Originally Posted by
tdracer
The A380 got the showers, lounges, and suites because the operators couldn't routinely fill the aircraft if they packed them in like sardines - so instead they treated the A380 as a premium product with lots of room and amenities. If anyone had ever operated the A380 with it's advertised 800+ passengers, the passenger experience would have been at least as miserable as any 777 and 787.
I disagree - stuck in the middle of lower deck economy you have no idea of what luxuries are available upstairs - but it is still far more comfortable than a 777 / 787 due to lower noise levels and the seat width. B777s with 3-3-3 seating have reasonable widths but you have to deal with the constant roar of the engines for hours on end; and I've never been in a 787 with decent economy seat width to compare.
But A380 versus 777 on 3-4-3 is incomparable. For one thing I can eat on an A380 as I can shift my legs slightly to the side and so get the tray table down ... I can't do this on a 777 without putting my knees under the neighbouring seat's tray table, When travelling alone this means 15/16 hours with no food or sleep - doable, but by no means enjoyable! And I enjoy the A380 - even in the depths of economy!