Size Does Matter

[happytraveller]

I have been vocal previously about falling standards on airlines. Recently I had two very different experiences, which made me realize something........

I experienced my first (and hopefully last) flight on an Air France A380 from Paris to Johanesburg. Extremely slow and disorganized boarding, a nightmare to get to the seat onboard, seats far too close, too many bags to be stored onboard, then extremely slow (1 hour 50 minutes) to get the 'meal' (and calling it a 'meal' is being generous, for although the French may be famous for good food, Air France are not), then long queues for the toilets (not enough toilets for the demand) then an age to get off the aircraft on arrival, followed by a very lengthy wait at immigration due to another A380 (LH) being ahead of us. And just how long do you have to wait for your bag when there are two A380s arriving at the same time? (looonnng time). I just came to the conclusion that the A380 carries too many people and that flying when there are that many people getting on/off or onboard is just not fun. Not fun at all. Mental note made to avoid the A380 in future, and to avoid Air France as well. Whilst Airbus may promote this aircraft as progress, my experience stuck in economy row 35 (thankfully I was not in row 99z) is that it is a backward step.

BUT THEN.........a flight with Rwandair. I was expecting the worst, and almost took out travel insurance to cover the problems that I was sure were coming. I expected an old ex-Soviet aircraft, with probably only three of the four engines working , luggage sure to be lost BIG SURPRISE. New aircraft (CRJ 900) that had only arrived from Canada the month before, flown by US pilots. Good onboard service, pleasant staff, hot food, refills of drinks, and because it was a small aircraft (felt like a private jet after the A380 experience), fast service, fast boarding and almost no waiting for bags. Flying more like it used to be, unlike the mass crowd experience on the A380.

So two very different experiences. I will try to avoid the A380 in future, sometimes size does matter. Didn't somebody once say.."small is beautiful"??

smooth landings.

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (happytraveller @ Dec 9 2012,10:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

BUT THEN.........a flight with Rwandair. I was expecting the worst, and almost took out travel insurance to cover the problems that I was sure were coming. I expected an old ex-Soviet aircraft, with probably only three of the four engines working , luggage sure to be lost BIG SURPRISE. New aircraft (CRJ 900) that had only arrived from Canada the month before, flown by US pilots. Good onboard service, pleasant staff, hot food, refills of drinks, and because it was a small aircraft (felt like a private jet after the A380 experience), fast service, fast boarding and almost no waiting for bags. Flying more like it used to be, unlike the mass crowd experience on the A380.

Didn't somebody once say.."small is beautiful"??

Is it not a surprise to find many airlines using the best world over in the pilot field ... now how many registered NZ CPL are there in todays world .. last time the head count was around 5,500 peoples ..

[benwynn]

I think it definitely depends on the airline. Having never flown Air France myself, I know they get pretty crappy reviews across all flights and types. Throw in a high density 517 seat A380 config and you are just asking for trouble. I've flown on the SQ and the EK A380 and had a great flight. We boarded through 3 air bridges and gate staff (for once) were strict on boarding calls. Each ticket had stamped a 'section' and that section was announced to board only.

Re the baggage, you were landing at Joberg. Admittedly, they should be well equipped for high density travel such as the A380 considering they had two arriving at the same time, but I know enough about South African airports to be sure it wont be.

I personally try to steer clear of European airlines at all costs. Very few of them get good reviews and they just seem to travel 'differently' to the Asian and MENA carriers.

[SA227]

I have flown on the Emirates A380 to/from Paris CDG and found the aircraft to be fantastic. Even got to spend a bit of time on the flightdeck which I have to say was a bit of an eye opener. While the systems were impressive, the cheap plastic look was not!

CDG airport was the pits. Obviously designed to handle B707's and 400 odd people getting off an A380 just didn't fit into the baggage claim area. Same with the check in area but once you got through security if was fine.

[Ian Warren]

QUOTE (SA227 @ Dec 9 2012,12:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the cheap plastic look was not!

