Better plane B787 or A330 to LAX?

[empressjo]

After deciding connections, lost luggage & bad service stories was too risky for my health & stress levels, we have decided NY & Washington DC can wait till next trip. So let’s try to get to US with least amount of things that could go wrong.

Can fly out of BNE or MEL to LAX & I am wondering if there is any real advantage to choosing a B787 over A330 to LAX? & return a B787 or A380? Also thinking Qantas is trying to be better, but I’ve had horror experiences with them in the past so I’m not loyal to them. But might be the better option with the limited options?

May fluke an upgrade but I know my chances are low with my bronze, so just wanting to improve my experience as much as I can. Your advise is always welcome

 

[serfty]

Wider economy seats on 330, slightly greater pitch on 789.

More subtle sweet spots on airbus.

 

[Franky]

After deciding connections, lost luggage & bad service stories was too risky for my health & stress levels, we have decided NY & Washington DC can wait till next trip. So let’s try to get to US with least amount of things that could go wrong.

Can fly out of BNE or MEL to LAX & I am wondering if there is any real advantage to choosing a B787 over A330 to LAX? & return a B787 or A380? Also thinking Qantas is trying to be better, but I’ve had horror experiences with them in the past so I’m not loyal to them. But might be the better option with the limited options?

May fluke an upgrade but I know my chances are low with my bronze, so just wanting to improve my experience as much as I can. Your advise is always welcome

IIRC the Airbus' have the luggage loaded in containers which should lessen the chance of being lost.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

After deciding connections, lost luggage & bad service stories was too risky for my health & stress levels, we have decided NY & Washington DC can wait till next trip. So let’s try to get to US with least amount of things that could go wrong.

Can fly out of BNE or MEL to LAX & I am wondering if there is any real advantage to choosing a B787 over A330 to LAX? & return a B787 or A380? Also thinking Qantas is trying to be better, but I’ve had horror experiences with them in the past so I’m not loyal to them. But might be the better option with the limited options?

May fluke an upgrade but I know my chances are low with my bronze, so just wanting to improve my experience as much as I can. Your advise is always welcome

If you are based in Brisbane I would go for the a330 out of BNE, wider seats and no connecting flights.

The 787 is a cramped plane in the main cabin unless flying Japan Airlines.

 

[jrfsp]

The A330 fleet seems slightly less stretched than the 787 so might be less chance of a delay

 

[Quickstatus]

if there is any real advantage to choosing a B787 over A330 to LAX

What class of seating will you be in?
If Y suggest A330

@Melburnian1 do you have any insight into the relative on time performance of the QF 787 vs 330?. Operationally the B787 is on ultra long haul routes vs the more "regional" A330 and the operational tempo might be different for both.

 

[Forg]

What others have said may be more important of course, but I find the constant jet-engine roar to be annoying to the point of stopping me from sleeping in any way; and the 787 is quieter, in my very limited experience (handful of A332 & A333 flights and a single Jetstar 788 flight - all in economy except for the one Premium Economy on an A333).

 

[AIRwin]

Premium Economy on an A333

No Premium Economy on A330

 

[Forg]

No Premium Economy on A330

Ever? Admittedly this was 10 years ago, but I swear that Cathay A330 was a -300 … no? Seatguru seems to think it exists, this was the Hong Kong to Sydney leg, was only about 3 rows of seats which matches the diagram.
I also thought that the QF A333 on the way back from Singapore in about 2017 had a Premium Economy that I jealously walked past - but that I’ve definitely got less surety about, I remember thinking that the ‘plane was definitely leaning towards “medium haul” rather than “long haul”, kinda domestic-ey.

 

[AIRwin]

Ever? Admittedly this was 10 years ago, but I swear that Cathay A330 was a -300 … no?
Wait, I also thought that the QF A333 on the way back from Singapore in about 2017 had a Premium Economy that I jealously walked past?

