Airliners.net

Hey all,

taking a business trip to Japan in early november and just got my plans today.

i am not paying for the tickets, but they are only flying me economy class. We are taking NW from CLE to MSP and then their 744 from MSP-NRT.

now according to seat guru the only entertainment for us peons in the back are projected movies...is this aircraft really that old?

what kind of service can i expect out of NW? i flew them on an A330 from DTW to AMS a few years ago, and they were just fine...how about for 12 hours?

Yes they are still projector screens, just like UA's, soon though with the rollout of the 787 the 744's will get a new economy class. Finally the new FA uniforms will be introduced in October of next year when they were originally planned.

Using NW to HKG via NRT from DTW in January with my brother. Booked on WBC and excited as hell about it.

  

Quoting Dimoko (Thread starter): is this aircraft really that old?

Well, it's not really about age of the aircraft in this case - while NW was the launch customer of the 747-400, some of their 747-400s are a good ten years or so newer. Here, it's just how NW decided to outfit the cabins of the 747 and they just haven't updated those cabins in a long time. It is rather ironic how NW's international flagship doesn't have personal IFE in Y class, but their A330 does. But of course, the A330s are only up to about three or four years old with Northwest.

If anything, here's a sort of silver lining story for you. Back before deregulation, only a limited number of airlines could fly to other continents. They were Pan Am (all over the place), TWA (Transatlantic), Braniff (South America), and Northwest Orient (Asia). Of course, Pan Am and Braniff are gone, and the TWA brand is gone. Northwest is still there (albeit without the "Orient" name). So, in a sense, you are flying on the only remaining old intercontinental carrier on a classic transpacific flight in a pre-PTV configuration on an iconic plane. So it's classic but otherwise nothing special.





Bring an iPod.

Quoting AlexPorter (Reply 3): So, in a sense, you are flying on the only remaining old intercontinental carrier on a classic transpacific flight in a pre-PTV configuration on an iconic plane. So it's classic but otherwise nothing special.

you must be an optimist!!

i prefer my airplane nostalgia to come at airshows and in models, haha, not in boredom!!

i just bought the new ipod video that will hold all of my stuff, it should keep me settled.

Quoting Burnsie28 (Reply 1): 787 the 744's will get a new economy class.

I thought that was speculation?

Quoting Dimoko (Reply 4): you must be an optimist!! i prefer my airplane nostalgia to come at airshows and in models, haha, not in boredom!! i just bought the new ipod video that will hold all of my stuff, it should keep me settled.

Like I said:

Quoting AlexPorter (Reply 3): Bring an iPod.

 

Quoting Dimoko (Thread starter): now according to seat guru the only entertainment for us peons in the back are projected movies...is this aircraft really that old?

You could always do something outlandish and unheard of, and read a book!!!!! Do you have to be entertained at all times when you are not flying?

Burnsie, when did NWA announce a new Y product for the 744?

[Edited 2007-10-30 13:19:38]

Quoting Bobnwa (Reply 7): You could always do something outlandish and unheard of, and read a book!!!!! Do you have to be entertained at all times when you are not flying?

Thank you. You beat me to it.

I have nothing positive to say about NW so I'll just say this: I'd be more excited about getting to Japan than the actual trip itself.

Quoting Bobnwa (Reply 7): Burnsie, when did NWA announce a new Y product for the 744?

Thats what I am wondering.

I dont know why ever feels entitled to IFE. Jesus, what happening to reading, or bringing an iPod, which most everyone owns some sort of MP3 player. Or take nap?

Quoting Dimoko (Reply 4): i prefer my airplane nostalgia to come at airshows and in models, haha, not in boredom!!

Quoting SNCntry32 (Reply 10): I dont know why ever feels entitled to IFE. Jesus, what happening to reading, or bringing an iPod, which most everyone owns some sort of MP3 player. Or take nap?

Good point; I wonder how the current generation would have survived taking a B377, or a flying boat in the days before movies, IFE etc. I always found a good book a great way to pass the time.

Quoting Bobnwa (Reply 7): You could always do something outlandish and unheard of, and read a book!!!!! Do you have to be entertained at all times when you are not flying?

well, my main goal is to get thru the first 4 or 5 hours and then try to sleep through the rest, and i find it easier to drift off to sleep to a movie than you can just ignore than a book.

Quoting SNCntry32 (Reply 10): I dont know why ever feels entitled to IFE. Jesus, what happening to reading, or bringing an iPod, which most everyone owns some sort of MP3 player. Or take nap?

i dont feel entitled to IFE, i just was hoping for something better than a projector, thats all.

Quoting AirCop (Reply 11): Good point; I wonder how the current generation would have survived taking a B377, or a flying boat in the days before movies, IFE etc. I always found a good book a great way to pass the time.

for a little bit of the trip, just being on the plane is enough, but not on a 12 hour flight. im sure i can "survive" anything. i wonder the same thing about people who complain that the level of service on their business class seats isnt good enough for them when there are 300 people in the back of the airplane practically stacked on top of one another.

hey everyone, just got back from my trip, and i posted a report over in the TR section.
CLE-MSP-NRT And Back, With Some Nostalgia (pics) (by Dimoko Nov 13 2007 in Trip Reports)

Quoting AlexPorter (Reply 3): Here, it's just how NW decided to outfit the cabins of the 747 and they just haven't updated those cabins in a long time

Keep in mind that NW did at one time have PTV's in the 744, in fact they were the first airline in the world to have PTV's however, at the time the technology proved too costly and far far too heavy.