I was scared to touch anything .. go's all the way down the line to the ARBUST 320s operated in the NZ .. I'm all for Star War s areoplanes as long as they can beat the records and not the numbers !

[happytraveller]

But what is most interesting is how different he flight experience was on the smaller (CRJ 900) aircraft. Far better experience, and the onboard service knocked spots off Air France, and even off AirNZ. Even more surprising when you think that it was an African airline as well.

The A380 was completely full, with a waiting list at the gate for passengers. Air France just could not handle the 517 passengers, either for boarding or whilst they were trying to find seats or places for their bags. Seems like their was no control over the number of bags or size of bags that passengers were dragging onboard either.

So Air France/KLM are now on my no-fly list. And I have a choice, then it will not be any A380s either.

smooth landings.

[Ian Warren]

Id just look at the ARBUST .. the 380 .. simply say .. will ya look at that UGLY nose ! .. would someone poke at it ! maybe a stick anything

Maybe stick it in a bucket of cold water!

[TonyM]

Gentlemen,

My 2 cents worth on airlines....... I,m biased....and loving it.

After the demise of Ansett, I was forced kicking and screaming into flying Qantas.

Tried Virgin..horrible .....by the time I paid for baggage, food drinks, a movie etc it cost more than flying full service.

Try this for a confidence booster on PA announcements

ANSETT..."cabin crew please be seated for take off"

Virgin....." saddle up partners" I mean..WTH ??

My last flight AKL/PER on AirNZ was..well... "ordinary", queued for nearly 30min at checkin,
youngest F?A about 45 and all quite grumpy.. seats OK and food average. Disappointing as I'm an expat kiwi living in WA.

Now back to Qantas..I was lucky enough to get a senior life membership to the Qantas Club. (Same as AIRNZ Koru Club)

That made a huge difference to our travels, with priority check in, preferred seats, lounge etc.
No more paying extra for the extras, so to speak. A great frequent Flyer program, which ensures that at
least once a year we get to fly business class. No the service IMHO will never reach the standard that ANSETT provided, I find the
seating getting smaller( or am I getting bigger?)

But I love the automated checkin now, just swipe my card, bag has a permanent Qtag, into the bagdrop , up to the lounge
for a drink/snackand away you go.

I timed our last departure from Perth(YPPH) to Melbourne(YMML), admittedly domestic....
Kerbside drop to ordering our first drink in the lounge....6mins !!


But ...hey there are amillion airline stories... this has been one of them

Cheers "partners"

TonyM

[happytraveller]

Whilst on the subject of cramped economy, did you read this piece in 'The Age' about how economy seats are getting more uncomfortable

http://www.theage.com.au/travel/blogs/trav...1203-2aq0p.html

Interesting reading there.

Air France certainly packed them in on the A380 that I flew on, not just the number of passengers (517) but also the number of carry-on (and also drag-on) bags. I guess that most of the stewards/stewardesses were concentrated on the First/Business up above, leaving too few to work the masses down below. Lesson learnt now though.

Give me a Twin Otter any day.

smooth landings.

[Charl]

Long haul flying is really horrible, it was glamorised the same way smoking was, by fresh-faced models who didn't partake much in the product.
Imagine trying to simulate the experience at home, all the things you have to add: dry air recycling 517 brands of infection, queues for the loo, plastic food, oh it's a long list...

Thank heavens for the interwebby thing, it's changed the need somewhat.

Having said that:
The front end of an ANZ B777 in that herringbone layout, is as close to flying perfection as you could hope for.

As to the big 'Bus, depends whose it is.
I tried Emirates trans-Tasman as a taster, Cattle going, Biz back.
It's an amazingly smooth aircraft, onboard service good, embark'disembark good also.
I fit the 99 percentile passenger size and a 32" seat pitch works fine for me.
I reckon sitting over the wing in the cheap seats makes the BC premium look silly.

So depends where you are...
HT, British Airways surely still takes the prize for Rock Bottom?