The ten best planes to fly
A pilot rates both airlines and his favorite flights in the sky
Author: Jamie Kimmel
What is the worst flight ever? What is the best airliner in the world? What are the best commercial aircraft in use? What is the best airline to fly or the best airline in the world?
To this end, we turned to an expert in all areas of aviation, and here are some of his answers.
We asked a frequent flier, airline pilot and authorConfidential cockpit,Patrick Smith for additional information on the best and worst planes and airlines flying today.
Traveling with a small dog:
Professional advice
We found that Asian airlines tend to have the best reputations, while American airlines have the worst reputations. Here are Smith's picks and opinions on airplanes.
"When you read passenger surveys, the same names keep coming up:Emirates, Katar, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlineset al. However, the experience may vary from flight to flight, depending on the attitude and attention of the crew.
In Sktraxx's 2019 ranking, Qatar is number 1, followed by Singapore, ANA All Nippon Airways and Cathay Pacific.
I recently flew business class with Qatar Airways and it was surprisingly disappointing."
“I'm starting to think that despite all the bad press and the bad reputation American airlines deserve, they're getting a lot better.
Delta Flight is a star
Delta Air Lines has e.gthe best in-flight entertainment systemthroughout the industry. At the same time, airlines like itshallow, Emirates etc. may be overstated.
It's this reputational issue that precedes you: We expect US airlines to do poorly and airlines like Cathay and Qatar to do best. Some airlines have built their identity around being the best. But are they? I'm not so sure.
Here's Smith's take. The thing is, I flew Qatar Airways. Twice actually. Two trips and four separate legs on the 777, A380 and A350.
All in the highly touted business class - also recognized by Skytrax in a separate award as "World's Best". So this was the best cabin in the world from the best airline in the world. Apparently.
And at this point, Skytrax and I part ways. I think maybeshallower en af de bærere, som identitet blev bygget op omkringprobablybe the best instead of being the best. Although they offer a good product, they are overpriced in my experience. Maybe it's a matter of reputation that precedes you - something we often see in the airline industry.
I find his argument about the power of suggestion quite insightful. Looking a little closer, I checked what everyone (including Smith) was saying about the above airlines.
Cathay Pacific
It's a big airlineHong Kongand many agree that the food is fantastic. Not only the food but also the seats are very comfortable. The airline flies wide-body Boeing 777, 747 and Airbus A330 and 340.
The planes are very quiet and the staff are very attentive to the passengers. In addition, the entertainment is quite diverse as most flights are international, so different cultural preferences have to be taken into account.
Qatari Airlines
Qatar had mixed reviews. On the one hand, customers generally like the staff. On the other hand, most complain that not enough food and drink is served to keep passengers satisfied on long international flights. Some travelers like seats, others not so much.
Smith found it frustrating to use the in-flight entertainment controls, and business class meals were not served regularly. You must invite the staff to bring food and snacks.
Patrick himself said that he was quite disappointed when he flew business class to Qatar, despite hearing many good things about the airline. Qatar flies a wide range of wide-body Airbus and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. They have 13 Airbus A380 aircraft on order for the future.
Singapore Airlines: Best airline to fly with?
In the case of Singapore Airlines, it appears that the type of airline passengers flying is the cause of most passenger complaints. In older models, there is not enough room for the legs and there is a lack of entertainment during the flight. Regardless of the aircraft model, Singapore is a bit too expensive. However, they were the first airline to use the double-decker Airbus A380.
They offer four different classes: full-size suites, first class, business and economy. They have even published a cookbook with their culinary delights and other information presented on the planes. Singapore boasts a combination of all the best wide-body jets.
"The most awarded airline in history, Singapore Airlines was the Skytrax winner of the 'World's Best Airline' category in 2018. It was founded in the early 1970s when Malaysia-Singapore Airlines split into two airlines: today's Singapore Airlines (SQ ) and the airline. old - transferred Malaysia Airlines (MH)" - Patrick wrote on his blog.
Emirati
Based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, this airline is known for its in-flight entertainment. They were one of the first airlines to entertain passengers. They have the most channels (between 600 and 1000) of any other airline.
Their newest planes have power outlets for charging electronic devices, an iPod docking station and built-in Wi-Fi, ranging from $2.75 for an iPhone to $7.50 for a laptop.
Emirates has 211 aircraft and the largest fleet in the world, including more A380s and more Boeing 777s than any other airline.
Loyal customers expect only the best from this company and are rarely disappointed. Courtesy of Emirates, First and Business Class passengers (and Skyward Gold members) have access to 32 lounges in 28 cities. On board the A380, the first-class suites even have two showers and a spa. First and business class also have access to a luxurious lounge.
"All seats have minibars, conveniently located USB and power ports and shoe storage. Electric window blinds. The Emirates ICE (Information, Communication, Entertainment) system can be accessed via the touch screen or remote control.
You can choose from over a thousand films, TV shows and music (including a large number of films from India, China and other countries; this is the Emirates after all).
"Unless you are a frequent Emirates flyer, you may have trouble understanding the various ICE seats and controls. During boarding, one of the flight attendants rightly sensed that I had no idea what I was doing and kindly informed me ,” Smith said.
Jet blue
I personally love Jet Blue. I've been flying with them since I was 18 and haven't looked back. They don't have first class because the idea is to make everyone feel comfortable on their trip.
They won't disappoint you either. Surprisingly, they are quite affordable for what they offer. One aspect of Jet Blue that appeals to many fliers is that they employ dozens of ex-servicemen as flight attendants.
