You and 537 fellow travelers

The Airbus A380 super jumbo is here. And fliers may find it more cramped than expected:

Qantas, which flies A380s from Sydney and Melbourne to Los Angeles, London and Singapore, has four classes of service: first, business, economy and “premium economy,” which gives travelers almost as much space as they get in domestic, first-class seats on U.S. airlines. But the airline has decided to ax first class from future A380 deliveries and add more premium economy and coach seating, a reflection of customer reluctance to spend lavishly for first-class.

In coach, passengers find the same cramped quarters of most other jets on the super-jumbo. Seating is 10 across on the lower deck; eight abreast on the narrower upper deck. Air France, with 538 total seats, opted for a slightly wider coach seat than other A380 operators, but loses some space in the aisles, which are a skinny 17-inches wide in the lower-deck coach cabin. “Seat pitch”—the amount of space allocated to each row of seats, including leg room—is only 31 to 32 inches in the A380 coach cabins, consistent with some of the tightest coach seating at airlines, and less than you get on Southwest Airlines…

…Because so much cargo space is taken up on the A380 by passenger baggage—there are two decks worth of passengers, but only one deck for cargo—the A380’s cargo capacity isn’t as large as the 777-300ER, Mr. Tyler notes. - Scott McCartney, WSJ

No US carriers have plans to fly the bulging behemoth.

Comments

[Alan Birnbaum]

Perhaps readers who have already traveled via this flying auditorium can advise what issues and limitations pertained to their use or attempted use of CARRY-ON luggage for either airline. In particular, Qantas allows carry-on bags for international flights up to 45 linear inches, but only with a weight of 7 kg (15 lbs) or less:

http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/baggage/global/en

while Air France for international seems distinctly more lenient in Economy, up to 12 kg (26.5 lbs):

http://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common/guidevoyageur/pratique/preparer_bagage_cabine_airfrance.htm

Accordingly, the greater issue seems to be Qantas.

[Alan Birnbaum]

Air France also has a courteously-worded section for travelers whose extra baggage is, hmm, directly attached to their body!

http://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common/guidevoyageur/assistance/particuliere_pfc.htm

[Paula S]

Is puke green supposed to be a soothing / calming colour?
I won't be caught dead on one of those planes.

[Laurie]

Since, everyone knows about seat guru (including the airlines) it seems almost impossible to snag those roomier seating arrangements without being an active member of some airline's loyalty club. For us leg room is a greater "luxury" than the china & silverware in first class so, premium economy/coach would definitely be an option if more airlines adopt this strategy.

I do like the specificity of the Air France links on body mass. US carriers should adopt this frankness. I'm thinking back to Kevin Smith's ordeal and of other passengers "of girth" who would be saved some embarassment prior to boarding the plane.

[p23brian]

If you fly on an A380 you will REALLY want to avoid checking any luggage. It'll be a LONG wait for all the checked bags to be unloaded. Of course even if you do carry-on it'll be a LONG wait for 538 people to get off the plane too.