as other posters have said, if you fly a 777 it's not that bad. i flew from dallas to london on a 777 in coach and it was nothing to complain about. however, a 767 might be totally different.
It wasn't THAT bad. In fact, it wasn't any different than the flight from Detroit to Amsterdam. Maybe better since I didn't have to sit next to the guy who could sharpen an axe on the wheel of his scale.
I just flew coach from Detroit to Dubai via Amsterdam on the way over and via Paris on the way back (with two kids under seven too). Unless you are really tall, overweight, or really wimpy, it just simply isn't that bad. Is Business and First better, no doubt. But coach isn't some unbearable experience. In fact, coach on KLM from Amsterdam to Dubai was better than Northwest's domestic first class service. We had legs on Northwest, KLM, and Air France. On each, leg room is skimpy and the seats don't recline very far, but food was tolerable, alchohol was free (at least wine with dinner was), and every seat had in flight entertainment. If it were me, I'd spend the money on better hotel and food at your destination.
Well that stinks. I would have thought that AA's fleet would be better than NWA/KLM. I was very pleasantly surprised with NWA/KLM's international service. NWA's domestic service leaves a lot to be desired.
I've done both, and I'm 6'3". It's not worth the money (to me). I also can't sleep on planes, so I get hit as hard as anyone. Have a couple drinks then go to sleep, it's not bad at all. The thing about American upgrades is that (at least this was true last summer when I tried) the upgrades are not just miles, they're also 250 dollars each way. It's just not worth 25 dollars/hour for me.
Just flew coach from Midland to Houston, Houston to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Tanzania, then back the same way. On Continental and KLM. I am still slightly jetlagged a week later. Blah. Terrible, terrible, terrible. One of the flights did not even have food on it, since it was from Africa and the plane had been broken and sitting on the tarmac for days. What was annoying is that the "Elite Skyteam" status should have meant upgrades here or there, but that never happened. The seats reclined a total of about an inch. Sleeping was nearly impossible. The food we did get on the other flights was terrible. The flight attendants made us feel like second class citizens. The television was far away and the sound system was awful, so watching and listening to movies was worthless. Overall, it was just the worst international flying experience I've ever had, and I've always flown coach without any big issues. Blah. Not a fan of KLM now.
Just got back from Geneva. Flew coach on Continental (DFW to Newark then Geneva). I am 6'6", but it is not that bad. I really never sleep on planes, just read the whole time. I would sleep more, but it is painful to try. Used miles on American to go to Germany and the Continental planes were much better. If you are rich, spend the money, but it is really not that bad. Bring $20 each for some drinks and tough it out.
At least when you fly over to Asia, the domestic carriers step up their service, as they have to compete with the Asian airlines. They are not up to par with the Singapore, Cathay's, etc., but they are definitely better than what you get flying over to Europe in coach.
Dallas to Buenos Aires is about 10 hours I think...and each time I go i cant ever sleep on the way down there and it's absolute hell. I always feel like a rat in a coffee can. The key for me is being able to sleep... If I can get to sleep then I could car e less if I was in 1st class or coach.
KLM flies a MD-11 from SFO to Amsterdam. Each time I drive past SFO I see that MD-11 along side the 747s for BA, Lufthansa, Virgin, Air France, United and actually feel sorry for the poor Dutch lining up to get on that rattling bucket of bolts.
Try the flight from Amsterdam to Bucharest on the plane with bondoed quarter panels. You know: the one that you have to roll down the windows on for cool air. The passengers each get a part of the checklist to run down before takeoff. O.K., it's not quite that bad.
I don't fly a lot but I have flown back and forth to Europe from Austin twice in the last three years, coach on American Airlines. It wasn't bad at all, but then again I enjoy flying all together and have only flown coach so I don't have anything to compare it with. They had lots of drink services, a decent dinner and a couple movies. There was even a light breakfast. Pretty fun actually, but like I said I love flying and traveling.
What a bunch of self indulgent wimps on this thread. It is just a plane ride. Nut up, drink your free booze, and have fun when you land. It isn't worth the difference in price unless someone else is paying for it.
What makes coach on a 777 nice? The seats look to be the same size as on a regular AA plane, at least according to seatguru. Booked on both now. Coach to Japan solo on a 777 in June - but at least on the side so there are only 2 seats. Business to Rome on a 767 in November with the gf. She didn't care about saving the miles, and a happy gf makes a happy me.
