Eva Airways economy/coach, beware!

[Gus 97]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the inevitable is in the pipeline, BR are going 3-4-3 in 777-300ER Economy/Coach class. The good news is that there is no great rush for them to change the fleet, I understand the USA and Asia routes will take the hit first.

I think that Europe is OK for 2016 but 2017? I doubt it.

 

The European/USA/Australian/Canadian etc body is larger than the Asian frame by and large and on a full flight it is not going to be very pleasant.

 

I will be booking TG in the next day or two, not because of this 3-4-3 business but on the LHR-BKK route BR is usually pretty full whilst TG with its 2 flights tends to have more empty seats. You can go through the booking process with TG and see how many empty seats are on your flight for that day, it is not 100% but definitely helps.

Of course if you cannot choose your days your options are limited.

Chok Dee :)

[Butch 3,456]

I landed on an EVA 777 yesterday, some have just been refurb'd with new seat material and cushions, improved IFE and plugs under the seats for UK & US spec plugs along with USB charging from the screen. I sat in 46K in econ which was above the wing and had the IFE box next to my bloody foot, so avoid that seat if poss (one behind the bulkhead / extra legroom seating and right behind the Elite cabin). 55k on the way out was much better. IFE is excellent and the food on both legs was very good indeed.

 

The seat booking on EVA online is shite, it was showing all full for the reutrn journey and even a call to the office didn't let me pre book. Had to do it at the airport and luckily I got the kind of seat I wanted.

 

They've also taken to putting eye shades , earplugs and toothbrushes in the econ toilets, but they get grabbed fairly quickly, snacks always available at the galley. Also, it's worth pinching a blanket as they're not too bad at all, especially the ones in Elite.

 

There were a few empty seats on both BR68 and BR67, oddly we were given steel cutlery on the return but plastic on the outward?. They also seem to have got their times in order, both flights left on time and landed early (45 min early into SVB).

 

i'm not sure how they can fit an extra aisle seat in to be honest Gus as there just doesn't seem to be the space, unless they reduce all the seats across by a couple or more inches, I had it in my head that the 333 stood for the seat configuration, I really hope they don't mate, but I guess that you're right on this one and as always, passenger numbers being the deciding factor.

 

I reckon it's a case of just keeping a close eye on EVA for the coming year.

 

BTW if anyone is interested, Purple parking Heathrow is being developed into a housing estate next year, so the big one near Western International will be closing i've been told. I paid £65 for 16 days recentl.

Edited October 4, 2016 by Butch

[Gus 97]

Butch Have a look on Flyertalk/Airline mileage programs/other Asian airlines.

There are 5 pages about this on their forums, it is the new aircraft first "(All the new 777-300ER that are being delivered now and still on order (B-16728 and higher) will be 10 abreast in Y)"

These will be followed by other aircraft when they have a major exam.

Also Cathay going down this 10 abreast road, I guess in time Thai will as well.

[Bazle 1,450]

Butch Have a look on Flyertalk/Airline mileage programs/other Asian airlines.

There are 5 pages about this on their forums, it is the new aircraft first "(All the new 777-300ER that are being delivered now and still on order (B-16728 and higher) will be 10 abreast in Y)"

These will be followed by other aircraft when they have a major exam.

Also Cathay going down this 10 abreast road, I guess in time Thai will as well.

 

EVA on BR67 and BR68 routes have recently refurbed the interiors of most (possibly all) of the 'planes, with better screens, IFE and livery. Also, the IFE boxes which obstructed the footspace of aisle seats (except G) are no longer there.

 

I'm surprised they have done this if there are imminent plans to reconfigure the seating.

[Gus 97]

I think it may be a year or so before the LHR aircraft are meddled with, we can only dream about the old Evergreen Class seating. :)

 

If any BMs are mathematicians this would be a good project for you, how many flights does the aircraft make in a 12 month period, what percentage of flights are 100% full with the current layout, what net profit will the new layout give taking into account the extra fuel required for more passengers,but how many will be 100%, more baggage, loss of cargo which I believe are at higher rates, well you can see where I'm coming from. :)

 

Maybe, just maybe Thai will not start meddling as they have the 777 and also the larger 380 every day on the LHR route.

[jacko 8,766]

I think it may be a year or so before the LHR aircraft are meddled with, we can only dream about the old Evergreen Class seating. :)

 

If any BMs are mathematicians this would be a good project for you, how many flights does the aircraft make in a 12 month period, what percentage of flights are 100% full with the current layout, what net profit will the new layout give taking into account the extra fuel required for more passengers,but how many will be 100%, more baggage, loss of cargo which I believe are at higher rates, well you can see where I'm coming from. :)

 

Maybe, just maybe Thai will not start meddling as they have the 777 and also the larger 380 every day on the LHR route.

