It’s time for another Vintage Airline Seat Map and I’ve selected a “guppy” seen flying the skies in 1987.

Formerly a People Express aircraft, Continental Airlines flew the Boeing 737-100 appearing below in an all coach class configuration seating 118 passengers.

I flew on a bunch of -200s in my early years of flying and did occasionally sit towards the rear of the aircraft because I liked to watch the engine “come apart” after landing when reverse thrust kicked in. The -100 had the same engine configuration.

Seat 2A looks to be the best window seat on this aircraft, so you might also find me there.

Where would you sit?

It’s time for another Vintage Airline Seat Map and I’ve selected a United Airlines Boeing 767-200 seen flying the skies in 1987.

I have a United seating guide from 1979 that listed the planned configuration for the 767-200 as being 24 in First and 173 in coach once it was delivered in 1982, so this bird has an “extra” row in coach than what was initially proposed. I’m unsure of the originally delivered configuration.

You’d find me in 2A or 2G in First Class or definitely in that first section of coach just behind First.

Where would you sit?

In other airline, hotel and travel industry news last week…

• Southwest Airlines acquired AirTran in May last year and received a single operating certificate from the FAA last month, but each carrier remains an independent operation for the time being meaning AirTran’s baggage and other fees will remain intact. Unlike the relatively faster integration between Delta & Northwest and United & Continental, Southwest says it will take, “several years to fully transition AirTran into Southwest Airlines to become one airline.” The fees will continue through at least the end of 2013 and possibly into 2014.
• US Airways is expanding its Gogo Wi-Fi service across their entire Airbus fleet and Embraer 190 aircraft, eventually bringing onboard internet capabilities to 90 percent of its domestic mainline fleet. Regional carrier Republic Airlines will also add the service to its Express Embrarer 170 and 175 aircraft. Gogo Vision will be included where passengers have the option to download movies, TV shows and other content directly to their Wi-Fi enabled devices.
• Lufthansa announced their new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental aircraft will be deployed on the Frankfurt to Washington Dulles route shortly after deliveries begin April 23. It will replace the existing 747-400 flights, LH 418 and LH 419. All of Lufthansa’s 747-8 aircraft will feature the new business and first class product, as well as 787-style overhead bins and LED lighting. I look forward to burning some miles to fly this bird in a premium cabin later this year.
• Japan Airlines took delivery of its first two Boeing 787-8s this past week making it the second airline to receive the long-delayed Dreamliner. The airline is expected to begin 787 flights to Boston this month and to San Diego later this year. I may have to start building up my American AAdvantage miles for a future redemption.
• Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel predicts Chicago O’Hare’s newest runway will be built and in use by 2015. The city will rely on financial help from both American and United to get it built and predicts once in use, it will reduce delays by 80 percent and allow for 300,000 more passengers annually.
• My “air traveling idiot of the week” award goes to a woman onboard US Airways flight 1697 from Charlotte to Fort Myers who, in an allegedly intoxicated state, kicked, scratched and spit on flight attendants, even knocking one to the ground. Unlike other recent incidents, the flight didn’t divert and continued to Fort Myers after she was restrained with the help of an off-duty sheriff’s deputy.

Finally, here are some other noteworthy items deserving of a click-through:

• A revealing Q&A with American Airlines CEO Thomas Horton.
• Alaska Airlines dedicates it’s new Terminal 6 location at LAX.
• New York-area airports may fine and prosecute disruptive passengers.
• Airlines for America ends its lawsuit over the EU ETS “tax” scheme.
• New Marriott properties will pop up in 2014 at L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

Last week I posted a pre-deregulation seat map of an American Airlines Boeing 727-100 and I thought it would be interesting to compare it against a version flying the skies eight years later for this installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps.

American pulled out one row of First Class, removed the coat compartment and bar from coach and likely tightened the seat pitch to offer 115 seats in this version versus the 100-seater I posted last week. First Class lost only four seats and economy gained 19 in the reconfiguration.

You’d find me sitting in 5A or 5F in First Class or in the first few rows of coach forward of the mid-cabin galley.

Where would you sit?

It’s time again to feature a narrowbody aircraft for this installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps and I’ve selected one of Eastern Airlines’ Boeing 727-200s seen flying the skies in the late 1980s. The carrier had four different configurations of the -200 and this one was their highest density bird in 1987 seating 177 passengers in a single class of service.

What I find particularly interesting about this configuration is the rather punitive nature of having only two lavatories for its increased capacity. Perhaps it was flown on short-haul shuttle-style markets and I’d love to hear from any readers if they know more.

I’d prefer a seat near the forward part of the cabin with aisle seats 1D and 2D looking particularly attractive. Otherwise, I’d opt for a window in say… row three or four.

Where would you sit?

United Airlines purchased Pan Am’s Pacific Division and acquired several aircraft in 1985 and I’ve selected a 747-200 from that time period featuring United’s Royal Pacific configuration for this installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps.

