Ocean of choice F
New narrow-body aircraft designed for transatlantic crossings will open up options for travellers – but will a compromise be made on comfort? Alex McWhirter reports
orty-five years ago, when Pan Am’s Boeing 747 appeared on the London-New York
route, passengers believed air travel could only get better. Back in 1970, airlines
and aircraft manufacturers proclaimed it was the era of the wide-body jet. Larger aircraft such as the B747, DC-10 and Lockheed Tri-Star would replace narrow-bodies like the B707, DC-8 and VC-10. Passengers taking long-distance flights could look forward to a roomier, more comfortable and smoother flying experience. However, as we have seen so
many times before, nothing is set in stone when it comes to aviation. Although wide-body jets enabled the airlines to provide passengers with a superior experience, they were a mixed blessing in a competitive market. In the distant past, larger aircraft enabled the airlines to get away with offering passengers fewer flights. It was good news for the carriers (because they could control capacity), the airports (because they had room for expansion) and the environment.
Left: B737 Max Visit
businesstraveller.com
However, it wasn’t good news for passengers. Not only was there less choice, but fewer flights also meant higher load factors, which in turn pushed up prices. That unhealthy situation
existed for a couple of decades after the B747’s arrival because regulations at the time restricted choice. But in today’s liberalised and ever-more competitive market, passengers demand a range of options. This is where the narrow-body
aircraft have come into their own. Cheaper to operate, they also have fewer seats so are easier to fill. It means they are a flexible option for newcomer carriers. The B747 and its ilk reigned
supreme across the Atlantic for a good number of years. Until US carrier Continental decided to start serving a number of secondary destinations from New York using two-class, narrow-bodied B757s – aircraft more at home on 800km flights within Europe than on 5,600km transatlantic marathons. These B757s used by
Continental (now part of United) were fitted with extra fuel tanks, allowing them to fly greater distances, and their smaller cabins made them easier to fill on
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