There is no other plane configuration offering a greater guarantee that an unpleasant experience awaits.

So great, that I purposefully avoid flying the magnificent powerhouse that is the 777. And just as determinedly as I would avoid contact with the airline equivalent of an untouchable-caste–the DC-9/MD-80/717. Here’s why:

#1–Those two-seats together on the sides may be nice for couples, but they are just too cozy for strangers. And both seats will ALWAYS be occupied.

#2–A row of 5 semi-accessible seats anywhere is not good, but on a commercial airliner it is shared solitary confinement. Nothing is capable of a higher misery index than that center seat, which is flanked by a middle seat on both sides, all of which are situated in the center of a massive grid filling the cabin space.

#3–This ‘number-of-people-climbed-over’ factor is just a dumb distraction, eagerly embraced by no one but these History Channel expert wannabes unable to grasp that it means nothing.

#4–No matter what the config is, anyone NOT sitting on an aisle cannot get out of the row unless they can get others to move out of the row as well. It doesn’t matter if its one or two seats you pass by, the amount of unpleasantness involved in the task is basically the same.

#5–The only happy people on the plane are the ones sitting in an aisle seat and at a window. Window seats, despite being boxed in, are still valuable real estate. So in a 2-5-2 config there will be three unhappy people not at a window or on an aisle–same as for the 3-3-3 config. [This is why its tempting to use that B.S. about the number of people climbed over to make a differentiation. But that b.s. is IRRELEVANT.

* * * There may be 3 unhappy people on the 3-3-3, but on the 2-5-2 there are 3 PROFOUNDLY unhappy people. * * *

These aren’t just three assorted middle seats, this is a trio of middle seats made worse by being fused together and inserted deep within the confines of an inaccessible interior space. Light from the windows does not easily penetrate through the narrow slot canyon, depriving the hapless travellers of visual cues necessary for situational tracking of the flight’s progress.

I fly out to LHR from SFO on UA on Monday on a new 777, and am so excited I can’t sleep!

As far as AVOD, most major US carriers except DL (only to a lesser degree,) lag far behind foreign carriers in all cabins, particularly coach. But that is price vs. amenities. I wonder how Air Asia X will fare since I assume they will have absolutely no amenities. Didn’t mind flying them around southeast Asia, but crammed in like sardines on Jakarta – London, sounds painful. Granted backpackers won’t care.

My second thought is to be selective about which company or side of the business to target and flexible in your thoughts regarding possible relocation.

The perception at United is that the ax is still swinging nor is American done in reducing heads by some 7,000. At the same time, Southwest always seems to be hiring.

You may also consider offering your talents as a consultant, either free-lance or through a large firm. Further, check the distribution companies such as Expedia, Travelocity and even the large data providers like SABRE, Worldspan and Amadeus. Then there are the freight forwarders to consider as well.

Look at EVERY facet of the industry, including the service vendors for at least a temporary place to work to keep you in the business until this whole thing settles down. Good luck!

The question was if an 11-seat configuration was in the market place. No. The only way 11-across would work would be a 3-5-3 using current seat dimensions with two aisles. Both are accepted seat configurations regarding ease of egress for emergencies and other operational concerns. The issue/reason/answer is, no current widebody is wide enough for such a layout, but I wouldn’t say never to the future.

It appears the extra 8 inches you’re referring to is taken up in the seat itself. For a 3-4-3 to work in the 777 (as it once did on Cathay Pacific in their L-1011 fleet) I speculate that the seat is narrower by one inch, from 18 to 17 inches. There may also be a slightly narrower profile to the armrests for each set of seats to allow for that 10th chair to go in.

A B-777 cabin is 231 inches on the interior. Ten chairs at 17″ = 170″. Allow two aisles at 17″ each (industry standard for passengers, service carts, handicap aisle chairs and evac equipment) for 34″. Allow 2″ between each seat for armrests and bench framing, including armrests against the panel and on the aisle for 26″ total. That pretty much covers the floor from Seat A to Seat J, totalling 230 inches with one to spare.

Take out the 10th chair, redistribute the 17-inches to the remaining seats and armrests and you have the “roomier” 3-3-3 or 2-5-2.

Sources: Boeing and the American Institutes for Research technical paper entitled “Guidelines for Aircraft Boarding Chairs.”

And of course there’s no need to train mechanics in advance on how to service upcoming products; just teach them as problems show up.

> 3-5-3 is not in the market.

Where did I say 3-5-3? I’m asking a math question 2-5-2/3-3-3 is 162 inches @ 18 inch seats, 3-4-3 is 170 inches. What does UA today do with the extra 8 inches in is 2-5-2 config?

@SG — will the new seats offer in-seat power in economy?

3-5-3 is not in the market. 11 seats across is not possible simply because the largest widebodies, the 747, 777 and A380 aren’t wide enough so long as the standard coach seat is 17-18 inches in width. 10 across was shocking 40 years ago, standard now in the larger birds. If the seat shrinks (please, God, no!) or the planes get wider, who knows? Maybe three aisles, one day?

Doug, Dude! Love diving! I completely hear ya about not taking a small Circuit City to the tropics, man. But 20 hours to Palau? Then there’s that extra day at the end to decompress before flying. “Animal House!” Or at least, maybe “Friday?” Have you dived on Truk/Chuuk yet? That’s a goal of mine!