As in so many things in life, where you stand depends on where you sit.

Sitting in J or F? The 747-400. I am never happier than when ensconced up in the hump on a nine- or ten-hour westbound transatlantic flog.

Sitting in Y? The 767. A great disappointment has been BA's decision to redeploy their '67s on mostly non-transatlantic routes.

Here's a different criterion: I often like it when an aircraft feels graceful on takeoff and landing. That is, the whole cabin doesn't rumble and shake (you know what that feels like, when taxiing and you hit a bump, all the bins go rattling...) When the engines spin up and you start going, you don't feel like you're struggling to take off. The engines are quiet, yet you're blasting off.

Aircraft that I've noticed these nice qualities in are (strangely enough):

DC-10
727
A320

(Oh, and I travel mostly UA, if that matters for configuration.)

As much as I like the 777, it doesn't have this light yet powerful feel -- when it taxies, there's no disguising bumps and rattles. This surprised me the first time I was in one -- all the Boeing hype had me expecting the smoothest ride (on the ground) ever -- like a rolls-royce or something. Instead, the wings sway up and down 6 feet over cracks in the runway, and it feels like there's no "suspension" at all... It just feels like a monster. It's too bad they couldn't somehow have worked those features into the 777, but I suppose it has to do with engine placement and weight, etc.

On the other hand, the 727 is pretty inefficient compared to more modern aircraft, and the DC-10 has that nasty habit of exploding its #2 engine...

In the air, on the other hand, most jets feel pretty much the same to me. Only difference I can tell is ambient engine noise. But if based on cabin comfort, I agree with pretty much everyone else's choices, 777, 747, etc.

[This message has been edited by TA (edited 06-21-2000).]

I used to be one of those people that had planes I liked, and planes I disliked, but I've come to a realization...

I love 'em all!!! Seriously...727's cause of their legacy and classic-ness, 737's because of just how **** many of them their are, 757's (yes, really...they are the King of Klimb...I've never been in a plane that gets to altitude that fast). DC-10s, A319, 777s, whatever, I love 'em all.

But nothing, absouletly nothing, tops the 747-400...especially from the flight deck!

Not a pilot, but oh, I wish,

Jon

For B/F - 777 !
but for coach - A330/340. in the 777 the coach have 3-3-3 oe 2-4-3 configuration and you have window seats with 2 persons blocking the isle. On the 330/340 wherever you seat the will be only one person at the most between you and the isle.

For smaller planes I prefer the A319 - small and very comfortable. especialy those with the little TV monitors on top(like in swissair).

IT looks like the consensus is the triple 7 or the 747-200. I add: DITTO.

Regonal Jet CRJ-50 with leather seats,USAirways

Single Isle A320 Series

Widebody, L1011, an oldie but I have always had a great comfortable flight on these, sorry to see them going away

Jay

747-400: Classic longhaul. Upstairs Business Class.
757: The Shredder - love the take off power.
Favorite of all time: P-51 Mustang.

Favorites:
First: 747 (all models)
Business: 747-300/400, 777.
Economy: 767

Back in the 80's I flew L1011's First Class on BA... those were a treat for way back then, there was so much room.

oh and the most uncomfortable/worst in ALL classes is the DC-10.

I have to agree with the 744, and I think the ultimate (non-exec jet) decadence is being ensconced in F on the upper deck (once shared LH's 16 seat cabin with one other passenger - more FA's than pax - they kept thrusting champagne on us ("We can't drink it and it's already opened! More caviar? We have 4 more tins!))

For sheer climb umph, I enjoy the SK DC-9/MD-80's, but I think that's as much the style of the pilots, who like aggressive climb angles, as it is the plane.

The 747-400: still the king of long-haul, especially in F and C-class.

The 767-300, A-330 & A-340: in C because there are no aisle seats.

The A-320 family for short haul; best-liked in LH and SR configurations.

The bottom finishers: B-757s, especially on transcon and flights to Hawaii. B-737 in cramped shuttle configurations or on trancon routes.

When I was 23 (yesterday!) <grin> my favorite plans to fly are the A319, and probably the A330. Wider is better!

747

I have to weigh in on the 777 as tops, for sure. Then I agree with dg1 that the A319 is pretty sweet for shorter flights. My favorite commuter plane is the Dash 7.

My favorite (go with the flow...) is the 777, for its spacious feel. UA also has video screens in the back of their 767 coach (at least international DUS-ORD-DUS), it is a nice feature, but the 777 feels more spacious. Since I fly coach a lot, that's my main concern. The 737-500/600 can be fairly nice if new and if you don't have to fly them for longer than 1 1/2 hours. Biz/First on the 747 has received high marks, but IMHO in coach the 777 beats the 747 by far.

yet another vote for the 747 - any version