Delta Air Lines B767-400ER premium economy

BOSTON-LONDON

CHECK-IN

I took the Boston T train (blue line) to the airport stop, arriving at 1810 ahead of my 1952 flight on a Saturday night. From here, a free shuttle bus picks you up to take you to the airport itself. Delta uses Terminal A, and the drive took just over five minutes. The airport was very quiet.

BOARDING

It was a ten-minute walk from security to Gate A19. Delta One and Diamond passengers boarded at 1905, and Premium Select at 1910. I was offered a glass of Prosecco and my coat was taken. A Tumi washbag was provided and included an eye mask, socks, toothbrush/ paste, a face wipe and a Malin and Goetz lip balm. The cabin was just over half full.

THE SEAT

There are four Premium Select rows (20 to 23) in a 2-2-2 configuration (A-B, C-D, E-F). The seat gives a generous 38 inches of legroom (versus 31 inches in economy) and 19 inches of width (18.1 in economy). Recline is decent, at seven inches (three more inches than in economy). The tray table folds out from the seat arm and is firm enough to work on. The 13.1-inch seatback IFE touchscreen moves so you can keep it at your preferred angle. The seat had a small water bottle holder, two USB points and two universal plug sockets. Over-ear noise-cancelling headphones were provided.

In a 2-2-2 configuration, the seat gives a generous 38 inches of legroom and decent recline

Ultimately, I don’t find that the current style of most premium economy seats – including this one – allows you to sleep that much more easily than in economy. Extra legroom and recline may help some people, but I would prefer headrests that provide greater support – on this aircraft I found the economy headrest more comfortable.

BEST SEAT

Go for 20A for heaps of legroom, aisle access plus a window. The attendants on my flight were very quiet and I couldn’t hear any noise from the galley even though it was near my seat (21A).

THE FLIGHT

We pushed back at 1950 and took off at 2005. Two attendants served the cabin. Once in the air we were given a hot flannel, a white tablecloth was laid out and we were offered drinks and nuts. I had a glass of Californian merlot. From the menu I chose the harissa prawns with apple, celery and rocket, and for my main braised beef short rib with mash, carrots and green beans. These were served together, with a salad, roll and chocolate mousse. All of

the dishes were good, especially the main. My crew member was attentive, frequently checking whether people wanted top-ups.

My IFE screen was slow to respond, then froze. The remote didn’t work either. The attendant reset the system to no avail, so I decided to sleep. The pillow provided was not particularly comfortable. The blanket was a good weight, although it had a plastic-like texture. I woke up 30 minutes before landing and had missed breakfast, but the attendant sped over and offered me a choice of onion quiche with bacon (tasty), or granola, with fresh fruit and a croissant.

ARRIVAL

We landed early at T3 at 0655. Immigration took nearly an hour to clear.

VERDICT

Whether it’s worth paying the extra money for Premium Select depends on how much you value more attentive service in a smaller cabin, extra legroom, priority boarding and an amenity kit. The seat would not be much of a draw for me on a day flight, given the comfort of the new economy seats. I had a good flight, but the IFE would have been an issue during the day. Jenni