Embrarer RJ 135/145 ExpressJet Airlines - Question
 

My 3 sisters and I are considering booking a flight from Buffalo to Fort Myers via Cleveland. When I view the seat selection I see that the portion of the flight from Buffalo to Cleveland is on an 'Embrarer RJ135/145' airplane. The seat map shows 50 seats. My sisters haven't flown alot and I think they're a little concerned about the size of the plane. Since I'm the one handling the booking, I feel responsible.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who is familier with this type of plane and can give me any information either good or bad.

I look forward to receiving your comments.

Thanks very much.

P.S. I also posted my question on the US board.

What kind of information, kiddo?

Thanks for your reply Pat. I was looking for people's flight experiences on this smaller type of jet. I think a larger sized aircraft gives you a better feeling of security, or maybe that's just me. However, I went ahead and booked the flights anyway as they seemed to be filling up fast, so we're definitely committed now regardless.

These are regional jets, with a 1-2 seating. Of course the plane is smaller than any "mainline" aircraft like the 737, but it flies as fast and as high.

There's one flight attendant, but since BUF-CLE is so short, I doubt you'll even get a beverage service. The seat actually is about the same size as a mainline jet, with just as much legroom and width. However, they are much noisier. Also, the overhead bins are much smaller, so you can't bring a "roller" suitcase or anything large on board. Instead, larger "carryons" will be gate checked - you drop it off right before you board the plane, and get it back right after you get off.

I should add that you're lucky that you're only flying it BUF-CLE. Continental are replacing a lot of longer domestic routes with the ERJ, including some that are over 3-hours long. Like Houston-Boise, Idaho or Houston-Bakersfield, Calif.

Thanks RKkwan. That's good to know especially about the carry-ons. We'll definitely keep that in mind.

Thanks again.

I'm glad then it's such a short flight.

I'm sure flight-wise it will be fine, it's just that a few years ago my sister and I flew America Eagle from Miami to Naples on a turbo-prop airplane, which I have to say made us a little more nervous than usual, so we were a bit leery of this smaller plane. I know it's a crazy fear...larger-size doesn't necessarily mean safer!

Thanks again.

We flew on these aircrafts at least 50 times. We never had a problem, never. Once a while they are delayed just as any other aircrafts/flights. Each time it was just another short flight. Last week we were on the flight from Burlington, Vt to Newark. Uneventful. Stop worrying. Even on flights Albany-Newark we always get drink service if this is important to you. Personally, I don't care I just bring my own bottle of water. Some people bring lunch. One time one young couple brought pizza. I can steel remember that terrible smell all over the plane. Any plane, regardless of it size, and pizza just don't go together so that had nothing to do with 'Embrarer RJ135/145'
No problem with luggage. Rkkwan explained this well.
By the way, on February 7th we fly from Burlington to Newark than connecting to Ottawa, Canada. Both on Embrarer.

Thanks to everyone who replied. Drink/food service isn't important to us, my questions were more safety-related.

It sounds as if we don't have anything unusual to worry about.

Thanks again.

My daughter flies to college on those all the time - back and forth from Newark to Charlotte, NC - she loves them - so do I. I just don't like SEAT A - it's all alone. I rather B or C. But they are great little planes - not much room for carry ons. I rather them to the big planes - flying on one next Friday !! Have fun.

I have flown on these planes often. Saftey is not a concern!!!! Flying will always be safer than driving or even walking across the street. Enjoy!!!

I used to work for Am. West in CMH, and we used Embraers a lot. They're comfortable for a short flight, and very smoth. They're jets, so they aren't turbo props.

Bondgirl: Is there much difference between the Emraer and the CRJ ? I thow the CRJ is 2 x 2 and the Emraer is 1 x 2 but is there a difference in overall comfort, noice etc?

ttt for Miramar

Rkkwan or anyone else who might know,
Re rolling bags on the Embrarer RJ 135/145 ExpressJet. The previous post said that,

"larger "carryons" will be gate checked - you drop it off right before you board the plane, and get it back right after you get off."

So this means you don't have to leave a secured area of the airport, in this case EWR, to claim baggage do you? I'd hate to have to have a tight connection and have to deal with security lines!

Thanks!

No, you claim your bags right outside the plane door. What usually happens is that you'll find many of the passengers standing right outside, all waiting for the bags to show - which takes only a few minutes.

Thanks again Rkkwan. PS, the PIT-EWR-AMS and AMS-EWR-TPA flights we've talked about..have gone up almost $40 since I booked them last week...thanks for egging me on to buy them when I did!

irishdame - If you sit very close to the front and exits the plane first, make sure you stop and wait for your gate-check bags. It's easy to forget and keep walking the first few times.

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Since I only took my first Jungle Jet flight a month ago, I'd add my experience here to share with all of you and answer JamesA's 6-month old question...

The ERJs are quieter and more comfortable than the CRJs-100/200. The "A" seat is nice for apparent reason. Don't forget to pull up the armrest next to the window to give you even more elbow room.

If you don't mind the "responsibility" of sitting at the exit row, get row 9 on COEX's ERJ-135 or row 14 on the ERJ-145. There is extra-long legroom. I sat in 14B, and it's really comfortable.

The seat width and legroom is really no difference from a 737/757. Shoulder and headroom is where it lacks. Also a lot noisier. For longer trips, heaphones with noise-cancellation will be highly appreciated. The front should also be a lot quieter than the back, as the engines are attached to the fuselage in the rear.

There's actually a lot of luggage room underneath the seats - no different from a mainline jet. But the overhead bins are very small and the aisle is too narrow to pull a roller through. That's why they have to gate-check your luggage.

I flew the Embraer 145 twice last weekend, both flights on United.

Had 12B in the exit row (according to seatguru row 12 is the exit row on Continental, too). The other seats in the row were empty. Nice flight, relatively quiet and not like like a turboprop.

On the second flight I had the aisle in row 3. The solo A seat was empty and there was a person in the window seat next to me, but it looked like I was better off in the aisle seat. More legroom because of the bulkhead, but just as important was the "arm room". On those small planes, it seems that the window-side armrests are too close to the cabin wall and the curve of the cabin on the small planes crowds my shoulder and head.

James A - Besides the configuration, the Embreaer and the CRJ are extremely similar.