I jumped at the chance to book a trip on Delta's new A321neo twinjets.
I would be riding down back in Main Cabin if the A321neo featured Delta's latest first class product.
Having only just introduced the A321neo on routes out of New York JFK in the days prior, Delta was experiencing some operational issues that week which led to an unfortunate equipment swap to a Boeing737-900ER for my first flight Even though some morning storms tried to ruin the day, it would operate on time.
The experience of the A321neo is similar to the one offered by the737-900ER. I liked the Panasonic seatback screens. My devices were charged up and I was connected.
The recently enhanced Main Cabin Catering was something I was looking forward to. While still a far cry from the free meals for all model offered on many transcon routes, Delta has resumed a limited buy-on-board fresh food program.
There was no up-to-date information on the food options on Delta's website. There was a fruit and cheese plate and a chicken salad sandwich plate.
The cheese and chicken sandwich plates were sold out by the time the attendant arrived at my row, even though I was seated in just the seventh row of the economy cabin.
I was able to get a cheese plate on my return flight.
Alaska Airlines blends the two by offering pre-ordering of food through its app, but United seems to be doing a better job. Delta is behind the curve when it comes to both aspects.
I was able to get Explorer cold brew iced coffee concentrate on both of my flights.
The A321neo was waiting at the gate for the flight to leave. When I asked the flight attendant how he liked the new ride, he said "don't know yet, it's my first flight on it!"
The difference was immediately noticeable when I flew on the full Airspace interior for the first time. Overhead lighting down the length of the aisle was a nice touch.
The Airspace bins were able to swallow up bags. Passengers generally got the hang of the diagrams on how to put bags in the bin, even though attendants sometimes helped.
Delta has a seatback entertainment system from Delta Flight Products, as well as Viasat, on the A321neo.
Delta still offers a world-class movie selection, but its IFE user interface remains lackluster. With so many movies to choose from, it would be great to have favorites come back to me later.
Delta still isn't offering the free internet browsing it has been teasing for years, but it is offering a very reasonable experience on its Viasat-equipped aircraft
The portal automatically connects the passenger to a free messaging tier after the wi-fi network is selected, removing much of the hassle that might prevent less tech savvy travelers from using it.
When streaming video or browsing social media, I was happy with the reliability and speeds delivered and encountered no issues. The experience was very similar to what I've come to expect on the flights.
I was disappointed to see that the situation in the lavatories had deteriorated quickly. There are two lavatories at the back of the economy cabin. The mechanics of the door are not clear.
A passenger accidentally dislodging the door from the sliding track while opening the door of a rear lav, rendering it useless. The toilet paper roll holders are close to the floor in a way that I find unsanitary because of the dirty nature of airplane lavatories.
Delta has added bells and whistles to the A321neo. The overall experience was sullied by the insufficient Catering and Lavatory quirks. Delta offers a small bag of nuts and cookies on a transcontinental flight, but it's more in line with a low-cost offer than it is with a premium one.
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