Not QF

 

[HS-TQE]

Ever? Admittedly this was 10 years ago, but I swear that Cathay A330 was a -300 … no? Seatguru seems to think it exists, this was the Hong Kong to Sydney leg, was only about 3 rows of seats which matches the diagram.
I also thought that the QF A333 on the way back from Singapore in about 2017 had a Premium Economy that I jealously walked past - but that I’ve definitely got less surety about, I remember thinking that the ‘plane was definitely leaning towards “medium haul” rather than “long haul”, kinda domestic-ey.

Were you talking about this CX 3-class A333 layout?

SeatGuru Seat Map Cathay Pacific

For your next Cathay Pacific flight, use this seating chart to get the most comfortable seats, legroom, and recline on .

www.seatguru.com

 

[Forg]

Were you talking about this CX 3-class A333 layout?

SeatGuru Seat Map Cathay Pacific

For your next Cathay Pacific flight, use this seating chart to get the most comfortable seats, legroom, and recline on .

www.seatguru.com

Not necessarily when I first poasted, because all I recalled was that in 2012 I flew CX in PE (100% sure), about 90% sure it was an A333 … but that’s the one I was referring to when I went looking for whether Cathay A333’s had a PE. It was a little odd, SFA passengers in that section, only a few rows, and I think just the one toilet not shared with the other cabins.

*edit*
No they must have all been refurb’d since then, there are no A330 layouts currently for CX which have the single-toilet-for-premium-economy setup.


I didn‘t think noise levels, in the “same seat” (same location) at least, would be any different between a CX A333 and a QF A333?

 

[Forg]

Not QF

I only mentioned PE because the amount of noise you cop as passenger depends on where you are WRT the engines, at least in a particular aircraft … and my premium flight was at least a bit ahead of the engines, whereas I was in economy for all the other flights I was comparing for noise-levels. Row 2-3 of an A350 was SOOO much quieter than … I dunno, 75% down the ‘plane on the A333.

 

[justinbrett]

IIRC the Airbus' have the luggage loaded in containers which should lessen the chance of being lost.

All of these widebody aircraft use containers for luggage.

 

[offshore171]

787 is a later generation aircraft, meaning it has a lower cabin altitude and much quieter cabin. A380 and 350 have these improvements also, but not the 330.

Both of these aspects make a significant comfort improvement on a long haul.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

All of these widebody aircraft use containers for luggage.

Yes. The distinction is for the A320 vs 737. The former can use containers, although not all airlines use them.

 

[Inlander]

Heavily dependant on what class of travel you take, The 787 has bigger windows and a higher cabin pressurisation altitude so there is less impact on "Jetlag" but at the cost of the crew locking them in "Night mode" at certain hours. Qantas has to use the longer range but smaller 200 series on that route and there is an area onboard quarantined as a crew rest zone.

 

[Daver6]

Are the footwells (and poettially seats) in J on the A330 narrower than those on the 787? Talking about non-bulkhead seats.

 

[empressjo]

Heavily dependant on what class of travel you take, The 787 has bigger windows and a higher cabin pressurisation altitude so there is less impact on "Jetlag" but at the cost of the crew locking them in "Night mode" at certain hours. Qantas has to use the longer range but smaller 200 series on that route and there is an area onboard quarantined as a crew rest zone.

Unless we can score a Unicorn upgrade we will be up the back

 

[docjames]

Unless we can score a Unicorn upgrade we will be up the back

I’d choose on schedule and price before other factors if choosing between Y. In the end, they are all Y.

All else being equal, choose the A330 if you need seat width (esp at shoulders), choose the 787 if you need legroom.

FWIW I’m 6’4” and feel more comfortable at the end of a long haul journey in Y on the 330 as I can “sit straight” at the shoulder, and my knees are crammed tight on either plane.

On the 787 I tend to “lean” towards the aisle as i need the shoulder width, which tends to lead to sore neck or back as a consequence. The A350 is also better in this regard than the 787.

If you are sensitive to the relative “altitude” of the cabin, the 787 is pressured to a lower equivalent altitude, and is better than the A330 in this regard. In Y, i dont really notice the difference as its a) impossible to sleep and b) you’re stuck doing everything when everyone else does (vs J or F where it’s a bit easier to “set your own schedule” to some regards).

And irrespective of which one you choose, cross everything for the Unicorn.