Ive not used this upgrade in the past but am looking at using it this July on the Atlanta to Jo'berg non-stop flight.

Any experiences with this? Any preferences as to bulkhead seating or normal row?

Thanks!

Rob Haught

I used Delta' Economy Comfort to Argentina this past July and found it certainly some better than coach. It is worth the few extra dollars. The seats are a bit wider but the length difference is quite nice. I had the aisle and window to myself. These seats are well located in the front of the aircraft.

Well worth it on my trip last spring.

It is an absolute pleasure, unless one has mucho skymiles and upgrades to business.
More seat room, leg room and more tilt to the seatback.

Mike

Haught,
My wife and I are going over for the first time in May. Spend the night in Johannesburg, then on to Windhoek the next morning.
We are taking the Delta flight and were told to get seats 31A&B on the bulkhead. Made our reservations in August 2012 and got these seats in Coach Comfort.
My Son-in-Law took this flight in April 2012 and said Coach Comfort is the way to fly.

Mauserk98

I've quit using anything but comfort economy on the last 6 or 7 trips overseas. I particularly like the bulkhead seats because you can exit from one of the interior seats and get to the aisle (as can "interior" folks if you are the aisle guy) and not make the other folks get up... and trust me, being an old guy on a 16 hour trip... it's worth it. Leg room is so nice at the bulkhead that you would have to really reach out with your leg to even touch the partition in front of you. Plenty of room to get around your neighbors' feet without disturbing them.

I've flown Delta's 777's often and in September flew Comfort Economy on Air France (Boeing 777, ATL to Paris). AF has "encapsulated" seats that are a bit funky as how they recline, but they, too, were well worth the money, particularly if you get a row of two on the exterior instead of the four seats in the middle.

I forgot something else extra with Delta's 777's. Last June I had 31A and had a fine trip to JNB from ATl. Most of the Comfort seats have an electrical outlet which is great if you use a C-Pap as I do. I think I slept uninterupted for 7 hours which is about what I do in my own bed. Not bad.

So... try for a bulkhead in Comfort, but if not available, Comfort is still the way to go. You also get early boarding, I believe. That's important to secure some overhead bin space... particularly when, this day and age, folks try to stuff in huge bags, deposed dictators and small children.

Well worth the money, wouldn't fly without it

quote:

Originally posted by retreever:
It is an absolute pleasure, unless one has mucho skymiles and upgrades to business.
More seat room, leg room and more tilt to the seatback.

Mike

I have mucho skymiles, but to use them to upgrade you need to buy a very expensive coach ticket. Since I would rather fly first class all year in the US, I just fly coach and rack up the miles. I guess when I stop flying I can cash in the miles.

If you are Diamond or Platinum, you get Econ Comfort for free.

As everyone has said, it’s not business class, but it’s better than coach. The best seats are the bulkhead seats in the EC configuration. Lots of leg room plus free drinks.

last years safari i flew coach on delta for the 1st time in prolly 20 years on an overseas flight due to no last minute availability for 1st or business. coach seats used to be as comfortable as business is today. nowadays , nothing more than a small commuter. yuck !

the coach flight sucked almost as bad as that so-called safari i booked. ( well maybe thats a bit of a stretch ) nothing like getting scammed on the flight as well as the hunt.

coach comfort sure looks like a deal for the price. especially for tall travelers.

free drinks are available on all international flights so thats not a concern if your so inclined.

I am the minority. I do not like the bulkhead as much as the two or three rows behind that. The bulkhead armrests contain the tray tables, thus reducing the size of the bulkhead seats. Also, it is a pain to get anything, your dinner, your iPad, or whatever, to balance on that retractable tray table.

My $.02.

Things I have learned flying. Frequent fliers will try to take your assigned seat when their side of he plane is prohibitive because of a very large person. Had a guy take my seat for that reason and had to tell him in so uncertain terms get the he-- out of my seat kept ignoring me. Dropped my coat on his head got his attention and out.
Flew once with two super sized people window and center and me isle, each of the two took more then seat and I could not get my arm rest down. sat down Big mistake was pushed out into the isle and was abused by everyone going down the isle and the damn food wagon knocked the crap out of me coming and going. I complained to the flight attendant and captain after the flight and a formal complaint to the airline. Flight attendant told me always put down arm rest first then sit. Secondly do not sit down for take off. They will have to come back and take care of the problem. This is always formost in my mind whenever flying.

