes that you'll forget being canned like sardines....part of that smoke and mirrors...

So bearing all that in mind, I have read a lot about the business class section. But how good/bad is the coach class experience? I understand AA really crammed in the coach class seats and the one report I read was that it was pretty tight in coach. While that may be the case, do the other design aspects help make for a better flight in coach? Is the personal entertainment, the large windows and the air cabin pressure making it more tolerable in coach?

(Bear in mind, I know there was an inaugural flight, but wasn't sure if it was in full service yet.)

788 Y on AA looks reaaaaaaaaaaally tight.

sbm12 includes the coach seats in his reviews of the inaugural flight:

http://blog.wandr.me/2015/05/initial...ugural-flight/

http://blog.wandr.me/2015/05/best-se...87-dreamliner/

It seems similar to the 738, at least according to seatguru
SG says 788 is 17 to 18 inches wide, pitch 31
It says 738 is 17.2 inches with a pitch of 31

I sat in MCE on the flight. It was plenty spacious for me. I'd probably be just as uncomfortable on it for a long haul as I have been in MCE on AA's 77W. I'd say it's on par with the refreshed 738 and the 77W in terms of MCE. Can't comment on further back in normal Y.

Yeah. I flew UA 787 a lot and though its nice to have a new plane, they aren't that much of an improvement over the 77Ws.

I was on AA's inaugural 787 in non-MCE Y and I found it to be pretty cramped. I had a somewhat large-ish person next to me so that may have exaggerated it slightly but it is definitely a pretty tight cabin no matter what.

Seats are tight, just like every other airline with a new/refurb aircraft.

The GOOD thing is that there are no equipment boxes under the seats for the IFE. You can still get your bag and or feet under the seat.

I just finished a flight on the AA 787 in Y. I've had two flights on it in J so my expectations were low. The flight was better than I would have originally guessed.

Now, I am a short person at 5'7" and I did not have large people next to me. I was on the aisle but not MCE. The seat itself was firm but comfortable. I had leg and knee room but for someone taller it would be a problem. The screen and entertainment help the time go by. As mentioned above, there is no box taking up foot space which is great.

The overhead bins are very nice. No more worrying about "will my bag get on?" for people in groups 3 and 4.

I also like that the cabin is quieter and you can definitely tell the humidity is higher.

Would the Y seat be awesome on long haul? No, but if you can get MCE or an exit row I think a flight to Beijing would be tolerable.

I flew it back and forth DFW-ORD last week in MCE aisle seats. I was plenty comfortable in the seat for this short flight; it was comparable to any other MCE offering on AA. I'm 6'0". My only major gripe is that the fuselage seems to block cell signals, so I couldn't browse flyertalk on my iPad while waiting for the plane to push back.