DLPMMM From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 3529 posts, RR: 9 Posted (7 years 6 months 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 1654 times:
According to Jeff Robertson, Managing Director of the DL Skymiles program in an online chat last night on Flyertalk:
(Paraphrase)
Summer, 2006 will see an upgrade in the Biz E product starting with the conversion of the 764 equipment to international. He was a bit cagey about what the upgrade would entail, but he hinted that it would not include lie flat seats.
There is a transcript of the interview that is supposed to be available at Flyertalk, but they seem to be having a bit of a bandwidth shortage today.
DeltaGator From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 6341 posts, RR: 16 Reply 2, posted (7 years 6 months 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 1627 times:
Quoting DLPMMM (Thread starter): but he hinted that it would not include lie flat seats.
Good, I hate those darn things. I like a big comfy cradle seat to catch my butt from sliding off it. Hopefully they will take a lesson from Continental and make it 5 seats across in the 767s.
Quoting Av8rDAL (Reply 1): With the way things are looking right now, there may not be a next summer for Delta.
I won't step out on that limb yet.
"If you can't delight in the misery of others then you don't deserve to be a college football fan."
DeltAirlines From United States of America, joined May 1999, 8770 posts, RR: 13 Reply 3, posted (7 years 6 months 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 1603 times:
Jeff said last night that AF's feedback wasn't glowing on their lie-flat seats, and that they passed this knowledge over to Delta.
The chat last night went very well I thought. Award availabilty for NW and CO flights on delta.com should be coming next year, which will be a welcome addition, as that will open up better avenues for award travel (when I booked a DL/NW combo award last year, I had to go to nwa.com to check availability and then call SMS who transferred me to the partner desk to ticket my itinerary...now, I'll save $10, get 1,000 bonus miles and not have to look all over the place for award availability).
He also said he would look into elites pre-booking the exit rows on the 767-300 ERs...he seemed concerned that all exit rows were being held for airport check-in only...hopefully, he gets this changed, as it is a bit unfair that elites and non-elites have an equal shot at the best seats in coach on a long-haul flight.
1337Delta764 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 5751 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (7 years 6 months 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 1528 times:
I doubt the international 767-400ERs will have 2-1-2 seating in BusinessElite. Since Delta's 767-300ERs have 2-2-2 seating in BusinessElite, the international 767-400ERs will likely have that arrangement as well. If you look at the Boeing website, the 767 cross sections page shows 2-2-2 for business class.
The Pink Delta 767-400ER - The most beautiful aircraft in the sky
ORD From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 1370 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (7 years 6 months 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 1501 times:
Quoting 1337Delta764 (Reply 4): Since Delta's 767-300ERs have 2-2-2 seating in BusinessElite, the international 767-400ERs will likely have that arrangement as well.
The current BizElite is 2-2-2. But BizElite will be upgraded soon. With the refresh coming, DeltaGator is hoping that the changes will include the 2-1-2 arrangement.
CVG777 From United States of America, joined May 2000, 1251 posts, RR: 6 Reply 7, posted (7 years 6 months 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 1401 times:
Quoting 1337Delta764 (Reply 4): I doubt the international 767-400ERs will have 2-1-2 seating in BusinessElite. Since Delta's 767-300ERs have 2-2-2 seating in BusinessElite, the international 767-400ERs will likely have that arrangement as well. If you look at the Boeing website, the 767 cross sections page shows 2-2-2 for business class.
However, Boeing's website also shows about a 40in pitch in business class. Today, that is quite unacceptable for a competitive long-haul product on the major international airlines. Those are simply examples of what can be done. In fact, the cross section for business class in the 767 from Boeing's website is similar to the cross section and pitch on Delta's domestic 767s in first class. Delta needs to introduce a product that, while probably not on par with the likes of BA or VS's products, is at least on par with the US airlines' Business offerings, specifically Continental. Also, Delta will be introducing the new product throughout its entire international fleet, so it won't just be the 764s getting them.
While I wouldn't be surprised if Delta kept its new product in the 2-2-2 configuration, I think it would be a better competitor if they went for a 2-1-2 layout, or maybe even do something similar to Air Canada's current 767 long-haul business product and configure it 1-2-2 (only one seat without direct aisle access instead of two).
CVG777 From United States of America, joined May 2000, 1251 posts, RR: 6 Reply 8, posted (7 years 6 months 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 1382 times:
Quoting OOer (Reply 6): How about 2-3-2 on 777???? Its 2-2-2 on the 767 series...why not 2-3-2 on the 777...isnt the 777 much wider than the 767?
It would be quite difficult to try to attract a business traveler to enjoy a "new product" where they might get stuck in a middle seat for a long-haul flight. Granted, United, American, and many other long-haul carriers do still have middle seats in business class. However, a Delta "upgrade" of their business class to include a middle seat would probably not go over well with their frequent business travelers, who have become accustomed to Delta's BizElite product and no middle seats. To them, such a change would probably be seen as a downgrade in the product.
If I remember correctly, BizElite was a very superior product, compared to other airlines, when it was introduced several years ago, and I think Delta touted the fact that Business travelers would not get caught in middle seats.
TokyoNarita From Palau, joined Aug 2003, 570 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (7 years 6 months 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 1318 times:
Quote: How about 2-3-2 on 777???? Its 2-2-2 on the 767 series...why not 2-3-2 on the 777...isnt the 777 much wider than the 767?
The ones on B763ERs are mini BizE seats compared to the B777 ones...they look exactly the same but ones installed on B763ERs are smaller. It feels like they shrunk it by 10-15%. I think they are not going to be able to reconfigure the giant B777 seats 2-3-2 comfortably in its cabin.
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 3529 posts, 
From Palau, joined Aug 2003, 570 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