Mike

I'm with Will, and everybody stands around either waiting on bathroom or stretching. Remember Bose noise canceling head phones just as important as seat selection

Flew once with two super sized people window and center and me isle, each of the two took more then seat and I could not get my arm rest down. sat down Big mistake was pushed out into the isle and was abused by everyone going down the isle and the damn food wagon knocked the crap out of me coming and going. I complained to the flight attendant and captain after the flight and a formal complaint to the airline. Flight attendant told me always put down arm rest first then sit. Secondly do not sit down for take off. They will have to come back and take care of the problem. This is always formost in my mind whenever flying.

Mike[/QUOTE


Mike,
What do you mean "secondly do not sit down for take off"?

While I like the economy comfort idea they do seem to attract the larger fliers like the exit row seats used to. Don't be surprised if you find yourself crowded. I still get them if I can't get business but sometimes wonder if it is worth it although they are free for me.

Don

quote:

Originally posted by retreever:
Things I have learned flying. Frequent fliers will try to take your assigned seat when their side of he plane is prohibitive because of a very large person. Had a guy take my seat for that reason and had to tell him in so uncertain terms get the he-- out of my seat kept ignoring me. Dropped my coat on his head got his attention and out.
Flew once with two super sized people window and center and me isle, each of the two took more then seat and I could not get my arm rest down. sat down Big mistake was pushed out into the isle and was abused by everyone going down the isle and the damn food wagon knocked the crap out of me coming and going. I complained to the flight attendant and captain after the flight and a formal complaint to the airline. Flight attendant told me always put down arm rest first then sit. Secondly do not sit down for take off. They will have to come back and take care of the problem. This is always formost in my mind whenever flying.

Mike

When I don't upgraded in the US, I always get an exit row seat because folks who need a seat belt extender are not allowed to sit there.

Guys taking up my seat are my biggest complaint. Last week Ms AZW and I were flying back from St. Thomas the week before last and didn't get upgraded on the last leg, ATL to PHX. I took the middle seat and some huge guy (but not big enough to need a seat belt extender apparently) insisted on poking his elbow into my space. I told the guy to keep his body inside the boundaries of seat. He ignored me, so I pushed him away and out of mine. He stayed that way for the rest of the flight, although he was snorting snot down his throat the whole time (disgusting).

I have said this before: if your seat is being taken up, ask the flight attendant if there are any non-rev passengers with whom you can trade.

I've done the economy comfort a few times on the long haul now and I love it. You'll enjoy the extra space and I have found that not as many people are willing to fork over the little extra dough. I've been on several flights now that have these seats almost empty while the rest of the cabin is full. On the way to Tokyo from L.A. my buddy and I each had a pair of seats to ourselves and it wasn't the first time I've had it like that either.

Will,

I agree with you. The bulkhead does NOT work for me at all. Spot on comments about the tray table, lack of storage in the back of the seat in front of you for Ipad / book, etc. Not to mention less leg room as compared to being able to stretch you legs under the seat in front of you or store a small bag. Everything has to go in the overhead.

Steve Turner just booked my July to Bulawayo, row 33 in EC, 3rd row, now if I could fly the old Concorde and cut the time in half that would be perfect

Bulkhead works for me, but then I'm 6'3" tall, and weigh 235 lbs. Being able to stretch my legs out was worth putting up with the other minor inconveniences.


Mad Dog

I simply got an American express platinum card. I pay all my major bills on that card and use my amex app to instantly pay my bill as I charge my regular expenses to it.

The results are that I get an automatic 20,000 MQM's each year meaning all I need is an additional 5,000 mqm's and you get medallion status.

Now add those racked up frequent flyer miles you get with using your card and you can fly business class.

This year Im going over in May for a leopard. My economy tickets were going to cost $2,750. My upgradable "M" class fare was $4,400. a difference of $1,650. If you have ever flown business class on the Atlanta to joberg flight in the lay flat seats you will agree that the $1,600 is worth it for and upgrade to business for your entire flight. For me I fly from Albuquerque to Atlanta and then to Johannesburg and back. That's all done business/first class and it only costs me $1,650 total. Well worth it in my book.

On another note, I am one of those big guys. Im 6'4" tall at 260 to 305 lbs depending on what phase of my weight training program I am in. I don't use a belt extender but my shoulders do take up both seats on either side of me. Lets just say that economy is a nightmare. I have to eat my knees and tuck my shoulders for 18 hours straight. Then combine that with the guy in front tilting his seat back and the guy behind having a beer belly and tray table out that gripes about your seat being back and the trip is a night mare.

Lets just say I will never fly economy again. I don't have experience in economy comfort but it may be an option I need to look at.

Economy comfort is the way to go,I will be doing the trip to Africa 3to 4 times a year and did it 4 times last year and for the price it makes a big difference on your comfort.

Thanks everyone.