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x9200
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Post by x9200 » Mon, 05 Apr 2010 8:35 am

Splatted wrote:A380 seats were actually quite comfortable. Once my wife and I lifted the armrest that was between us, we both had heaps of room.

Oh, and those annoying instant seat recliners.... Airbus had the forsight to allow the screen to fold out a bit further so you can still watch your favourite movie while the person in front of you is sleeping.

Screens are actually wide-screen as well, as an aside rather than square, and they moved the remote from the arm-rest to just underneat the screen... much more convenient.

edit: oh, and I forgot to mention.. heaps more legroom
We went to Europe with Qantas A380 this Christmas and were actually disappointed. The only clear improvement over a typical long distance airbus was the screen. Maybe, just maybe the seats were slightly wider (1-2cm max). The interior (at least for the economy deck) looked like made of a cheapo plastic. Clear effort to save some weight.
This kind of things depend very much on the airline but after all what was said about A380 we expected to see more improvement at least for the personal space.

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Post by ozchick » Mon, 05 Apr 2010 8:58 am

x9200 wrote:
Splatted wrote:A380 seats were actually quite comfortable. Once my wife and I lifted the armrest that was between us, we both had heaps of room.

Oh, and those annoying instant seat recliners.... Airbus had the forsight to allow the screen to fold out a bit further so you can still watch your favourite movie while the person in front of you is sleeping.

Screens are actually wide-screen as well, as an aside rather than square, and they moved the remote from the arm-rest to just underneat the screen... much more convenient.

edit: oh, and I forgot to mention.. heaps more legroom
We went to Europe with Qantas A380 this Christmas and were actually disappointed. The only clear improvement over a typical long distance airbus was the screen. Maybe, just maybe the seats were slightly wider (1-2cm max). The interior (at least for the economy deck) looked like made of a cheapo plastic. Clear effort to save some weight.
This kind of things depend very much on the airline but after all what was said about A380 we expected to see more improvement at least for the personal space.
Has anybody noticed that the window seat is further away from the window than in other planes? Try sleeping against the window. Cushions and blankets etc fall down through the space between the seat and the window. Nah.....think I'll design the damned plane myself next time! :wink:
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Post by Splatted » Mon, 05 Apr 2010 1:25 pm

x9200 wrote: We went to Europe with Qantas A380 this Christmas and were actually disappointed. The only clear improvement over a typical long distance airbus was the screen. Maybe, just maybe the seats were slightly wider (1-2cm max). The interior (at least for the economy deck) looked like made of a cheapo plastic. Clear effort to save some weight.
This kind of things depend very much on the airline but after all what was said about A380 we expected to see more improvement at least for the personal space.
I think they used the same el-cheapo plastic fittings on all the A380 planes. My wife's cupholder was already broken before we sat for our flight.

RE Qantas, I avoid them like the plague now. Qantas hasn't left the news all year re mechanical problems and undermaintenance, fuel leakages etc. The standards have dropped a lot.

The last time we flew with them we had a 4 hour delay because of a fuel line repair.

The latest issue they seem to be having with their A380s are break failure. Why aren't any of the other airlines reporting the same issues? I think it's due to maintenance standards dropping and outsourcing.

Oh, and don't get me started on the snooty qantas stewardesses.

edit: re personal space. Didn't qantas at least give you more legroom in economy? SIA does.. makes a huge difference.

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Post by Vaucluse » Mon, 05 Apr 2010 1:32 pm

Splatted wrote:
x9200 wrote: Oh, and don't get me started on the snooty qantas stewardesses.

.
Oh, I don't know about that . . . I went out with a Qantas flightie for quite a while in my halcyon days of being single . . . but she was Thai, with a law degree from USC, and based in Bangkok.

Anyway . . . the centre armrests . . . the way I see it the aisle and window seats have their own armrests so it is just fair that the centre has both. And no, I NEVER sit in the middle
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Post by Splatted » Mon, 05 Apr 2010 1:39 pm

Vaucluse wrote:
Splatted wrote: Oh, and don't get me started on the snooty qantas stewardesses.

.
Oh, I don't know about that . . . I went out with a Qantas flightie for quite a while in my halcyon days of being single . . . but she was Thai, with a law degree from USC, and based in Bangkok.
Thai are generally very friendly. You've probably met the exception rather than the norm.

Either that, or my wife and I have been unlucky enough to cop Mel-Sin flights always staffed by snooty staff.

