717 configuration
 

Just came across interactive seat map for the 717, which allows you to view the individual pitch for each seat on the aircraft. The A & B Signature Seats apparently have a 1" greater pitch than the C & F seats in the same row.

http://www.midwestairlines.com/About...bin/Cabin.html

Interesting. It does not look like the rows are out of alignment that much in the front.

You're right. The interactive map shows several seat pitch variations.

Now you'll have to get the iPhone tape measure app and measure it once you're onboard. There's an app for everything.

Some of those numbers can't be right. It says 1A & B have 21" pitch and 1CF have 19.7" pitch....you'd have to be a contortionist to sit there!

Good catch! These are bulkhead seats; if pitch were different than the other Signature Seats, it would probably be slightly greater, not less than the last row of Saver Seats.

Perhaps the dimensions provided as seat pitch are actually seat width.

Newly added virtual tour of 717 is great!

http://www.midwestairlines.com/About...Types/717.aspx

Thanks for the virtual tour.

From my own personal experiences, 11E and 11F are the best. You get extra legroom and full recline. Plus, there is no middle seat and the aisle is wider in that section. You're kind of tucked away into a little corner.

That reminds me of something funny the other day coming back from MCI on the 717. It was a cookie flight (425...in the evening) and we were nearly full. F/A #1 pushed the beverage cart ahead of him and started serving from the front. By the time he reached row 5, F/A #2 came with a cart to serve cookies. Because drinks take much longer than cookies, I figured the cookie cart would catch up to drinks quickly, which it did.

Because F/A #2 was blocked by her own cookie cart, and then the drink cart itself, she couldn't get to the other side of the beverage cart to help serve either. I figured that F/A #1 would get stuck serving all the drinks (which would take a long time on a full 717) and F/A #2 would slowly serve cold cookies behind.

Instead, the cookie cart actually passed the drink cart at row 11...the first row of Saver which is only 2x2 instead of 2x3. It was quite a sight to see them try to squeeze one cart past the other, and the person seated in 11B ended up getting exceptionally cozy with one of the F/A for about 15 long seconds. But they managed to do it.

A nice addition. I haven't visited the YX website in such a long time I forgot what it looked like.

AirTran business class still beats Signature. No, it's not the booze either.

That's a pretty funny story!

On my recent flights that include BOB, I have noticed that al the signature passengers get served both meals and drinks before moving to Saver. in my experience, the F/A selling meals comes through signature first, sells/serves meals, then stops at Row 11 to fill the drink orders in Signature before again moving on to Saver.

Not a big deal, but it's a slight preference to the Signature passengers. That logic makes sense, considering they get more revenue from those passengers, but it takes a little bit away from the "all passengers are treated the same" philosophy associated with having a single class containing two seating options.

I'm curious what makes AirTran business class suprior to Signature in your opinion.

It can't be price...Signature is significantly less expensive from Milwaukee.

Washington
$35 Midwest
$49 AirTran

New York, Boston, Orlando
$35 Midwest
$69 AirTran

Tampa
$50 Midwest
$69 AirTran

Las Vegas, Phoenix
$50 Midwest
$99 AirTran

West Coast
$75 Midwest (1-stop)
$99 AirTran


Those are upgrade fees for nonstop flights (except Midwest's west coast flights). On both airlines the upgrade fees are per segment, so if for example one flies MKE-BOS via Baltimore, the upgrade is $98 ($49 per segment).

I've seen a lot of variation on the how/who/when of the onboard service. Serving front to back is consistent, and I've seen what you have described, but also other variations in who serves what, when, and in what order. I guess that I understand giving the F/A some flexibility to respond to specific circumstances (passenger load, flight duration, time of day, etc). Were I an employee I would probaby like some latitude. But on the other hand it used to seem so much more scripted back in the days when they put an extra F/A onboard strictly for service. I remember on my first M88 nonstop to the west coast being a little disappointed that the hot towel service was with disposable paper towels rather than terrycloth as used on the DC9's. Those days are long passed, of course.

The nonstop service alone is worth $24.00 more. AirTran also has one flight attendant dedicated to serve the needs of the twelve biz class passengers. Unlimited snacks.

For those that are so inclined, there are complimentary cocktails.