This particular layout – one of several in United’s 747 fleet at the time – was likely seen flying the U.S. to Japan market as almost 40% of the cabin comprised premium seating. A total of 35 seats were available in First Class in a 2 x 2 layout (or 2 x 2 x 2 aft of door one), Business Class seated 100 passengers in an uncomfortable looking 2 x 4 x 2 configuration with limited pitch, and coach offered 212 seats in the usual 3 x 4 x 3 setup.

In First Class on this bird you’d find me in the nose section as usual, probably in 2A or 2F. In Business I’d be in 17 or 18 A/H and in coach I’d opt for those exit row aisles in rows 27 or 37 if alone, or back in the two-seater section if I had a companion in rows 49-51.

Where would you sit?

In other hotel and travel industry news last week…

• Two business travel publications released their “best of” lists recently and the results go to show you how surveys can differ by reader demographics. For the 12^th year in a row, readers of Global Traveler magazine named Chicago O’Hare ‘Best Airport in North America‘, whereas Denver International Airport was named best-in-class by readers of Business Traveler magazine for the 7^th year in a row. My vote would have been for San Francisco, actually, for their outstanding food, shopping and lounge options on both the domestic and international side. I was a bit shocked Business Traveler’s readers voted Delta as having the best frequent flyer program… yikes!
• I kill time at airports staring out the window looking at airplanes most of the time, but do admit I people watch from time to time. A recent article in the USA Today reveals just how popular the latter activity has become. Entitled, “More fliers indulge their inner gawker,” the article interviews everyone from flight attendants to the casual traveler about their gawking activities. There’s even a website and smartphone app out there called FreakJet.com that enables you to post funny pics of people at airports. Will have to check it out!
• Funding for the FAA expires this Tuesday the 31^st (at the time of writing), but the House has already passed an extension through February 17^th. The Senate is also expected provide an extension before the clock strikes midnight and one article reveals there actually might be a forthcoming full FAA reauthorization bill in the works to avoid further extensions of the last authorization that expired in 2007. Come on, politicians. Let’s do it this time!
• Senator Rand Paul was “detained” by the Department of Homeland Security’s TSA last week for failing to agree to being molested at an airport. Yeah, I said it. I know virtually every blogger out there does the “opt out” of the scanner routine as a strong showing that our civil liberties are being violated, but I still go through them, as does Sen. Paul. I’d much rather do the naked scan thing than have a TSO touch my unmentionables. I just can’t bring myself to being groped.
• Boeing had a blockbuster year in 2011 reporting a 21.5% increase in net income to $4.02 billion. 2010 wasn’t shabby, either, when they posted a $3.31 billion profit. President and CEO Jim McNerney is looking forward to increased production rates in 2012, including moving 787 production up from 2.5 per month now to 3.5 by the second quarter of 2012, and up to 10 per month by the end of 2013.
• Also enjoying a very strong year in 2011 were U.S. hotels and their revenue per available room, up 8.2% from 2010. Total occupancy nationwide surpassed 60% for the first time since 2007 and San Francisco, Miami, Detroit(!) and Nashville saw particularly strong growth.
• Finally, staying on the hotel front, Tnooz.com just released RateGain’s data on North American hotel prices January to March 2012. A median rate four-star hotel in Chicago this month comes in at $186.60 vs. Miami at $370.20 or Seattle at $215.30. In March, Miami again takes top spot among those cities surveyed showing a median rate at the Embassy Suites Miami Airport of $412.06. Ouch.

United Airlines was the launch customer for the Boeing 767-200, but both American and Delta were quick to also place orders for the then revolutionary widebody twinjet in 1978. I’m not sure if Delta ever flew this model overseas, but the 767 was apparently the most frequently used airliner for transatlantic flights between North America and Europe in the 1990s.

This installment of Vintage Airline Seat Maps features a domestic Delta Air Lines 767-200 from 1987. Seating a total of 204 passengers, First Class offered 18 seats in a 2 x 2 x 2 configuration and coach had 186 seats in the usual 2 x 3 x 2 setup. Delta operated a total of 14 of the -200s and one still remains. The Spirit of Delta can be viewed in all her glory at the Delta Heritage Museum located at the carrier’s headquarters.

In First Class I’d be in either 2A or 2F and in coach I’d prefer a window in row 13 or 14 for a great view forward, and a good look back at the engine.

Where would you sit?

