Delta row 29 or different

[meigsbucks]

I just returned from Namibia. I was in row 29 both ways and on the aisle. On the plus side: lots of leg room. When you recline you can really stretch out. Down sides: your tray table folds out of the armrest and is maybe 5" wide. The video monitor also folds up from under the armrest. Both are a real PITA, especially the tray table. I have a protruding abdominal area (280#) and it is tight against me and the food service trays need to be held on the table while eating.
In 2013 I went to Zimbabwe and was in row 30. The monitor is in the headrest of the person in front of you and the tray table is standard airline. Legroom was still good.
Due to your height, 29 might be the choice but it has its down side.

 

[ve7poi]

Good seats for extra leg room

 

[Hogpatrol]

Hogpatrol doesn’t that take a lot longer to get there?

Yes BUT, total time of the flight to Joburg can be misleading. If you are flying another leg out of Joburg, staying overnight there will add time and cost. Sure, you get to Joburg quicker but now you're spending more money to stay overnight. Qatar or Emirates can get in to Joburg early enough to make a same day flight. I'd rather save the four hundred or so bucks and still take the same total time. From this chair, if the Q and E alternates weren't there, I'd take the SAA out of Dulles and save money. They're cheaper and get to Joburg in time to make a same day flight.

For anyone wondering why I won't take Delta, here's my story. Got a hunt and fishing trip planned for April/May of 2018. I buy my tickets over six months in advance to get Row 29 aisle seat, round trip. OK, good to go. Up until two weeks before departure, there was an empty seat next to me. My buddy, two weeks before departure, decides he's going to go with me. After much skutching by Gracy Travel, he gets his permits and the empty seat. I get to the gate and I'm six rows back. WTF? Sorry, blah blah blah. My buddy stays in his Row 29 seat both ways. Fk Delta and the old, threadbare, POS planes they fly.

 

[ve7poi]

I fly with KLM now nice plane good legroom without having to pay extra, so far no delayed rifle or bags coming home like delta or switched flights either, get in around same time to joberg used Afton for rifle permits meet and greet and room for night. Ph like it that he wasn’t driving all night to get us into camp and we enjoyed the trip into camp in daylight. Return trip is late out of Joberg so room not needed..

 

[fourfive8]

I've flown on at least 20 long haul flights of 14 to 17 hrs since 2011. On shorter flights of 6 hrs or less, I can live with most any seat or service so usually just request any old aisle seat. The long haul flights ARE a different matter and ARE where details count- like relative comfort and decent service. My long hauls have been mostly on Delta but with some on United Air, Philippine Air, Nippon Air and SAA. Best, most friendly flight crews have been on Philippine Air- but that's likely not a consideration for a trip to Africa. I've never had any real problems with Delta unless the flight crew is old, tired, grumpy or with a "shoulda retired 10 years ago" attitude. My last trip to Africa, about a month ago on Delta, had a good crew ATL to JNB but on the return had one of the "shoulda retired 10 years ago" crews (Atlanta based I believe)... ugggh. Just bundled up, tried to sleep and watched movies. Had a United crew like that on a flight from Manila to Hawaii about 2 years ago... again ugggh.

Overall have had pretty good luck with Delta. Have always booked flights as early as possible and never a problem with seats- have taken advantage of a few, free last minute upgrades at the gate. Delta even straightened out an SAA- Durban extra bag issue, saving me a couple of hundred bucks.

My preference is ATL to JNB in economy comfort seat in 29 (not G or C), spend the night @ City Lodge, get some rest, have an excellent and leisurely breakfast at the hotel, then on to destination on a mid-morning flight, usually via SA Airlink. I have no interest in stopping, overnighting or making connections in Europe or anywhere else on way to Africa. Delta ATL to JNB has been the most efficient way from the USA to SA for me, as far as I can tell

Of course the solution to the discomfort, stress and the outright torture of a long 14+ hr flight would be to just suck it up and fly business or 1st class no matter the airline---- problem solved.

 

[Ridgewalker]

Fourfive8, I’d love to go first class, but at nearly the cost of the hunt, it’s just hard to let go of the bucks and have to skip a couple of years to go again. I may not have a couple of years left? Maybe my last trip there I’ll spend the dollars.

I don’t know the difference in first class and business class on Delta 200 & 201?

 

[sierraone]

To my knowledge Delta One seating covers what was business and first class, at least on the 777. It's main cabin, Delta Comfort and Delta One.

 

[WAB]

To my knowledge Delta One seating covers what was business and first class, at least on the 777. It's main cabin, Delta Comfort and Delta One.

That is correct. I fly business when the company is buying but comfort plus when it’s on me. Business is great but at 4 or 5x the cost it’s hard to justify.

 

[sierraone]

That is correct. I fly business when the company is buying but comfort plus when it’s on me. Business is great but at 4 or 5x the cost it’s hard to justify.

I have no company employer, so for me, that's not going to happen!

