My current favorite planes are the A340 which I flew with LH to Madras, India a couple of years ago. Their exit rows on that plane have more legroom than I have ever seen in economy class before or since then. I also like the 767-300. I will get my first taste of the 777 during my upcoming trip to China this summer. It will be on China Southern on a flight from Guangzhou to Shanghai. (Hopefully they will become a partner in the DL ff program by then like they're supposed to.) By the way, thanks to everyone who responded to my "Chinese visas" topic thread.

My worst planes are the 727s. The ones that DL uses on its NE shuttle are amongst the nicer ones. Also, the L1011s which are mostly used by DL are terrible. Its notorious 2-5-2 configuration in coach is extremely uncomfortable - especially if you end up right in the middle with two people on each side of you. Also, they're so old - I remember flying them when DL first started its ATL --> LGW route in 1978 or 1979.

I think that First in row 1 of a DC-10 is the best for domestic. For coach, nothing beats the 777 or 320 for width comfort (767 comes close). Honorable mention to the 757 in coach IF you get row 16 only. This is an exit row, with an exit row behind. Therefore, you get great leg room and no one behind kicking the seatback!

Oops... on the above I am talking about United.

CO's MD-80 is the best for coach. They have winged headrests and a decent amount of legroom. Seat 20E is the best. Even though it is a middle seat, it is in an exit row, with another exit row behind it. And besides you can get a good look out the window anyway...

I thought as a general rule, the first row of a double exit row seats do not recline?

[This message has been edited by kyklin (edited 04-27-99).]

727=hotrod of the sky. Fastest rotation of any commercial Boeing jet ever, highest thrust/weight ratio ever. "Pilots" as opposed to "drivers" love 'em! As does this busy executive on the "go."

Other junkies weigh in on this topic:

http://www.cruisinaltitude.com/tripstats/alltrav.htm

Interesting site. Not flashy, but fun.

Samantha

Noting that I've only ever flown coach, the slightly wider than normal seats of the A320 put it #1 in my book. Worst I've experienced so far is the SF-340 prop. (Others I've flown are the 727 (second-worst), 737, F100, ATR72, 767, and both the Canadair and Embraer regional jets.)

The 747-400's and 777's are great.

It seems there's pretty good agreement that the DC-10 is among if not the worst. I've heard flight attendents complain about them as well- except they like the huge galley in the rear on breaks! No wonder McDonald Douglas was swalowed up by Boeing!

The B757 and B767 the newer or refurbished models that have the newer paperthin seats in coach class drive me bananas. When the person behind you goes for a magazine you get drilled in the back! And that's when you are fully upright!

on the subject of seating--the new seats are really bad--my grandfather used to work for a company that had a subsidiary that made aircraft seating. His easy chair 25 years ago in the family room was one of their coach (yes, coach) seats on a pedestal. That was a comfortable seat-my brother inherited it and has it today!