MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD-80 JET - Seating

[VW31]

Has anyone ever flown in one? The seats are arranged in rows with 2 seats on one side of the aile 3 seats on the other.
Ex.
xx xxx
xx xxx
...

Is the spacing cramped?


Thanks.

 

[shatzjsl]

We rode an MD80 down and back last year (AA) and I didn't feel cramped. Had plenty of room and the person in front of me had the seat reclined.

 

[VW31]

What seating arrangement do you think is better for a family of 6,
two rows of 3 or three rows of 2?
xxx
xxx
or
xx
xx
xx

 

[sgtdisney]

The MD-80 does have the 2/3 seating you are asking about. I kind of like the set up since you only have one middle seat per aisle. The spacing between seats (pitch) probably depends on what airline you are flying on. American used to have the 'more room throughout coach' seating which added inches of legroom, but unfortunately they put an extra row (or 2) seats back in all their aircraft and now the seats have more typical pitch. If it were me, with 6 people, I would pick 2 rows of the 2 seat side and an aisle and center seat across the aisle on the three side. That way you have 5 seats either on the window or aisle and you aren't quite as spread out and can therefore communicate a little easier.

 

[gw_lit]

We rode an MD80 down and back last year (AA) and I didn't feel cramped. Had plenty of room and the person in front of me had the seat reclined.

Just remember, last year AA still had their "More Room Throughout Coach" product in the MD80's. Those extra two rows of seats are due to be back in all of the planes by this June.

Personally, for 6 people, I'd go with 3 rows of 2. That way everyone would have either a window or an aisle, you wouldn't have any center seats.

 

[safetymom]

http://www.seatguru.com/home.shtml

Have you checked this site for your airline and type of plane?

 

[VW31]

Thanks everyone!

sgtdisney, I actually didn't even think about that seating config., but it's a good idea.

Now I'm trying to decide to get seats in the front or middle (by doors).
rows 11 & 12 or 15 &16. (yes I know, i'm neurotic about these things)

 

[mrscoobs]

I ride in MD-80s all the time from Cincy to SLC on Delta and find them to be a little more roomy then the Boeings other than the 777. Depending on the age of family members, I would have mom and dad sit in the last emergency row in the center of the plane (more leg room and you still get to recline seat) and then have the rest of the family on the same two seater side so everyone has an aisle or a window.

Oh, and if you are tall and on the delta models, watch out for that little screens that drop out of the ceiling for the safety movie and in-flight movie. LOL, I was talking to my friend who was sitting behind me and got whacked by the screen as it came down

 

[VW31]

Okay, sgtdisney, I took your advice and reserved 2 rows of the 2 seat side, however across the aisle on the three seat side I chose the aisle and window seats.
xx
xx x_x

Hopefully, someone looking for seats won't choose a middle seat b/t two strangers and that would give us some extra room.


Thanks all, you guys are the best!

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

The seating configuration could be different depending on which airline you are in ... different airlines will have their planes configured with differing numbers of rows of seats.

 

[safetymom]

Just keep in mind if it is a full flight you may have a stranger between you.

 

[ducklite]

Did you choose seats near the front of the plane? Because the MD80 has two engines attached to the rear of the fuselage, it can be a noisy ride in the rear of the plane.

Anne

 

[YachtClubWoman]

I flew Delta and I thought there was less room and I felt cramped. Here is a great website that gives all the seating info for most airlines.

SEATGURU.COM is great for checking seat arrangements - I use it all the time.

 

[VW31]

I checked out the seating plan on AA's website and seat guru. I chose seats toward the front. If someone sits between us we will ask them to switch for the window. If not, it's only a 2 1/2 hour flight, me and DH won't be separated for that long.

 

[OKW Lover]

Has anyone ever flown in one? The seats are arranged in rows with 2 seats on one side of the aile 3 seats on the other.
Ex.
xx xxx
xx xxx
...

Is the spacing cramped?


Thanks.

This is entirely dependent on the airline. Some use 2/3 configuration, some use a 3/2 configuration. Each also determines the seat pitch (distance from one row to the next) individually. You may find the seating to be very comfortable or you may find it cramped.

 

[JimMIA]

I fly MD-80's (which American calls Super 80's) a lot on American. I've always found the seats to be as comfortable as airplane seats are going to be.

The MD-80 is a nice, quiet, smooth ride...especially if you are sitting toward the front of coach.

 

[sgtdisney]

Okay, sgtdisney, I took your advice and reserved 2 rows of the 2 seat side, however across the aisle on the three seat side I chose the aisle and window seats.
xx
xx x_x

Hopefully, someone looking for seats won't choose a middle seat b/t two strangers and that would give us some extra room.


Thanks all, you guys are the best!

Sounds like a good plan. If you do end up with someone between you on the three side, 99% of the time that person will be thrilled to switch out of the middle seat so the two people can sit together. Have a good flight!

 

[sgtdisney]

I fly MD-80's (which American calls Super 80's) a lot on American.

Just an interesting (or maybe not ) piece of trivia here. The MD-80 started out life as a DC-9 Super 80 model. Along about the time the aircraft was being certified by the FAA McDonnell Douglas decided to drop the DC (which stood for Douglas Commercial) designation on it's new aircraft in favor of a naming convention more reflective of the company's name at the time. Sort of like what Boeing did when they bought out McDonnell Douglas and renamed the MD-95 as the Boeing 717.

 

[*Fantasia*]

I say...

xxx
xxx

This way all of you guys can easily talk to each other, it looks more togetherness rather than spread out.

xx
xx x_x It looks complicated and hard to communicate from one side to another.

 

[ducklite]

DH and I love the MD 80--we can choose our seats in the 2 across row and know we will be alone in the row. Of course you can take the chance of booking a x_x and hoping noone takes the center, but anymore carriers fly full a good deal of the time, and it no longer works out that way very often.

Anne