Favorite Planes?
 

OK folks, I don't think this has been on here before (although perhaps I am mistaken). I thought it would be interesting to see what everyone's favorite type of aircraft is. You can distinguish between first class, business and coach, too, if you would like. Please let us know why you prefer a particular type of plane, as well.

Djlawman

I like the Boeing 777s. It's spacious enough and offers all sorts of ammenities, even in coach. But the 767-300s get my vote for trusty aircraft for long hauls as well. The plane that I really don't like: DC-10s.

Tim

I don't understand your question, there is only one aircraft.... BAC/Aerospatiale Concorde. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

The rest are just planes. But if you want to talk about those metal tubes which all look the same, and are given numbers instead of names, then the 747-400 is for me. I don't think you can beat the intimate and quiet atmosphere of the upper deck for business class.

Of the mid-size aircraft I much prefer the A340 to anything else.

Nick

You can't beat the 777. The A340 comes close, but not quite.

Sometimes it's nice to be upstairs on the 747. It's usually darker and quieter on overnight flights.

I agree with timchen about disliking DC-10's.

Favorite: Upstairs on the 747-400 beats everything else. In coach, the 777 wins hands down. First class in the A340 is also quite enjoyable.

Least favorite: I'm sick of flying on 737's, the L1011's are way too loud and DC-9's/10's are too old. And prop planes suck too.

Falling in between: A300/320 and variants, B757/B767, the Bombadier Regional Jet, and the BAe jet.

For me it has to be the 747-400 in first (so long as it is BA or QF http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif). The worst? Any American Eagle turbojet.

My vote goes to the A340 over the B777. It's amazingly quiet and more stable I think than the latter. Actually even the A330 is even quieter than the 777.

Surprisingly the B747-400s' quietest zone is not in First Class or the upper deck, but actually right at the wing section. Some airlines have some of their Biz class there. I find this zone the most stable in any turbulence, quietest (the engines are below you and noise is blocked out by the wing), and the landing the smoothest since the main landing gear is also directly underneath you - thereby cushioning the main landing weight!

No 737s for me!

Actually, I find the quietest area is in the cockpit of a 747-400. And as for landing you barely feel it. I'm told the worst area is the crew rest bunk section at the back of the plane where you get the brunt of turbulence and noise.

The B747-200 upper deck in business class mode. With just 16 seats (4 rows of 4) it was easily the best for an intimate feel in business class on a huge plane.

the plane flying HOME!

Closely followed in prioity by the plane LEAVING home! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

arturo gree wiff rudi. arturo lik hes egzeckutiv Guffstrem Fore mor then enythin.

In steerage (aka coach), I would vote for the A330 (at least SwissAir's configuration, the only one I've flown) as being most comfortable for long-haul. The A320 series gets a thumbs-up as well, for shorter flights.

The least comfortable (in coach)? For longer haul, I would have to say the DC-10, followed by the 747-200. Short-haul I usually fall sound asleep, so anything jet is fine with me!

I'm a coach traveller, so I like the 777 best.

DC9/DC10/L1011 - I'd rather walk to my destination. Barefoot. On broken glass.

I've only flown on an A340 once, and have terrible memories of the trip, mostly due to the fact that it was an 11:00pm flight out of San Jose and I was stuck on board with 30 screeching teenagers on their way to some sort of Cheerleader competition. The on-board entertainment was seeing which girl could use the word "like" the most times in a single sentence. One girl is ready for the Valley Girl Olympics, with the sentence, "You know, like Ricky, he like likes Carolyn, like LIKES Carolyn". 45% like:real word ratio!

Long haul: 747-400 upstairs, biz class (BA/QF)
Long haul: 777 coach
Med. Haul: 757/A320 (tie for FC)
Short Haul: Bombardier Regional Jet
Private short haul: LEAR 31A
Private long haul: G-IV SP (just ask ARTURO)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

p.s. WORST: DC-10/L1011, coach, 2x5x2 config.

[This message has been edited by geo1004 (edited 04-23-99).]

I have to say my favorite is the 767 as it's comfortable in any of the 3 cabins and provides a fairly smooth, stable ride.

Least favorite - turboprops and DC10s (shake, rattle, and roll).

There are many variables that help me decide which type of plane I prefer. Also, a lot is influenced by my regular airline partners, Alaska, Northwest and United.

SHORT HAUL COACH: DC9/MD80 Especially if I am with my wife as we select to sit on the two seat side and not have to deal with another passenger in aour "personal space".

LONG HAUL COACH: A320 The extra width of cabin size makes a difference ove other narrow body planes.

SHORT HAUL FIRST: ANY WIDEBODY Heck, if it's under 3 or 4 hours, I just want to be comfortable and with a larger plane, there is more chance for me to upgrade.

LONG HAUL FIRST: 747 (UPSTAIRS) Much quieter, less human body odor and those side bins are great!

MY FAVS:
Coach: 777
Business: 747-400 upstairs (I'll be trying the 747-200 upstairs for the 1st time next week ORD-LAX...)
First: on a 3-class plane? Yeah, right, keep dreamin'...

