Just about the time I start to feel jaded by the whole enervating, degrading experience of flying commercial airlines these days something like this jolts me out of it, takes me back to the days when flying was fun.
Early this week I had to make a two-day trip to Indianapolis (IND) from Atlanta (ATL). There and back, no big deal. What intrigued me about the trip was the airplane I’d be flying, a Delta Connection Embraer 170, one of the “new breed” of regional jets.
The airplane has been out for a couple of years, but I’d never managed to fly one. Mildly curious, I boarded and took up residence in 15E, a window seat. The cabin was suffused with light, through eye-level windows that seem huge compared to those of larger craft. The seats themselves – even in coach – are form-fitting, and comfortable. I expected my knees to be scrunched up against my chest. Not so. Decent legroom. The cabin is light, airy, and new – not a madeover DC-9 or MD-88.
The weather en route was messy. Summer thunderstorms. The E170 climbed on top like an intercontinental widebody. While bouncy at times, the ride wasn’t bad. I didn’t feel as if I were in RJ.
I had my laptop and a decent-size carry-on with me. Both fit comfortably in the overhead bin. No need to gate-check the latter. I’d have had to do that on a CRJ or ERJ-145.
Embraer is on to something here, and so are the carriers that fly the new Brazilian-built “E” series RJs. May your next boarding pass land you a seat in one.
© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not reflect the views of Cheap Flight News
