Hey, welcome to my channel! I’m an aviation enthusiast and student based in the United Kingdom I aim to provide accurate videos of my hobby, providing not only the facts, but an experience of what it's like to be onboard. Check out my trip reports and landing videos! Remember to subscribe ;)
Solid comparison, the big difference I’ve learned in the newer long haul planes from Delta is that all seats have memory foam, from D1 to Main Cabin. From what I’ve read it’s a game changer. I haven’t flown Delta to Europe yet, only Virgin and British and my favorite is Virgin.
I have an upcoming trip and I actually went out of my way to fly with Virgin Atlantic over Delta despite the Delta flight being easier transfer wise and Delta tickets being cheaper. The cabin has a much nicer ambiance, there is the wander wall, flight attendants are generally friendlier and they serve you a drink in less than minute. One of the biggest dealbreakers is the fact that Delta's food service is atrocious for something that is supposed to be premium. Food in cardboard bowls is just not right considering the price difference. In the past they served food on ceramic plates etc and their premium offering has really gone down the drain. To top it all off Delta screwed their customers with their rewards program, having to spend 5000 dollars just to get silver status is insane. Especially when you consider the few perks that come with silver status.
The seats are actually the same. Don't rely on Seat Guru these days. The site isn't maintained properly with a lot of old info or inaccuracies. Collins MiQ seats of 18.5 inches are used in the aircraft you filmed. A huge point to make though is that with Virgin it is very aircraft dependent. The MiQ seats of 18.5 width are used on the newest aircraft, the A350 and the A330-900neo. Whereas the 787 Dreamliner and older A330-300, much wider and better padded seats of 21 inches ( yes ! ) are used. This affects whether it is worth upgrading to PE over economy. That question is also influenced by how bad it is in economy in the particular aircraft. On the A330 ( both types ) its pretty decent and a PE seat in a A330-900 isn't that much better for width but on a A330-300 it is ( 21 inches ! ). On a 787 Dreamliner the contrast between cabin sections is the most stark, with horrible densified 9 abreast in economy with narrow seats and body encroachment in other ways, v's, old school wide 21 inch wide seats forward in PE ! If your aircraft is planned to be a 787, it is really worth buying PE unless the money is too much. Delta confusion. The 18 Delta figure you read was either a mistake or you were reading the value for Premium Comfort, which is just an extra legroom version of economy without the other perks. That category existed before Delta belatedly came to offer PE seats and continues to get mixed up. Actually its not quite 18 but is rounded up to it in databases. The Premium Select described seats are Delta's true PE seats and are 18.5, except maybe on a 767-400 they are written as 19 but its not sure till someone measures it. Unfortunately eighteen and a half is at the ordinary end of PE widths and is becoming a norm but i.m.o. it needs to be more or at least have a greater gap over economy. Unfortunately the good ones are being replaced by lesser and wide ones are becoming rarer. As I said before, on certain aircraft, notably the A330, economy width is pretty good, so to be giving you only an extra half an inch is quite a cheek ! Plus remember the seats in PE tend to have hard and immovable sides which are good for passenger separation but if the seat next to is empty anyway, your rolls of fat wont be able to spill through next door, unlike in economy with ordinary and lift-able armrests. If you game seat selection in economy smartly you might end up with an empty neighbouring seat and be glad you saved the money, for all the extra PE perks are really worth ( luggage allowance, boarding, food etc ) For seat pitch, that is the same for each airline at a measured 38 inches. This really is a consistent standard in the industry, with only a few exceeding it and it's not on transatlantic routes. Toilets can matter. They won't be big or fancy in PE but the numbers matter. It is airline and aircraft dependent. In a larger PE cabin, its nice to have dedicated toilets for that cabin. It is unlikely you will be entitled to share Business Class toilets on any aircraft but if someone knows of one please correct me in reply. To have to share toilets with economy passengers is bad simply because of the numbers game and that also means things get messy quicker - yuk. For transatlantic service both Virgin and Delta are good options. From reading around, Virgin tend to have the greater preponderance of appreciation. Perhaps Virgin's biggest competitor on transatlantic routes is British Airways but by comparison their PE service is considered mediocre. Among all that do it ( and nowadays most do ) other airlines may have less perks and/or a lower reported standard for food and cabin service just depending and yes luck also comes into it. Also the money is important, quite obviously. I can't see it being worthwhile if the price ratio is ridiculous. Unless your body absolutely needs it and therefore you must be resigned to paying PE prices.