Don't forget the extra weight from those extra seats Gus! Flying full or near empty.

Perhaps they see the future as needing more capacity.

[Gus 97]

I have to admit that after making around 30 round trips to BKK with Eva I have now switched to Thai.

I liked BR loads, but the problem I found was the flights were very popular and more often than not you were unable to stretch out.

With Thai having a 777 and also A380 daily from LHR there are more empty seats to stretch my legs, I did get DVT on a flight to BKK about 4 years ago.

[jacko 8,766]

I have to admit that after making around 30 round trips to BKK with Eva I have now switched to Thai.

I liked BR loads, but the problem I found was the flights were very popular and more often than not you were unable to stretch out.

With Thai having a 777 and also A380 daily from LHR there are more empty seats to stretch my legs, I did get DVT on a flight to BKK about 4 years ago.

Seems you need to fly with an unpopular airline to get your comfort!

[Fireman Sam 336]

Seems you need to fly with an unpopular airline to get your comfort!

Yes, an old frequent flyer trick when flying economy, always try to be the last to board then walk to the back of the aircraft irrespective of your allocated seat number and if available pick a row with 2,3,or 4 empty seats. The aircraft will always be fuller at the front as everybody wants off quickly once the plane reaches its destination. Most people will only start jumping seats when the doors are closed.

 

 

Regards

[yselmike 377]

China air have stopped there direct Amsterdam Bangkok flights from dec2,that means that only KLM and EVA do direct flights from then,Eva will be full possibly overbooked great,booked for Jan 10.

[Butch 3,456]

I have been sat here thinking that from LHR there are up to 4 direct daily services to SVB, depending upon the schedule of the airlines:

Thai - 2 services at 12:00 and 21:35 (approx)

BA - 1 service at 16:05

EVA - 1 service at 21:35

 

BA are shit, just ask Goldpanner and to be honest they didn't exactly set the world on fire when we flew with them years ago to Manila via HK.

 

EVA are becoming more and more wank with each passing trip. Although they've sorted out their timings now and seem to be getting closer to decent departure times, the thought of having 10 abreast in Econ fills me with a desire to go back to using the "Elite" service (or Evergreen Deluxe to you old timers). Sadly having a wife with expensive tastes and yet another purchase to add to my burgeoning classic vehicle collection (making it now 2 vehicles instead of just one) might make this position untenable.

 

Thai really put me off when I stepped aboard one of their 747-400's back in 2007 and I then had to turn my watch back another 20 years. Never flown with them since. Any airline that didn't have seat back screens in 2007 suggests to me that they probably pay as much attention to passenger comfort as they do passenger safety. It reminded me of a time when I flew across country in Africa. I boarded a piece of shit Antonov only to open the tray table and see the word "Aeroflot" scrubbed out with black marker pen and the name of the airline I was flying on "dyno taped" above it. It didn't fill me with a great deal confidence, but in fairness crashing into the Savannah would have been much more pleasurable than the following weeks I spent in Angola anyway.

 

might be time to give Thai another go if this carries on.

Edited October 8, 2016 by Butch

[Bazle 1,450]

EVA are becoming more and more wank with each passing trip. Although they've sorted out their timings now and seem to be getting closer to decent departure times, the thought of having 10 abreast in Econ fills me with a desire to go back to using the "Elite" service (or Evergreen Deluxe to you old timers). Sadly having a wife with expensive tastes and yet another purchase to add to my burgeoning classic vehicle collection (making it now 2 vehicles instead of just one) might make this position untenable.

 

 

I have been doing 6 return flights p.a. with EVA for the last few years and don't recognise your comments.

 

EVA have refurbed their 'planes (a considerable improvement) and improved their food. Their timings are usually OK - sometimes a little late in departing but that is usually made up during the flight.

 

As I said above, I should be surprised if they move to 10 abreast so soon after doing the refurbs.

 

The main problem is popularity - the flights are usually between 95% and 100% full in economy.

Edited October 9, 2016 by Bazle

[wacmedia 277]

 

I have been doing 6 return flights p.a. with EVA for the last few years and don't recognise your comments.

 

EVA have refurbed their 'planes (a considerable improvement) and improved their food. Their timings are usually OK - sometimes a little late in departing but that is usually made up during the flight.