Something to know if passengers try to enter the cabin. Jet Blue has only one type of large aircraft – the Airbus A320, which it has just introducedJet Blue Mint,using the new Airbus A321 with folding beds.
On shorter routes, they also fly the Embraer 190, a Brazilian jet for 100 passengers. As of 2018, Embraer is now 80% owned by Boeing, an American aircraft manufacturer.
DirecTV and free snacks like chips and nuts are available to all passengers (with TV screens at every seat). The middle of the plane gives a little more legroom, but I didn't consciously notice it. The seats are also extremely comfortable.
Initially, Jet Blue only flew to a few major cities in the US, but has since expanded to include international flights to the Caribbean, Mexico and South America.
However, it's been a while since I've been on a flight, and it seems that loyal customers have noticed a decline in Jet Blue travel over the past year. Perhaps due to inflation, frequent flyers expressed dissatisfaction with the lower quality of snacks and the occasional failure of some in-flight amenities (reclining seats and TVs).
American airlines
Delta
Smith shared his thoughts on Delta Airlines' current fleet, which includes some of the oldest planes in the sky, the MD 80s, which they inherited from the merger with Northwest several years ago.
No TV, cramped seats and, according to many, the most uncomfortable flight in the sky.
"Many things depend on which class you fly in - firstly, business, economy or one of the new 'economy plus' sections - and where exactly you sit in those sections.
Some premium cabin seats are better than others; some economy seats are (much) better than others, even on the same plane. Therefore, it really cannot be said that one type of aircraft is better for transport than another model. It depends on."
"In terms of smoothness and susceptibility to turbulence, it mostly depends on where you sit. The roughest is usually the back because you're furthest away from the plane's center of gravity and buoyancy.
Men han havde meget at sige om Airbus A380. Ironisk nok udtalte Delta for nylig, at det aldrig ville overveje A380 på grund af dets mening om, at dobbeltmotorede Jumboer som 777 er mere pålidelige end firemotors A380-monsteret. Intet amerikansk flyselskab flyver med dette store fly, og det er usandsynligt, at det ændrer sig på et tidspunkt.
Airbus A380
This "bus" has an appropriate name. This is the largest airliner that is even double-decker! In 2018, it was announced that Airbus would end production of the A-380 in 2021 after losing many more orders from its largest customer, Emirates.
CNN reported that "following the delivery of the new aircraft in London, Tim Clark, chairman of Emirates, said in a statement that the A380 "will remain Emirates' flagship product for years to come," calling the aircraft "a vital pillar of our network plans."
In 2019, Airbus announced that it will stop production of the world's largest passenger plane after 2021. It's just too big, and the airlines have found that a double-decker plane requires special jets, and the plane is just too big to fill it. Most airlines choose the A350 instead.
"A catastrophically ugly plane on the outside, but comfortable on the inside. It's spacious and very quiet," says Patrick. According to his blog, he may have ordered a cocktail from an airplane bar while flying business class.
“The upper deck is divided into 14 fully enclosed first class suites and 76 business class cabins in a 1-2-1 configuration with four broadsides. My cabin was by the window, on the left, about halfway up the cabin.
"The armchair is a folding, fully flat mattress with a console and a minibar on one side. It's not a fully enclosed suite like you would find in First Class, but the chair is tucked deep into the cabin.
Cozy and comfortable
It feels comfortable and secure, and the side console acts as a privacy barrier, giving you plenty of space between you and the aisle (or, if you're in the middle section, your closest companion). The window seats have thigh-high side storage compartments, similar to those on the upper deck of the 747.
“The video screen is huge and crystal clear, and the operator's noise-canceling headset is the most comfortable I've ever worn. On the news channel, passengers can choose between three different views from external cameras, including one from high up on the A380's tail. Wi-Fi and phone calls on board the flight are available for a fee (Wi-Fi is cheap, mobile calls are expensive)."
Smith's friend describes A380 business travel as flying in Vegas.
Max Hartshorne, editor of GoNOMAD, has flown Qantas' A380 and agrees with Smith. "It's a different experience than any other plane, it feels more spacious and you can walk on it during a long flight," he said.
Airbus A350
It is Airbus' successor to the gigantic A380 and is not inferior in size, offering 366 passengers in three different classes and much better fuel economy.
The A350 is like a bowl of Goldilocks oatmeal - just the right size and price.
Airbus A320
This aircraft is also part of the Airbus family, is smaller than the A380 and offers similar benefits. However, it is designed to carry around 220 passengers, so "smaller" is a relative term.
Some booths offer LED lighting options and customers can get information via a touch screen.
It's also another silent ride. The A320 is currently undergoing some upgrades to improve travel comfort.
Boeing 787
Patrick Smith: "Boeing's new Boeing 787 is also very quiet, and the cabin air is not as dry as in most commercial aircraft. JAL's economy Recaro seats have plenty of legroom, 11-inch video screens (in Ethiopia they're 15 inches!), cup holders, hangers, AC outlets and a USB port.
"If anything gives it away, it's the windows. The windows in the Boeing 787 cabin are a good 40 percent larger than normal. There were two hot meals and a snack. Between working hours, a buffet with snacks and bottled water is set up in the middle and rear kitchen.
On a Boeing 787 flight to Japan, Hartshorne noticed that all the lavatories had toiletsbideas in all of Japan. Refreshing!
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