Flying economy class: 14'' and 16'' impressions?

[Pangalactic]

I'm looking for a new Mac and being able to work on a plane is a big factor for me.

I own a 13'' M1 MBP from last year, and my impressions so far have been ranging from "pretty comfortable to work on" to "I can barely cram it into the available space". Sometimes I even had to put the keyboard on my belly and semi-close the laptop to fit it, depending on the airline.

I was wondering, how do you 14'' and 16'' owners find working on them while flying economy class?

 

[throAU]

I took a 15" around Europe (and on the flights to/from Australia, Canada and elsewhere).

They're useless in economy. I expect the 16s to be the same (basically same footprint, just less bezel). Not due to weight, but due to sheer size vs. the tray table area you have in economy. All it needs is the person in front to recline and you've got a real risk of it crushing your screen against your tray table (or at least folding it forward past vertical so you can't use it).

13" class machines (and the 14 is almost the same size, just less bezel) are a much better fit. Usable, but unless you need a Mac to work I'd be pulling out a 11" iPad if you have one.

 

[steve217]

I couldn’t imagine using a 16” in economy. I had hard time with a 9.7” iPad flying coach from Europe.

Once I was buckled in between two other passengers I could barely move my arms to tap the airline touch screen on the seat back.

Of course I’m almost 6’4” and 200#.

 

[mj_]

Can't speak for economy but a couple of years ago I had a 2015 15" MacBook Pro and on short-haul business flights where you basically get economy-class seats with sometimes a little bit more leg room and the middle seat left vacant it turned out to be completely useless.

 

[jinnyman]

I took 15 several times. It kinda depends on which airline, but it's doable as long as a person in front of you doesn't recline. I tried to not use it though as 15" size was too cumbersome to be productive anyway.

 

[darngooddesign]

If your work isn't particularly demanding, have you considered picking up a used 12" Retina MacBook for plane use?

 

[Larabee119]

The 16 inch will be too big. Get the base 14 inch and book airlines with larger seats. I can only work with the 16 inch on business class.

 

[throAU]

Yeah worth noting I guess that the airlines I flew with mostly offered "Premium Economy" (Qantas, Emirates, BA).

If you fly with the cheaper carriers, it will likely be even worse. I forgot that there's different levels of economy; but yes, have flown with some cheaper carriers without a MacBook and can't imagine even a 13" machine working in some of them.

 

[Mayo86]

Sitting in economy about to fly now. I would not put my 16 inch MacBook Pro on this tray. As someone mentioned, if the person in front reclines their seat, and you have your screen angled back, it may break.

If you fly around a lot, I would look closer at the 14 inch which I now regret not getting over the 16 inch. ?

 

[julesme]

I’ve always felt that my old 13” models (2013 then 2019) were close to the limit of what would fit in economy, although I used them on many flights over the years, sometimes for several hours at a time, hunched over and barely able to move. I haven’t brought my new 14” on a flight yet, but I‘m hoping it won’t be a problem. I partly chose the 14” over the 16” for airplane / airport use.

The irony here is that my new MBP will be much better equipped from a battery life standpoint, even if it has a larger footprint that barely squeezes into the economy section.

 

[jlc1978]

My experience is:

1. My M1 Air works fine in economy from a space standpoint
2. My 14” M1 MBP is a bit large, even in the various premium economy seats
3. Best solution is my 12” iPad with the magic keyboard for routine work

I am always worried the person in front of me will recline their seat.

 

[Internaut]

The 14” is barely larger than the 13”. I wouldn’t generally be happy with either, in economy, but that very much depends on the airline and seat.

 

[Conutz]

This is also one of the reasons I went with the 14” instead of the 16”. I battled with my 2018 15” on flights, hoping the 14” will be better. Playing with the 14 & 16 in-store, the 16 just felt too big overall, so I went 14 (coming from the 2018 15”).

 

[satcomer]

I'm not sure with today's modern setting arrangement getting any electronic device out in those super small setting! Even reading a magazine/newspaper on plane anymore! Your best thing is get a pair of headphones and listen to your music/podcast/mood music from your smart phones in your pocket!

