I have flown on the Boeing 787 four times and twice on the A350, and I will say that my respiratory system feels more comfortable on the 787, while my muscular system feels more comfortable on the A350.
I’m not rich, so I’ll limit my discussion to the economy class only. You should feel very comfortable in today’s modern Business Class, regardless of airplane type.
Keep in mind that airlines are ultimately responsible for the comfort of your seat, not the airplane model. Some seat configurations will have wider seats and better legroom space than others. Its up to the airlines to decide.
I flew on All Nippon Airway’s 787. There are two things to note. First, the economy class seats are arranged in a 3–3–3 layout. The 787 was initially designed for 8-abreast seating, so having 9 seats per row makes each seat more narrow. Second, oh my, the air smells so fresh and clean.
I remembered trying to sleep on board an ANA flight to Tokyo. My seat was quite cramped, and I could not get comfortable. I didn’t sleep well. When I deplaned, I felt very groggy—but I felt really good at the same time, at least my nose and lungs did. I was breathing very well. I was surprised.
The 787’s cabin was pressurized at a lower altitude of 6,000 feet, it was more humid, and it had an air purification system. This made the cabin pressure feel more natural, and the air fresher. For me, the fresh air compensated for the confined seat.
A year later, I flew on Vietnam Airline’s A350. After the 787 experience, I had high expectations for Airbus’ counterpart (sort of). I made a stupid move when I boarded the A350. I took a deep breath while the plane was still refuelling, thinking it did away with the engine “bleed air” system, like the 787. I didn’t find the cabin air to be as fresh as the 787. However, the plane did have 18-inch wide seats, a standard on Airbus planes, and I had more room to relax my muscles than the 787.
Ultimately, despite having less seating space, the 787 surprised me with fresh cabin air. This made me feel really comfortable, especially on red eye flights.
From my experience, the A350’s seats were more comfortable, but seats are not the defining feature of an airplane model, they are influenced by the airlines’ choices. In my opinion, the Boeing 787’s cabin air is one of many comfort features that distinguishes itself from other airplane models.
My verdict—the Boeing 787 is more comfortable than the Airbus A350.
Author – Isaac
