767-400 vs A330 Business Class??

[teacherman]

I think we will take Delta Business Class for our flight from DTW to Barcelona for our TA next October. This would be our first time in Business Class on a flight to Europe. Our choices are these 2 aircraft. Do any of you have recommendations for either of them? I know the seating arrangements are different. Are the lie flat seats the same? If you were a couple, would you rather have the 2 middle seats next to each other, or 2 of the side seats, which I have been told offer more "privacy". Any information/advice is most welcome. Thank you.

 

(The A330 goes DTW-AMS or Paris and then connects to BCN. Or we would first fly from DTW-ATL and then the 767 is non stop ATL-BCN)

[GeezerCouple]

I think we will take Delta Business Class for our flight from DTW to Barcelona for our TA next October. This would be our first time in Business Class on a flight to Europe. Our choices are these 2 aircraft. Do any of you have recommendations for either of them? I know the seating arrangements are different. Are the lie flat seats the same? If you were a couple, would you rather have the 2 middle seats next to each other, or 2 of the side seats, which I have been told offer more "privacy". Any information/advice is most welcome. Thank you.

 

(The A330 goes DTW-AMS or Paris and then connects to BCN. Or we would first fly from DTW-ATL and then the 767 is non stop ATL-BCN)

 

Have you looked on SeatGuru.com for those flights to compare comments about the seats/beds?

 

There may also be some photos from some of the passengers who posted.

 

We've found it to be extremely helpful in selecting seats, and also in choosing flights... or occasionally ruling some out.

(But note: The equipment could change, so what you expect isn't guaranteed.)

[M&JfromSDL]

Both aircraft will feature Delta's refreshed Delta One first class cabin. The layout of the cabins are slightly different. I would choose the more convenient flight times, etc. Enjoy!

[fbgd]

Both aircraft will feature Delta's refreshed Delta One first class cabin.

 

Delta One is a business class product.

 

Just because it's at the front of the aircraft doesn't make it first class, the same way that Virgin Atlantic don't have first class either.

[6rugrats]

I've played this "choose the best aircraft game" and each and every time, the equipment has been swapped.

 

Now, I just go with best schedule and price.

Edited January 18, 2017 by 6rugrats

[FlyerTalker]

Having spent quite some time in both of these aircraft, let me first say that these comments are about the Delta product. Just because it's a 330 doesn't mean that it's the same across all airlines, and same for the 767.

 

This article has a good summary of the major styles of seats. Though a few years old, it give a good comparison of the generic styles of business class seating. LINK HERE

 

The 767 was one of the first of the DL widebodies to get the flat bed seat. As such, it's probably the oldest design and is a staggered configuration. You can reference it in the above article as the Vantage seat. This means that every seat has a large armrest area that is actually above the footwell for the seat behind it. When you put the seat into the flat position, your legs and feet go deep into that "well", so you have a bit of a surrounded feeling. Here are a couple of links to show you the arrangement. LINK1 LINK2 LINK3

 

The A330 is a newer seat and is in the reverse herringbone configuration. While the 767 seats all face directly forward, the A330 seats angle away from the aisles, so your head is closest to the aisle and the feet the farthest. In this seat, your legs are not as enclosed as with the 767. However, there is a physical barrier between the two middle seats preventing going through from one to the other. Some photos here: LINK1 LINK2 LINK3

 

You can see this in the graphic below. The A330 is on the left, the 767 on the right. The white are the seats, the gray is the armrest area.

 

 

My comparison take: Both seats are fully-flat with direct aisle access. I personally feel more constrained in the 767 footwell, calling them "coffin seats", but it's not an absolute deal killer. The armrest area on the 767 is larger, however the tray table comes up from the top of the armrest so you must have it clear to deploy or stow (inconvenient). The 330 tray table scissors out from under the armrest area (you can see it in the photos). Both have AC and USB power ports. Both have poor reading lights, but the 767 is more adjustable. 767 has vent gaspers at all seats. A/V screen for the 767 is fixed, while the A330 is on a swing hinge. 330 seat has equal access for all sides, while the 767 is a bit tougher if you have the big armrest between you and the aisle (though you are then more private). A bit more seat adjustment capability on the 330. Barrier between middle seats on the 330, while open on the floor between the two on the 767.