My UNFAVS:
J41 (prefer the smaller J31s)
DC10 (unless it happens to be UA flight 57 http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif)

The rest are just plane planes to me...

Some of my favorites:
MD-80/90 (seats appear to be a little wider that the narrowbody Boeing fare.)

767-300 -- Not bad, but Delta seems to put the headphone jack and controls in the worst possible place!

Thumbs down: 757 (exit row no recline sardine-can seating)

------------------
AlphaSigOU
Causa latet vis est notissima - the cause is hidden, the results are well-known.

HERETICS ALL! May you be condemned to connecting through DTW on every flight.

My favourite BC plane, is a Canadian DC-10 (seats 1E or 1F). (Yes, I'm not joking.)

Favourite FC is a BA 777 - any seat.

And my favourite coach class airplane is any plane that I'm not on.

I think we might be missing the point here a bit. Comfort in an airplane may have something to do with the type/model, but mostly is dependent on the configuration. If you have sat in some of the Asian Airlines' 777, I suspect you will take the old 737 set-up in most US domestic airlines anytime. On the other hand, EVA's Evergreen Delexe Class (an Advance Coach arrangement) is better than most US domestic FirstClasses and you can find that in their DC-10s, 767s, and 747s. As to "AIRPLANE" per se, I think 757s are the worse. They recirculate more air than any other models and give you higher probabilities of catching all the strange germs your fellow passengers are carrying. And the seats set-up usually are not as spacious than the old 737s or 727s. Or, may be we are all just becoming wider in bodies than the old days. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Hmmm. I like the 757. It's over-powered and, in the air, that's a good thing IMHO.

Cheers! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

My favorite is the 777, comfortable in any class, especially if you get the three clas version domestically. Least favorite jet is the DC 10 & any UA Shuttle 737.

OK Matt, why the J31 over the J41? I avoid both at all cost when going to RDU but would take the J41 over the J31.

Very good point, auditor. I am a big fan of the EVA's economy deluxe class, which is better than domestic US business class in a 3 class configuration.

My favorites are 747 and A320 for their overall spaciousness (big/wide tubes).

I'm surprised no one mentioned the CRJ for fave short haul equipment. I love 'em, and I give Delta Connection the nod for flying them. They put United Shuttle's 737 fleet to shame, which BTW are my most hated aircraft.

FC fave: 747 upper deck and A320.

Fave seat of all time: 747 jump seat on my 10th birthday. (Sigh.)

Samantha

My fav is the Concorde.
And Triple oh! 7's...
Always seat 1-b..
To me that is heaven.

Upstairs is not bad.
For the service it brings...

These are a few of my favorite planes...

BUT..don't like...

D-C's of any number scheme.
7-37's are too old.
Old planes with only eight seats in first!

I inquired with the gate agent on my California to Newark trip on Continental, and she told me it was going to be a 737. I thought, "My god - a tiny little plane"

But, I was pleasantly surprised. Continental was flying a brand new 737-800 plane, with 14 seats in in First Class, and all seats had the adjustable head seat wings.

Although this is by no means my favorite type of plane, it sure beat the heck out of the old 737's.

US Airlines

Short Haul - Regional Jets - CRJ (AC or UA Express) / EMJ (CO Express) / AvroJets (NW Mesaba)OR A320/319 (UA or AC)OR MD 80 (CO)/ J-41 (UA - isn't too bad if the weather is good)
Long Haul - 767-300 in Eco / 777 in Business
As someone mentioned the over powered 757's are a good ride on transcon flights if you have a good seat.

Non-US Airlines

Short Haul - the new 737 -700/800 are nice as are the A 320 family flown by LH / BD
Long Haul - 777 and 747-400 are favorites although the newer A330 / 340 are not far behind.

I have to fly in a lot of developing areas so aircraft choice is't always possible but if it is these would be my choices. Although I will avoid all Russian made airpalnes as well as the DC10/MD 11 bunch.

Happy flying - indogulf

[This message has been edited by indogulf (edited 04-23-99).]

I would have to say that the best plane over-all is the 747-400 for first and business. The other 747 come right after that, followed by the 777.

It is just that United First on the 777 does not recline far enough.

The 767 is simply to narrow, although tolerable.

I guess I will be the only one to defend the DC-10 (but only in two-class config. when flying first - to Hawaii). It is nice to sit in row 1C & D, as both people have aisle seats and plenty of leg-room (Only draw back, so much leg-room some passangers consider it a place to cross-over from aisle to aisle, but a few nasty looks and they get the hint!!)

To all of you dissing the DC-10, you must have never flown Business First on a CO DC-10.

The seat pitch is huge, more legroom than I have had on any plane I've ever flown. Huge, comfy, plush seats with footrests.

I cried the day they took them off the SFO-IAH route that I fly often.

I have also been on a CO 757 similarly configured. Instead of 24 seats in the first class cabin (their normal configuration), they put in just 16. The cabin is the same size, so you get a lot of extra leg room.

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!