When it comes to airlines and the separation between their cabins, there are some airlines that really do have some very big gaps between their economy cabins and their business cabins. While domestic airlines have tried to blur the lines a bit more by merging the two classes into a plus/comfort/extra type of seat, there are other airlines that really just do not have that happening.
What Made EgyptAir’s Business Class Seem Pretty Good To Me
An EgyptAir plane – with two very different cabins!
EgyptAir’s Economy Class
EgytAir’s cramped coach section
Such was the case with my flights aboard EgyptAir. I actually had flown Egyptair just once before this year and it was several years ago. My memory of it was that it was nice, if not a bit crowded and noisy. But, in August, I had done a quick trip down to Cairo to scout/train for my Cairo leg of my 6 marathon / 6 continent trip. I flew on EgyptAir aboard a 737 from Athens to Cairo in economy – and I could not believe how cramped it was. I am not sure what the dimensions actually are aboard this particular plane, but it certainly felt more cramped than even my trips on Ryanair!
If the seat dimensions are truly standard for economy class on other airlines, something made it seem different on this one. I could never quite get my legs placed properly and it was next to impossible to even get the right angle to stretch them out completely underneath the seat in front of me. I just kept thinking that I was happy this was a relatively short flight because I could not imagine flying like that for a long flight.
Before you think “you just must be too used to business class” – most of my flights in the space of any year are in coach! I have flown probably 70% (at least) of my miles in coach and have no problem with it! But, this particular plane with EgyptAir just really seemed more cramped than I would have expected.
A Normal Business Class Ride – But Nicer Than It Would Have Been
EgyptAir’s Business class seat on their 737
Which is what turned a somewhat normal/mediocre business class experience into a much better one! I flew another EgyptAir during my actual 6 marathon/6 continent trip as I flew from Cairo to Abu Dhabi. This was a longer flight than the Athens – Cairo from the month before so I was happy to be in business class (this was part of an award that was Thessaloniki – Athens – Cairo – Abu Dhabi booked in business class using 35,000 United miles). The seat is a simple, but roomy recliner that seems older than it most likely is. I was able to stretch my legs (after running 52.4 miles in less than 24 hours, I was happy for that!) and the service was very good. The food tasted about on par with many regional business class meals, which is to say it was much better than the economy version that I had experienced before!
The legroom in EgyptAir’s business class was much better than coach!
This is to say that perspective can really make all the difference in travel! If I had only flown on EgyptAir in business class, I would have likely thought it to be more of a “blah” experience. But, having experienced the much more cramped/crowded quarters just behind the curtain on the same plane, I can say that it made my journey in business class on EgyptAir that much better!
Have you flown EgyptAir in economy or business? What was your perspective of the seat and quality of the trip overall?