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Post by x9200 » Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:39 pm

Splatted wrote:RE Qantas, I avoid them like the plague now. Qantas hasn't left the news all year re mechanical problems and undermaintenance, fuel leakages etc. The standards have dropped a lot.

The last time we flew with them we had a 4 hour delay because of a fuel line repair.

The latest issue they seem to be having with their A380s are break failure. Why aren't any of the other airlines reporting the same issues? I think it's due to maintenance standards dropping and outsourcing.

Oh, and don't get me started on the snooty qantas stewardesses.

edit: re personal space. Didn't qantas at least give you more legroom in economy? SIA does.. makes a huge difference.
I've got similar sentiment towards Lufthansa and Air France. First one for arrogant cabin crew, 2nd for overall incompetency and also arrogant staff esp. at CDG airport. With Qantas no such problems so far for something like I believe 6 flights - mostly to Europe. I must say I was even quite impressed once when on the way from Melbourne to SG they deliberately deviated from the course to show people Ayers Rock at sunset.

For the Qantas legroom hard to tell - maybe it was slightly better.
I do not know how is it right now but few years ago my top place in uncomfortable economy sitting space category belonged to Lufthansa's Boeings 747.

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:59 pm

x9200 wrote: For the Qantas legroom hard to tell - maybe it was slightly better.
I do not know how is it right now but few years ago my top place in uncomfortable economy sitting space category belonged to Lufthansa's Boeings 747.
You obviously have never been on a United 747 then! :o :mad: And I'm a short-legged person.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by Plavt » Tue, 06 Apr 2010 3:01 pm

sundaymorningstaple wrote: You obviously have never been on a United 747 then! :o :mad: And I'm a short-legged person.
Dare I comment? :devil: I'll leave it to Vaucluse.....

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Tue, 06 Apr 2010 3:50 pm

What's to comment? I already admitted I'm shortlegged, and it's a world known fact that United sucks. But it's the cheapest run home with the best connections and arrival times for where I'm going. :tongue:
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by Splatted » Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:49 am

sundaymorningstaple wrote:What's to comment? I already admitted I'm shortlegged, and it's a world known fact that United sucks. But it's the cheapest run home with the best connections and arrival times for where I'm going. :tongue:
Are you able to select your seat online, like what can be done with SIA?

If you can snap up the first row seats, you'll be ok. Most airlines have more legroom in first row (next to exit)

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Wed, 07 Apr 2010 6:50 am

Haven't tried recently, but could as of last September when I went home the last time. And yeah, I know the aisle or bulkhead seats have more room. I often try to get upgraded into the Premium economy for the extra 6 inches there but I hate flying sitting over the wings where all the fuel tanks are.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by Plavt » Wed, 07 Apr 2010 7:51 am

sundaymorningstaple wrote: but I hate flying sitting over the wings where all the fuel tanks are.
:? The fuel tanks aren't just in the wings they are in the belly of the aircraft as well. Either way if there's a serious explosion you will be gone in a flash (and you were a pilot). :???:

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Post by SunWuKong » Wed, 07 Apr 2010 8:20 am

Every time I have to fly it strikes me that the same number of people could be housed in the fully recumbent position and aligned with the latitudinal axis of the plane. Leg room no longer an issue. Tall persons on the lowest level, short at the top. Comfortable. But then who would want to fly business class?

The morbidly obese would not be able to fit, but as far as I'm concerned one chooses one's pleasure. Will it be food, or international travel?
The nature of Monkey was ... irrepressible!

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Wed, 07 Apr 2010 8:57 am

Plavt wrote:
sundaymorningstaple wrote: but I hate flying sitting over the wings where all the fuel tanks are.
:? The fuel tanks aren't just in the wings they are in the belly of the aircraft as well. Either way if there's a serious explosion you will be gone in a flash (and you were a pilot). :???:
What does being the pilot of a helicopter have to do with the fuel in the bell of a 747? :???:

And, if I cannot get a priority seat on an upgrade, I sit as far back in the tail as possible as generally, if it's a rough landing where the plane breaks up on landing, it's usually the safest place on the plane as, like you said, most of the fuel is in the belly/wing area. :wink:
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by SunWuKong » Wed, 07 Apr 2010 5:16 pm

My apologies for being contrary SMS, but I've actually read that over the wing is statistically the safest place to be in a crash.
The nature of Monkey was ... irrepressible!

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