Gonna fly to Munich in a couple of days with 777-333er. Also Air Canada. Not sure what the difference between 300 and 333 is. Unfortunately, looks like I won't be that comfortable since I weigh 150 kg. Not enough for me to buy two seats, but also on the border for one. I have also chosen a window seat in the back of the plane.
Good to see someone doing a video on coach instead of infomercial to promote an airline's premium class. Because I am old enough to remember the 777 as 9 across with wider seats and more seat pitch, I avoid Air Canada and its 777s like the plague now. Now many choices that allows one to humanely travel long distaces. (consider this plane doing the 15 hour Vancouver-Sydney flight with no leg room and narrow seats). London Toronto is not as bad because it is a daylight flight, Airlines are doing their upmost to ensure coach as as painful as possible so that a few passengesr who can afford it will demand to pay ANY price for one of their premium products. If airlines need to cram in that many people oin a DC-10 class aircraft, they shouldn't have ditched their 747s.
Too simplify the analysis by saying putting more people. Here are the variables, the cost of the plane, number of passengers with different classes, number of crews required depending number of passengers and duration of flight, fuel consumption, cost of parking depending the aircraft type, maintenance, part availability, parts and cockpit commonalities
Nicely documented experience of Heathrow and the flight. The mask "safety theatre" is as insane as I recall it at the time, with it being safe to eat and drink without one, but not safe to just sit and breath normally at all other times. Science ;-)
Looking at these passengers boarding starting at 6:52...how did many manage to carry on those large wheelies? They look certainly larger than the 21.5" height! Does AC screen bag sizes at the gate for intl flights?? (I'm not complaining here, just puzzled).
Nice video. I've always been aversive to flying on 777s. They're just too cramped, the definition of "sardine can". Something about their spatial allotment -- 3-4-3 is nuts but typical of Boeing's max revenue approach to aircraft design. At least their luggage bins overhead are roomy. cheers
If the dreamliner/a350 is available on the same route, i'd br choosing those instead! All said, the 777 isn't an awful aircraft and stands better than the A330 for comfort imo
@@tomstripreports Well, for me, A330 beats all Boeing aircraft for passenger comfort, esp on Air Canada -- BIG screens (largest in any twin-engine), 2-4-2 layout gives more room, and quieter engines. Be sure to get on their refurbished A330s. cheers.
Narration is excellent and clear. Background music a bit repetitive, but preferable to silence. Overall Air Canada experience: disappointing for the flag carrier of a wealthy G7 nation (I'm Canadian, so I have the right to call this carrier out). Side notes: Air Canada maintenance and flight crew capabilities are well above average. Air Canada was the first major airline to have an all-turbine fleet. It was also the first in the world to operate an all-cargo jet freighter, and it launched the world's first computerised reservation system. There are many more firsts, btw. Again, considering the heritage of this carrier, the cabin service leaves a lot to be desired. However, that wasn't the case many years ago.
In your video, your description has spelling wrong in "Epzress", replace the spelling "Express" just to make suggestion in this video description. Btw, this video is good for essential travellers.
For the extra savvy, knowledge of the free travel zone is now particularly handy as TFL have started charging peak fares into Central London for both Elizabeth and Piccadilly Lines at all times. If you're not in a hurry and arrive during off peak, you can take the Piccadilly line to Hatton Cross, tap out then tap in again for a fare of £3.40 rather than £5.50 to get into Zone 1. Same principle applies if your end station is outside zone 1 but involves passing through it.
This has been true for many years. You can also use the red London bus between terminals and as far as Hatton Cross tube station. I've done it hundreds of times.