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I flew Delta Comfort on my first trip over this year. I dont drink so free booze didnt matter. Im looking at booking soon for next year and trying to decide is it actually worth the cost. Are the seats that more comfortable? They looked almost the same as others. Food is the same in both. Seats are same width. Only difference i can see is a little more leg room and seat recline. Whats everyone’s thought on this

 

[WAB]

I flew Delta Comfort on my first trip over this year. I dont drink so free booze didnt matter. Im looking at booking soon for next year and trying to decide is it actually worth the cost. Are the seats that more comfortable? They looked almost the same as others. Food is the same in both. Seats are same width. Only difference i can see is a little more leg room and seat recline. Whats everyone’s thought on this

Great question. I don’t pay any more for comfort plus with my flight status. Is it much more than standard economy?

 

[whitetail]

I’m flying the 200 again on Tuesday- seat 41 (on aisle)- so will be loving the coach feel haha!! Fortunately I’m not tall.... But headed back to AAA Serapa Safaris so it’s all good!!! Bring on the great hunting there!!

 

[BWH]

Seat 29 is very prone to getting bumped by million Mileionaires...... that didn’t make it to biz class. Sucks. Especially when you pay well in advance for that SPOT!!!!

 

[fourfive8]

Fourfive8, I’d love to go first class, but at nearly the cost of the hunt, it’s just hard to let go of the bucks and have to skip a couple of years to go again. I may not have a couple of years left? Maybe my last trip there I’ll spend the dollars.

I don’t know the difference in first class and business class on Delta 200 & 201?

I think two names for same thing- Business Class and 1st Class. I can count on three fingers the times in the last 50 years I've flown 1st or Business Class. Each time the upgrade was gratis or someone else was paying.

Yes- maybe a last hoorah trip with a "spend that inheritance" attitude.
Off hand, I don't know the current cost difference between 1st/Business Class and Economy/Coach for the 200-201 flight. When I checked on it one time it was scary!!! I too would rather spend it on the reason for going than on the transport just to get there.

 

[WAB]

I think two names for same thing- Business Class and 1st Class. I can count on three fingers the times in the last 50 years I've flown 1st or Business Class. Each time the upgrade was gratis or someone else was paying.

Yes- maybe a last hoorah trip with a "spend that inheritance" attitude.
Off hand, I don't know the current cost difference between 1st/Business Class and Economy/Coach for the 200-201 flight. When I checked on it one time it was scary!!! I too would rather spend it on the reason for going than on the transport just to get there.

Roughly $8,000 vs $1,500. It’s tough to justify.

 

[Philip Glass]

I've had the steak and it was excellent. There specialty is Italian.

http://airport.ecco-atlanta.com/menus/

Thanks for the recommendation. I always like to eat a big meal then pass on the airline food. That’s just me though! I’ll be there in two weeks.

I like to use Gate Guru app for these restaurants but it is so out of date. ECCO is not even on there. Once my wife and I walked all the way across one terminal in NY just to find the restaurant we were looking for didn’t exist. I wish someone would update Gate Guru as it has so much potential!
Regards,
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

I just read an article about Delta going to a redesign of their entire 777-200 fleet in the future. They will be adding a premium select feature which from everything I can see is basically a first class domestic seat. They are getting rid of the economy comfort plus seats. There are some video reviews of the seating arraignments for the A350 planes that have the same seating. It looks nice. One thing that always bugged me when buying the comfort plus seating was getting the same nasty food that's served to everyone in coach. That will be going away as it looks like you will finally get an upgraded experience for the extra leg room costs. Hopefully this doesn't make the cost of these seats get astronomically high.

https://thepointsguy.com/2017/05/deltas-new-777-arrangement/

We can dream but I am sure it will be years before they get the PE on DL200. They are making so much money on that flight. I hope we get more updates on this soon.

 

[Philip Glass]

Hogpatrol doesn’t that take a lot longer to get there?

9.5 hours longer on Qatar to Windhoek. I have just been comparing for next years safari. I was very tempted to take Qatar but I think unless I really want Business Class in the future the quicker less comfortable flights will have to do. With all its drawbacks DL 200 is the only with a Comfort + product on my routes.
Philip

 

[Philip Glass]

Great question. I don’t pay any more for comfort plus with my flight status. Is it much more than standard economy?

$400 round trip

 

[Mike B.]

We can dream but I am sure it will be years before they get the PE on DL200. They are making so much money on that flight. I hope we get more updates on this soon.

@Philip Glass, here is a more recent article. The first retrofitted 777 rolled out two weeks ago. The other article was nearly a year old and it took that long to get the first plane out. I wonder what their upgrade schedule is going to be. I can't imagine them only doing 1 or 2 planes a year but you never know. I would think the logistics of pulling a plane out of the schedule for a refurb is a nightmare, especially when doing more than one at a time. They have a total of 18 of the 777 planes and their 200ER versions have an average age of 18 years old. The LR I think is around 9 years average.

https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/delta-premium-select-777-refurb/