 

[NdTonks]

Unless you absolutely 100% MUST work on an economy flight - which I am guessing 99% of us don't - the 16" out performs the 14" in virtually every aspect. You'd be nuts to go 14 over 16 in MOST user cases. Not all, but most.

 

[Grohowiak]

Deeeefinitely 14".
I flew few times with my 16" intel and it was a dreadful experience.

 

[UBS28]

Unless you absolutely 100% MUST work on an economy flight - which I am guessing 99% of us don't - the 16" out performs the 14" in virtually every aspect. You'd be nuts to go 14 over 16 in MOST user cases. Not all, but most.

I agree.

Who the hell “works” on an airplane? You realize that people can watch what you are doing?

Would be very nice if a competitor just happens to sit next to you and can basically steal company information super easily.

Working on an airplane is a very bad idea.

 

[Chancha]

I had always been a 12-13" user since G3 days, had no problems using them in flights over the years, until 2015 I tried using a 15" retina since I kind of needed the dGPU. Brought it on a Europe trip and immediately regret it. I later replaced it with a 2018 13" 4 ports Pro, while the butterfly KB was a bitch to deal with, you can't beat its portability. Later on I sticked with the <=14" policy, used the M1 Air and then now the 14" M1 Pro. If power is not needed I would say the M1 Air has the best form out of all, while the 14" is slightly bulkier than ideal, though its footprint or the space needed for fully opened screen is not that different than the 13" class MacBooks in the past.

 

[bradl]

I will say that even with the 13" MBA I have (and that's from mid-2011), even using that on a transcontinental flight was all but useless for me. Not just for the reasons everyone has mentioned above, but that if someone reclines then you'd use the space you'd have available even for that. Even just having it in your lap is almost unbearable. Unless you absolutely have to do work on the flight, I wouldn't bother with pulling out any laptop on the flight: 12" to 16", or otherwise.

If anything, an iPad with keyboard would work, and then let a sync or so push whatever work/productivity over to your Mac when you're on the ground, and take it from there. If not working on it, use the iPad for leisure, then pull out the Mac when you're on the ground, because even with the various seat pitches, you won't have enough room unless you hit business-class or higher.

BL.

 

[Adarna]

I was wondering, how do you 14'' and 16'' owners find working on them while flying economy class?

Buy a Macbook Air. It appears to be designed for economy

 

[bradl]

Buy a Macbook Air. It appears to be designed for economy

They aren't. I've been on a MBA for 11 years. Using them while on a flight is brutal. I wouldn't recommend using it in flight unless you absolutely have to.

BL.

 

[Chancha]

An iPad is obviously more suited for flight use since you have a few ways to hide or lose the keyboard altogether. But if running macOS is a must (which is for most of us), or that you are going to need a Mac for this trip after landing anyway, then the extra iPad just for transit is simply unnecessary weight.

Though I don't ever need touch screen on a Mac, but just for the 2-in-1 form factor for reducing the footprint alone, I sometimes wished Apple would make one of those and have macOS running on it.

 

[Adarna]

They aren't. I've been on a MBA for 11 years. Using them while on a flight is brutal. I wouldn't recommend using it in flight unless you absolutely have to.

BL.

MBA 11"?

 

[bradl]

MBA 11"?

Thankfully, no. Mid-2011 13" MBA.

BL.

 

[jlc1978]

I agree.

Who the hell “works” on an airplane? You realize that people can watch what you are doing?

Would be very nice if a competitor just happens to sit next to you and can basically steal company information super easily.

Working on an airplane is a very bad idea.

A lot depends on what you are doing, and privacy screens are an option. OTOH, I agree that it can be risky, I’ve seen interesting company information over the years.

An iPad is obviously more suited for flight use since you have a few ways to hide or lose the keyboard altogether. But if running macOS is a must (which is for most of us), or that you are going to need a Mac for this trip after landing anyway, then the extra iPad just for transit is simply unnecessary weight.

I carry both. The iPad is great on flights and as a second monitor on the ground.