I came across this video either last year or the year before. It essentially an apartment on an Etihad Airliner. Emirates has a similar class as well;
High Passage
- Thread starter Blue Ghost
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Straybow
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Note that Etihad has many 16+ hour flights, which would make that bedroom and shower really practical. But look at the other super-first class compartments that don't have the attached toilet and bedroom. A folding section filling in the gap to form a near full-size bed would go a long way to making extra-long flights bearable.
This goes to illustrate the difference between airframe vs hull. In a cruise ship you get a larger and more practically arranged room, for up to a week, at probably less than a quarter of the cost.
In a cruise ship you pay about $50/m² per day. In an airliner you pay about $100/m² per hour. The cruise ship hull costs $4k-10k per ton, while the airframe costs about $500k-$1000k per ton. Passenger service difference is roughly a factor of 50, while the cost difference is roughly a factor of 100. Traveller makes spaceship construction costs comparable to airframes, but then imposes passage costs comparable to cruise ships.
This goes to illustrate the difference between airframe vs hull. In a cruise ship you get a larger and more practically arranged room, for up to a week, at probably less than a quarter of the cost.
In a cruise ship you pay about $50/m² per day. In an airliner you pay about $100/m² per hour. The cruise ship hull costs $4k-10k per ton, while the airframe costs about $500k-$1000k per ton. Passenger service difference is roughly a factor of 50, while the cost difference is roughly a factor of 100. Traveller makes spaceship construction costs comparable to airframes, but then imposes passage costs comparable to cruise ships.
I did not know the numbers, but yeah it felt like a starship cabin to me so I posted it here. I ride in coach with the rest of the cattle. The one time I did first class it was a bunch of over boozed businessmen leaving liquor bottles on the floor and acting rude. I imagine things may have changed since, but I'd just assume ride in the back of the plane with the hostesses and stewards.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
I remember when some of the crew gave me a short tour at the terminus.
I told them when I hit the lottery jackpot.
I suspect it was because I gave up my favourite seat to oblige a sick passenger.
I told them when I hit the lottery jackpot.
I suspect it was because I gave up my favourite seat to oblige a sick passenger.
I'll also add that I've never had a peroxide blonde from either the UK nor Australia privately escort me down a private gantry to my "Cabin" for any airline. Wow. Amazing. I'm not sure that even if I had the money that I'd be willing to shell out that kind of cash for a flight. I've done cross country ... what, 8 hours? And if I can handle that in a coach seat, then I'm betting I can last twice as long from Dubai to London or wherever.
For a week's length journey in interplanetary and then interstellar space (didn't it used to be 2 weeks?), I suspect I would be willing to spend the extra dough for some accommodations. But yeah, I've seen similar videos for other airlines that offer similar set ups, and it does strike me as what it must be like to live on a starship with a private cabin.
For a week's length journey in interplanetary and then interstellar space (didn't it used to be 2 weeks?), I suspect I would be willing to spend the extra dough for some accommodations. But yeah, I've seen similar videos for other airlines that offer similar set ups, and it does strike me as what it must be like to live on a starship with a private cabin.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
It's relative.
I've done transAsia, transAtlantic, transContinental, and transPacific, in cattle class, and it's very dependent on how much space the airlines allocate per seat, outside of factors that aren't under their direct control.
Personally, thirteen hours is about the limit for me, without really getting antsy.
After that, and interstellar flights and jumping can be longer, you'll want more extensive facilities for personal care and stretching your legs. The default allocation of half a tonne for an acceleration couch certainly helps, but an insight in human nature indicates that that may shrink.
I've done transAsia, transAtlantic, transContinental, and transPacific, in cattle class, and it's very dependent on how much space the airlines allocate per seat, outside of factors that aren't under their direct control.
Personally, thirteen hours is about the limit for me, without really getting antsy.
After that, and interstellar flights and jumping can be longer, you'll want more extensive facilities for personal care and stretching your legs. The default allocation of half a tonne for an acceleration couch certainly helps, but an insight in human nature indicates that that may shrink.
BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
"Cattle class"... I suppose you could describe the seating in a DC-8 charter flight* from MCAS El Toro (Orange County, Ca) to Yakota AFB (Japan) [and the return flight 6 months later] like that... we did have a fueling stop in Anchorage Alaska, but we didn't leave the plane.
The whole aircraft was 6 abreast plain seats - ~250 of them.
* Arrow Airlines.
The whole aircraft was 6 abreast plain seats - ~250 of them.
* Arrow Airlines.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
I've done Dee Cee Eight, and as I recall, they did have an aisle through the middle.
Ergonomically, three four three is pretty efficient.
Train seating, two three seat couches facing each other, allows a lot of legroom, and occasionally, foot rest.
Ergonomically, three four three is pretty efficient.
Train seating, two three seat couches facing each other, allows a lot of legroom, and occasionally, foot rest.
BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
DC-8 = 6 abreast, 3 on each side of the single aisle.
Similarly, USN C-9 from EAFB to NS Seattle, stopover at Kodiak. ISTR about 110 persons aboard.
IIRC, it was 2-aisle-3. There was almost no leg room, as the Navy packed the seats in... no first class, either, all "coach"...