In other hotel, aviation and travel industry news last week…

• Last year, Chicago took the top spot as being the city that charges the most taxes to travelers in the country and effective January 1, 2012, they’ve raised hotel taxes another percentage point. It brings the hotel portion on par now with New York and Las Vegas. Another article, however, states they don’t see “any move to raise taxes on the travel industry.”
• Checks are beginning to arrive in mailboxes across the country with refunds of fees charged for using credit cards overseas. A class-action lawsuit that required filing a claim back in 2008 is finally being settled and people are getting surprises in the mail ranging from $18.04 to thousands of dollars. I quite honestly don’t remember if I filed a claim. I hope so, because the travel period was from February 1, 1996 through November 8, 2006 and I was overseas quite a bit during those 10 years. Were you?
• The Department of Transportation extended the deadline for airlines to advertise fares inclusive of taxes and fees by two days. Now effective January 26^th, American Airlines requested the delay since they claimed Tuesdays are the busiest day of the week for their website and the previous January 24^th requirement would have been too burdensome. No other airlines objected.
• Boeing orders are up 52% this year compared to last, in part due to a record-setting year for the 777. The manufacturer delivered 477 aircraft in 2011, but has a backlog of 3,771 unfilled orders. President and CEO Jim Albaugh stated, “As our current commitments become firm orders and we add even more customers, I have no doubt that 2012 will be the ‘Year of the 737 MAX’.”
• A subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, MLT Vacations, is now the travel wholesaler selling Air France Holidays and Alitalia Vacations. They also run the Delta Vacations brand. Vacation packagers receive bulk fare contracts from airlines, hotels and other travel providers and then combine them to sell complete vacations at a price cheaper than what you’d be able to book individually with each unit. I worked for a couple of these outfits in the 1990s and really enjoyed a unique side of the industry not known by many.
• Online retailer Overstock.com launched a travel page on their popular website. Powered by Priceline, you can book complete vacation packages or individual air, car and hotel reservations. It really acts like a portal, though, because as soon as you enter any type of search criteria, it redirects you to Priceline.
• On January 1st, the former Las Vegas Hilton rebranded as The Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, ending its more than 40 years as a chain hotel. This past Tuesday, workers removed the Hilton logo from the side of the building.
• GDS firm Travelport modified their planned re-pricing of certain functionality within Apollo, Galileo and Worldspan that would have cost travel agencies approximately $35 per month per terminal. Not unlike airlines, the company unbundled several integral features of the systems that were once free and wanted to start charging for those services. After backlash from agency groups, they relented and modified their planned changes.
• Finally, a proposal for a third runway at Hong Kong’s airport has been submitted to the government for consideration. Cathay Pacific and Dragonair, as well as the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, backed a study supporting the expansion to keep Hong Kong as “the regional and international leading aviation center.”

She’s three feet long and weighs about 15 pounds:

In other airline, hotel and travel industry news this week…

• Thai Airways will take delivery of two Airbus A380s next year and will initially operate their first whale on regional routes, of which Bangkok to Hong Kong is probable. Once they take delivery of their second A380, service to Frankfurt will begin, followed by London and Paris once additional aircraft come online.
• All Nippon Airways (ANA) announced this week they’d begin flying their internationally configured Boeing 787s between Tokyo and both Seattle, WA and San Jose, CA beginning April 1st and between Tokyo and Boston April 22nd. The aircraft will feature 46 seats in a staggered all-aisle access Business Class and 112 seats in Economy in a 2 x 4 x 2 configuration. Will United Airlines maintain their SEA-NRT daily roundtrip once that happens? I think not.
• The latest push to exclude U.S. carriers from the upcoming European Union Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme has failed. The highest court upheld the law that will begin charging airlines for exceeding their carbon emission allotment on flights to and from Europe beginning January 1, 2012. The article quotes one analyst who predicts the law will cost U.S. carriers $3.1 billion from 2012 to 2020. Where is that money going to come from? You and me. We’re now used to fuel surcharges, so why not throw a carbon footprint surcharge in the mix, too? Ugh.
• Curious to know what hotel rates look like in major North American markets between now and the end of February? Check out this summary showing the lowest and median prices for stays in three-, four- and five-star properties. Chicago, Las Vegas and Toronto have the most economical rates for three- and four-star properties. For those with deep pockets, the median rate for the Ritz Carlton Battery Park in New York is $1,023.88 per night in December.
• Airline transactions processed through the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) were basically flat last month from the large travel agencies serving major corporations (e.g., American Express, Carlson Wagonlit, Omega World Travel), while tickets processed dropped for the second consecutive month from online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia, Travelocity and Priceline.
• The FAA issued a final rule this week covering airline pilot flight times and rest periods. Now instead of eight hours between duty shifts, there will be a minimum 10-hour period with eight of those required to be in a hotel room. Duty times for single cockpit crews will be capped at 14-hours, but can still be extended two hours should delays strike. The new rules don’t apply to cargo operators and UPS pilots sued the FAA on Thursday for inclusion.
• Spirit Airlines reportedly made $50 million in its first year charging customers who have a carry-on bag that won’t fit underneath the seat in front of them. The fee is currently set at $30 per bag if you schedule it online in advance, $35 during online check-in or $40 if handled at the airport.
• British Airways may eventually see competition for its all-Business Class London City to New York Kennedy Airbus A318 service. A previously unnamed buyer of 10 Bombardier C-Series passenger jets has come forward saying they hope to begin similar service to New York and other locations. Named Odyssey Airlines, the carrier claims they’ll be able to fly nonstop versus the one-stop refueling British Airways currently has to do in Ireland on westbound flights. The carrier isn’t expected to get off the ground until 2014, if at all.