pinniped

Sorry, why again are people saying to avoid 767's in Y? That's long been one of my favorite types to fly internationally due to its smaller size. Faster to deplane, smaller crowd at immigration/customs, fewer total bags to wait on, etc. A party of 4 could have window/aisle/window/aisle in 2 rows and have a pretty comfortable ride (as coach goes...).

Is it that the seats don't have USB ports? I always carry a couple external power packs so that's not a dealbreaker for me. Good external power units are $15-20 on Amazon these days.

Food is going to be spartan on any carrier. And if you're buying 4 with cash I'd certainly consider the ULCCs...especially if the buy-up to their version of economy plus is reasonable.

guv1976

"AA will give me free MCE and boarding status/free luggage but they were pricier at 5700-6500 depending on routes. BA is an option and I've noticed booking the same AA flights through BA is cheaper, go figure."

AA will definitely give an Alaska MVP Gold member MCE seats if you book the AA flights under AA flight numbers. However, if you are thinking of booking AA flights under the BA codeshare flight numbers, I'm not sure if you still get free MCE. I would investigate that if MCE is important to you.

JDiver

Exactly! With the possibility of MCE in the minicabin, 2 seats + two seats, 767 might be the best AA offers for a family of 4. If one can snag 12, 17 or 21 AB, HJ.

pinniped

I'd definitely second the suggestion upthread to use ITA or Google Flights to play with scenarios if the cost is particularly important. Do prices change a lot ex-SEA? What if your long-haul itin terminated at DUB? Is there a not-so-awful ULCC opportunity? You can then decide if there's a hassle vs. cost trade-off to be made.

foredogg

I've heard flying out of LON will add more tax but for some reason the RT costs are still cheaper than flying to CDG. I'll keep looking and maybe do a return analysis from BCN to PDX too.

Cost is definitely a factor but also getting mileage credit and some of the status perks weight in too. Thx for the other forum info, I'll check those out as well. I know I will probably need to book within the next couple of weeks before prices go up even more.

Do you or anyone know if ticket prices tend to go back down about 1-2 months out from the departure date or will it go higher since we are planning to go in June?

foredogg

Good point if booked through BA if MCE will be offered for free. I guess the only way to know for sure is to go through the booking process up until Submit is required. Another consideration I just thought of is will BA honor Alaska MPV Gold boarding priority? Not that it is super important as I would think there should be a lot of overhead space since most would check in luggage for long haul flights?

foredogg

@pinniped - With two teenagers I will have to buy a lot of external power packs! LOL.

SiempreBCNJFK

I think the 763 has some good seats - especially on the newer ones (early 2000 made ones). Some other 763s I've flown in are very run down. They are supposedly reupholstered, but I've sat in some that definitely weren't.

My two biggest complaints of the 763 are no power ports and no person IFE. And I hate when people use the arguments "why not buy an ipad and download your own movies" or "why not bring a bunch of charging packs." Why should *I* spend the money to fulfill the deficiencies that the airline presents? Just about EVERY other full service airline (and most LCC) that flies TATL has person IFE and power ports. AA's 763 and 752 are the only two I can think of that doesn't. Maybe AC Rouge - but that's essentially a low cost airline.

3Cforme

Out of LON, yes - but not so much through LON. Out of LON and UK Air Passenger Duty will be payable, collected in your award ticket redemption. Connections have some airport fees and customs fees.

The key is to avoid long-haul BA metal on AS or AA awards where YQ surcharge is collected.

3Cforme

Lack of AVOD. Lack of USB or AC power. General age and rattiness. Delta's long-haul 767s have been refurbed, have AVOD, and got drop-down 777-style overhead bins. Then the 18.5 inch wide seats in a 2x3x2 config are compelling.

pinniped

*shrug* I already own mobile devices and external power units for reasons other than flights, so it's not an incremental cost to buy them just for one trip. Then again, sometimes I just read and listen to music so I don't even go through one battery charge.

For me, it's the seat and the 2-3-2 that are attractive. Last time we did it we got exactly those seats mentioned upthread...in the minicabin...and it was great. Fantastic trip given that there were 4 of us (2 kids) and we definitely weren't booking J.

I didn't attempt to use any of the airline's IFE so I don't even know what was there (if anything).

JDiver

June is in the high season bracket, so as the cheaper fare class inventory is taken you will most likely be faced with rising fares.

Rather than looking at round trip fares, look for open jaw fares - PDX- - LON returning from MAD, for example. Those should cost ~1/2 the round trip to LON plus 1/2 the round trip to MAD, generally speaking.

ccengct

I couldn't care less about IFE; I bring my own. I couldn't care less about power ports; my devices will last on battery for TATL. But the relatively wide seat on 767 2-3-2 is much appreciated. Among AA long-haul aircraft only the original 9-across 777-200 configuration is as wide in Y-, but the 767 offers a lower probability of an unwanted middle seat. 767 haters, beware of the alternatives.

Col Ronson

Not always true. There are plenty of US-LHR fares that are less than $500 and flights to MAD,BCN,CDG are similar and sometimes more actually. For LON-based flights i think the base fare is actually lower to compensate. I booked a JFK-LHR flight for May for $412 about a month ago.



The overwhelming consensus in this thread is no1 cares about IFE or AVOD and yet somehoe the whining level related to AA dumping it on new 737s is hilariously ironic. If IFE/AVOD is not a concern then yes the 767s are nice even in coach. Personally wifi is my best IFE so i always try to steer towards planes/airlines with those.

JDiver

Thevfares might be lower, but the ~$500 I mentioned is forbthe inescapable APD and PFC for four people.