 

Given a choice, I take the 330 every day of the week. Biggest reasons: Less restrictive leg/foot area and the tray table can be used without moving anything from the armrest/surface area. OTOH, the 767 tray table has magnets built in, so you can play around with silverware magnetized to the tray table. :)

 

From the photos, you can decide if you would rather be together or apart. At least you are not on the 777, which is the middle aircraft in the seatmap graphic. Those pods are not conducive to couples, so we just get two on the outside. And if you do decide to go with the middle seats on a 767, decide if you want the armrest/surface to be on your right hand side or left. The odd rows have it on the right, even on the left.

 

Long, but I hope this helps somewhat. Either way, it's better than turning right at the 2L door.

[GeezerCouple]

Thanks FlyerTalker.

 

That was incredibly helpful in terms of understanding more about all of this.

 

(You don't happen to have a book full of many such comparisons for Business and First, with text and photos, do you? :))

[FlyerTalker]

Thanks FlyerTalker.

 

That was incredibly helpful in terms of understanding more about all of this.

You are very welcome. Feel free to come back with followup questions if you have them.

(You don't happen to have a book full of many such comparisons for Business and First, with text and photos, do you? :))

Coming out soon on Amazon...;)

 

Actually, no. And given the constant changes in the industry, it would be quickly out of date. My detailed knowledge of the DL seats come from many BIS miles.

 

The link that summarized the types of seats is probably the best place to start. Understand the differences between herringbone, reverse, staggered and some of the other newer styles coming out. Look to bloggers who report on new interiors. Use the images tab in Google searches to see photos of the interiors. And know that all 777s are not alike, nor are all cabins of a particular airline the same. Very individualized.

 

Here's probably my favorite example of different seating from the same carrier and class. Emirates has a well-deserved reputation for the first class product, but their business class is another matter. Their fleet revolves around two aircraft - the A380 and the 777. Here are two photos showing the difference between business class seats in each. Middle section between the aisles.

 

 

Now for the other.

 

 

I don't know about you, but the latter has a LOT more passenger space, plus aisle access for all seats. The former looks tight and without much storage space or lateral room. Plus, there's a guy in the middle climbing over someone. Which would you prefer? Would you just book an Emirates ticket and assume that business class would be great? See, a great triumph of brand marketing.

 

FWIW, the former is a 777, the latter is the A380. I know which I would take for a 15 hour flight. (And the 380 has an inflight bar area as well.)

 

Research, research, research.

[alcpa1]

Take the 330. The 767 lie flat is worse than any other configuration we have flown in business. Even the Air France angled seat is more comfortable.

[Ashland]

We also fly DL often in business/first and since you're talking about flights in October...the one thing you can count on is that there will be (multiple) changes in flight times and aircraft....

 

Add alerts to your booking in addition to checking your reservation often and when changes are made know what (seats) you're requesting and are showing as available before calling them...makes it a lot easier.;)

[waterbug123]

 

(You don't happen to have a book full of many such comparisons for Business and First, with text and photos, do you? :))

 

Delta doesn't have an international first class cabin on any of their aircraft, so there's no such comparison to be made. ;)

[GeezerCouple]

Delta doesn't have an international first class cabin on any of their aircraft, so there's no such comparison to be made. ;)

 

 

I wasn't referring only to Delta.

Such comparisons would be equally helpful for other airlines.

 

FlyerTalker has been incredibly helpful with info about many airlines, including some first class details, which *are* of interest to us thanks to award points.

 

And it wasn't a serious request - about a "book full of many such comparisons" - as FlyerTalker obviously understood, with the joke about a forthcoming book available on Amazon. ;)

 

(Needless to say, in the time it would take to put together a full book of such details, much would probably be out of date by the time the full compilation was finished.)

[waterbug123]

I wasn't referring only to Delta.

Such comparisons would be equally helpful for other airlines.

 

 

No worries. Your mentioned flights were Delta so I thought maybe you were really curious about Delta biz vs. Delta first.

[GeezerCouple]

No worries. Your mentioned flights were Delta so I thought maybe you were really curious about Delta biz vs. Delta first.

 

Someone else was mentioning specific flights.

 

It wasn't us.

 

We haven't flow Delta for decades.

It doesn't tend to go where we want to go, or if it does, there are other more-preferred airlines that also do, etc.

 

But that could change, as we start traveling/flying a lot more, and to new destinations.

[Twickenham]

When researching business class products, my favourite resource is Youtube - lots of video reviews there, and you can get a sense of the full experience, not just the hard product.