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Two by two is probably ideal in terms of accessing the aisle, and as I understand it, regional jets are getting a range increase to facilitate intercontinental point to point.
Off hand, I don't recall all the regulations and standards involved, but when I looked it up to figure it out for Travelling, I think maximum capacity was one hundred forty nine with a cabin crew of three (or four). Maybe three toilets.
Off hand, I don't recall all the regulations and standards involved, but when I looked it up to figure it out for Travelling, I think maximum capacity was one hundred forty nine with a cabin crew of three (or four). Maybe three toilets.
One big limitation for airliners is the necessity to be able to evacuate the cabin promptly in an emergency.
Less critical is how quickly you can deplane passengers and board their replacements for the next flight (same issue, slightly less time pressure).
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Also pilot unions; as I understand it, flying regional and standard have different salaries, so it's in their interests to keep regional jets as small and short legged as possible.
BlackBat242
SOC-14 1K
The flight from Yakota to & from MCAS Iwakuni, Japan was via C-9B (2 flights to take all of us).
On the flight to Yakota from Iwakuni at the end of our deployment we were at cruising altitude when the pilot said over the intercom "We are on final approach to Yakota" then shoved the nose down.
He kept that exact angle until he pulled out & flared just before touchdown... we felt the main gear run over the cables of the field arresting gear just after touchdown, then we decelerated pretty hard (for an airliner).
We looked at each other and said "former carrier jet pilot"!
Straybow
SOC-14 1K
I once found sleeper accommodations on a 13 hr A380 flight from HK to SFO. I was seated against the center bulkhead, basically the back wall of the toilets. Not much noise but the smells...
Anyway, it was one of the new seat types that didn't recline. The back was fixed, while the seat pad slid forward about three inches. I had taken my closed cell egg crate sleeping pad as carry-on to lessen the punishment my body was going to suffer. I had cut it in two pieces to the seat and back could be arranged more flexibly. It did help, and I'll do something similar if I'm ever in one of those cattle-cars again.
After being unable to sleep I was looking to my right. I noticed an 18" gap between the last row of seats and the life raft box. The seat support swept back like a "C" so that not only was there 18" to the box, but extra inches beneath the seat itself. I could just lay my mat pieces over the extensions of the legs and lay down flat. It was Cathay Pacific, so the blankets they gave out were black. I was curled up and completely under the blanket except my nose. In the darkness nobody noticed me. I slept almost four hours!
Maybe not quite as sumptuous as in the OP.
Anyway, it was one of the new seat types that didn't recline. The back was fixed, while the seat pad slid forward about three inches. I had taken my closed cell egg crate sleeping pad as carry-on to lessen the punishment my body was going to suffer. I had cut it in two pieces to the seat and back could be arranged more flexibly. It did help, and I'll do something similar if I'm ever in one of those cattle-cars again.
After being unable to sleep I was looking to my right. I noticed an 18" gap between the last row of seats and the life raft box. The seat support swept back like a "C" so that not only was there 18" to the box, but extra inches beneath the seat itself. I could just lay my mat pieces over the extensions of the legs and lay down flat. It was Cathay Pacific, so the blankets they gave out were black. I was curled up and completely under the blanket except my nose. In the darkness nobody noticed me. I slept almost four hours!
Maybe not quite as sumptuous as in the OP.
Initially the Boeing 707 had a version where the seats folded out into beds for trans-Atlantic flights. No, I'm not old enough to have been on one, but I used to see 707s just before they were being permanently phased out ... or so I recall.
Even if I had the money $33,000+ seems a little pricey for an "apartment in the sky". If I had to spend a couple of weeks in the thing going from Terra to wherever, then it would probably be worth it. Only I would hope that there would be enough water / fuel to allow longer daily showers for the two week trip.
And, again even if I had the money, and needed to get somewhere "in style" and relatively quickly, then I'm thinking I might opt for a private jet ... I don't know ... from Dubai to London or wherever.
But, as per the jump torpedo subtopic in some other threads, since 100 diametric tons is the min-hull size for a jump capable "Starship", there's no private jet analog that will carry you from ...(looking up Travellermap) ... Yres to Boughene. Though it would be interesting to do the tip in a jump capable gig or ship's boat. Heck, it might be a challenge in a jump capable air raft.
Here's another video describing what I would call "high passage" on airlines (note that they go down hill starting with Luftansa);
Even if I had the money $33,000+ seems a little pricey for an "apartment in the sky". If I had to spend a couple of weeks in the thing going from Terra to wherever, then it would probably be worth it. Only I would hope that there would be enough water / fuel to allow longer daily showers for the two week trip.
And, again even if I had the money, and needed to get somewhere "in style" and relatively quickly, then I'm thinking I might opt for a private jet ... I don't know ... from Dubai to London or wherever.
But, as per the jump torpedo subtopic in some other threads, since 100 diametric tons is the min-hull size for a jump capable "Starship", there's no private jet analog that will carry you from ...(looking up Travellermap) ... Yres to Boughene. Though it would be interesting to do the tip in a jump capable gig or ship's boat. Heck, it might be a challenge in a jump capable air raft.
Here's another video describing what I would call "high passage" on airlines (note that they go down hill starting with Luftansa);