 

As I said above, I should be surprised if they move to 10 abreast so soon after doing the refurbs.

 

The main problem is popularity - the flights are usually between 95% and 100% full in economy.

 

Hi,

 

Hard to knock EVA. The food is not as good as Thai, IMO, but overall a great price for a directt flight. I dont want to be pissin about in some God forsaken place in the ME waiting for my onward flight.

[nkped 1,208]

Worst trans-Pacific flight I ever had was Eva, probably in 2007, a beat up old 747 with low rise seat backs, no seat back video and the sound for my seat not working. Plus they didn't want me to turn on the reading light because it would interfere with the people watching the movie. I was more or less prepared to stand for several hours rather than sit in that torture device, but a flight attendant found a saint in an exit row who volunteered to change seats with me. For the return flight from Thailand, I had decided to drop an AMEX bomb on it; buy a completely new ticket on another carrier if that was what it took but I discovered the return flight was going to be on another type aircraft (777?) and that was okay. Had a few flights on Eva since then and those were acceptable as well, particularly when I could get an economy seat on the upper deck of an 747-400.

 

BTW My trans-Pacific flights included one on a stretch DC-8 back before the dawn of time and a couple on military transports.

Edited October 9, 2016 by nkped

[Butch 3,456]

 

I have been doing 6 return flights p.a. with EVA for the last few years and don't recognise your comments.

 

EVA have refurbed their 'planes (a considerable improvement) and improved their food. Their timings are usually OK - sometimes a little late in departing but that is usually made up during the flight.

 

As I said above, I should be surprised if they move to 10 abreast so soon after doing the refurbs.

 

The main problem is popularity - the flights are usually between 95% and 100% full in economy.

 

 

Hi Bazle

Yep i agree, it would be a surprise if after having a recent refurb then within a year they change the seating config, unless they wait for the plane to go into D check and do it then, which happens every 5 years I think (might be wrong). As mentioned earlier it might be a false economy on some routes, but probably on the LHR - SVB route it might reap some dividends, however, that along with a steady decline is enough to make me switch carriers.

 

Like yourself I'm fairly regular on EVA but not doing as many trips per annum as yourself, which might be why I notice the decline more as there is a bigger interval between. The food has improved greatly, but the snacks /drinks and general all round apathy of some of the crew is pretty poor. If I had the foresight to take a pic of the kids meal they served to Jr last trip, it would make your toes curl almost as much as the cold chicken nuggets had. When I asked for a replacement I was told there are no other meals available and met with a fairly obtuse reaction from the crew.

 

Maybe they have become a victim of their own success. They price competitively and have more frequent and better offers than Thai, but a large percentage of their cheap fares don't qualify for mileage which is poor form. schedules are pretty good and they've held that path out of LHR ever since 97 when they started iirc.

 

However, I still see a decline in EVA, especially when other SEA economy airlines are upping their game. When one makes a comparison between EVA and Cathay for example, it's easy to see a difference.

[yselmike 377]

Hi Bazle

Yep i agree, it would be a surprise if after having a recent refurb then within a year they change the seating config, unless they wait for the plane to go into D check and do it then, which happens every 5 years I think (might be wrong). As mentioned earlier it might be a false economy on some routes, but probably on the LHR - SVB route it might reap some dividends, however, that along with a steady decline is enough to make me switch carriers.

 

Like yourself I'm fairly regular on EVA but not doing as many trips per annum as yourself, which might be why I notice the decline more as there is a bigger interval between. The food has improved greatly, but the snacks /drinks and general all round apathy of some of the crew is pretty poor. If I had the foresight to take a pic of the kids meal they served to Jr last trip, it would make your toes curl almost as much as the cold chicken nuggets had. When I asked for a replacement I was told there are no other meals available and met with a fairly obtuse reaction from the crew.

 

Maybe they have become a victim of their own success. They price competitively and have more frequent and better offers than Thai, but a large percentage of their cheap fares don't qualify for mileage which is poor form. schedules are pretty good and they've held that path out of LHR ever since 97 when they started iirc.

 

However, I still see a decline in EVA, especially when other SEA economy airlines are upping their game. When one makes a comparison between EVA and Cathay for example, it's easy to see a difference.

Now China air are stopping direct flights on the Amsterdam Bangkok route that leaves KLM or EVA,in cattle class there's nothing between then so it's down to price and EVA win on that.what flights go direct to Bangkok from Heathrow instead of Amsterdam?

[SimplySam 517]

Now China air are stopping direct flights on the Amsterdam Bangkok route that leaves KLM or EVA,in cattle class there's nothing between then so it's down to price and EVA win on that.what flights go direct to Bangkok from Heathrow instead of Amsterdam?

Thai 2x a day 911 and 917

 

BA 9

[Butch 3,456]

Now China air are stopping direct flights on the Amsterdam Bangkok route that leaves KLM or EVA,in cattle class there's nothing between then so it's down to price and EVA win on that.what flights go direct to Bangkok from Heathrow instead of Amsterdam?

 

Hi Yselmike

4 services including the EVA BR68 which is a 777-333, which as Sam mentioned are 2 Thai , one A380 and the other Thai a 777 (I think?) (one mid day service 12:50 and one overnight 21:30) and one British Airways, again possibly a 777 but I might be wrong.

 

Price wise Thai and EVA come within a few pounds of each other when they have an offer on at the same time, but it can be hit and miss. As Bazle and others have said, price wise EVA are very competitive, even coming in lower than non direct fares via the Middle East in some cases, plus they have more offers throughout the year as opposed to Thai who seem to have a sale only once or twice.

 

BA seem to be between the two price wise, but BA's service is arguably the worst of the three with less seat pitch and passenger comfort.

 

Also, BA is a 20kg alowance whereas both Thai and EVA are 30kg now (I booked direct through the EVA website - some tickets might not have the full 30kg though).

 

I think we're pretty lucky to have the choice of 4 direct services to BKK, however they only go via LHR, to my limited knowledge there are none which go from Gatwick or any other UK airport direct to BKK.

 

Shame China have stopped their service from AMS, I'd have thought that was a pretty popular one out of there.

[yselmike 377]

Hi Yselmike

4 services including the EVA BR68 which is a 777-333, which as Sam mentioned are 2 Thai , one A380 and the other Thai a 777 (I think?) (one mid day service 12:50 and one overnight 21:30) and one British Airways, again possibly a 777 but I might be wrong.

 

Price wise Thai and EVA come within a few pounds of each other when they have an offer on at the same time, but it can be hit and miss. As Bazle and others have said, price wise EVA are very competitive, even coming in lower than non direct fares via the Middle East in some cases, plus they have more offers throughout the year as opposed to Thai who seem to have a sale only once or twice.

 

BA seem to be between the two price wise, but BA's service is arguably the worst of the three with less seat pitch and passenger comfort.

 

Also, BA is a 20kg alowance whereas both Thai and EVA are 30kg now (I booked direct through the EVA website - some tickets might not have the full 30kg though).

 

I think we're pretty lucky to have the choice of 4 direct services to BKK, however they only go via LHR, to my limited knowledge there are none which go from Gatwick or any other UK airport direct to BKK.

 

Shame China have stopped their service from AMS, I'd have thought that was a pretty popular one out of there.

Cheers, China had one flight a day to Bangkok as does KLM

EVA fly 3 times a week, all the flights during the high season were pretty much fully booked,I have a flight booked for January with eva for 600 euro that's about as good as it gets really.lots of options with stopovers though.

[Gus 97]

Not as though I will ever be using them but BA are now jumping on the 10 abreast bandwagon for their 777s.

I flew on TG917 last week and managed by hook and crook to get a 3 set to myself, but I did find myself wondering where airlines can find room for an extra seat on the 777.

What do you think, 12 armrests if made 1" narrower is 12", 2 aisles made 3" narrower is another 6", that's 18".

Not much fun for passengers or cabin crew, I guess this is the price we have to pay for low fares.

[Bazle 1,450]

Passengers are getting bigger yet seats are getting smaller!

[wacmedia 277]

Hi,

 

I think the prices for direct flights are OK. I dont like stopping off in the ME.

[matthewh 3]

you should think yourselves luck.ba are going to do 10 seats across on their triple 7.s and shit service to boot.

[matthewh 3]

its nice to find good info,before you book.

[Goldpanner 399]

I have to admit that after making around 30 round trips to BKK with Eva I have now switched to Thai.

I liked BR loads, but the problem I found was the flights were very popular and more often than not you were unable to stretch out.

With Thai having a 777 and also A380 daily from LHR there are more empty seats to stretch my legs, I did get DVT on a flight to BKK about 4 years ago.

 

Dont bank on Thai having many spare seats. On my outband and inbounf in September the flight was nigh on full.

Last year was brilliand as I had an entire middle row to myself Outbound and inbound but not this year. Even my wife who came back at the end of september said her A380 flight was nearly full