AeroMexico 787-9 Amsterdam, Netherlands To Mexico City – Best Business Class Cabin and Seat

The post Aanatomy of a Qualifications Dollars Run, reviewed the flight from Mexico City, Mexico to Amsterdam, Netherlands on an AeroMexico 787-9.  It explained the reasons for booking a flight from Toronto, Canada to Amsterdam through Mexico City and returning on the same plane after only five hours in Amsterdam.   On the flight to Amsterdam I sat in the forward business cabin. On this flight I sat in the aft cabin.  This post compares the experiences and opines as to which cabin and seats are the best.  Photos of the first meal service are added for color and good measure.

Before addressing the flight, I have to mention the outstanding KLM Crown Lounge 52 at AMS.  The five-hour layover afforded the perfect opportunity to check out this  recently remodeled lounge.  The remodeled lounge bears little resemblance to the old one.

In addition to new furniture, better free food and beverages, and interesting architectural features, the lounge now has an a la carte restaurant managed by a starred chef from the Rijksmuseum and a feature I’ve never seen before – virtual reality pods created by  Sensiks, an Amsterdam-based company that adds sensory effects to virtual reality videos.  These photos provide a taste of what the lounge looks like now.

After four hours in the lounge it was time to get back on the same plane for the flight to MEX.

AeroMexico Flight AM26 Amsterdam (AMS) to Mexico City (MEX)

Equipment:  Boeing 787-9

Distance:  AMS – MEX 5,729 statute miles, (9,220 kilometers) (4,978 nautical miles)

Cruise Speed:  .85 Mach

Aircraft Range: 7,530 nautical miles, 13,950 km, 8600 statute miles

Scheduled Flight Time:  11 hours 5 minutes

Class of Service:  Class Premier (business class)

Seat:  10J

Scheduled Departure:  20:25 local

Scheduled Arrival:  03:10 local

Scheduled Flight Time:  11.75 hours

This post supplies details of AeroMexico 787-9 business class (Class Premier) seats, amenities, etc.

AeroMexico 787-9 Business Class Cabins

Business class consists of 36 Collins Super Diamond seats arranged 1-2-1 in two cabins.  The forward cabin seats 30 in eight rows.

The aft cabin has six seats in two rows.  The first row in the aft cabin has only two seats in the middle.  The second row, Row 10, has four seats.

I chose Seat 10J, a window seat on the starboard side immediately behind the lavatory.

These are Collins Aerospace Super Diamond seats.  The storage, comfort and features make them one of the best non-suite seats in any business class.

Aft Cabin Disadvantages

Potential drawbacks to the aft cabin on this aircraft are the proximity to the galley, bathrooms and the economy section.  On a night flight, activities of the flight attendants and light from the galley might interfere with sleep.   

Lavatories presents similar issues.  There is traffic.  People sometimes congregate near them.  And on night flights, when the door opens light from inside can be bothersome.  Some passengers are even rude enough to leave the door open when they are finished.  

This cabin sits directly in front of the economy section bulkhead.  Bulkheads have fixtures for bassinets.  Sitting at or near a bulkhead risks being close to an infant.  No one, not even the parents, enjoys a flight near a crying baby.  The chances of having a baby in a bulkhead row are less than 5% in my experience, and when a baby is present, that’s when it is more than worth it to own a good set of noise-cancelling headphones if the airline doesn’t provide them.

Aft Cabin Advantages

The primary advantage is size.  Fewer passengers usually equates to greater privacy and less commotion.  In the age of coronavirus, a window seat in this cabin has the advantage of maximizing the distance offers.

Like many business class seats at bulkheads, Seat 10J benefits from having a flat shelf connecting the seat to the bulkhead.  These shelves are convenient for setting items like blankets, reading material, or anything else during flight.  The AM 787-9 does not have this feature, but some similar seats have lockers in the space between the seat and bulkhead.  I’ve found these lockers to be great for things like hats that might get crushed in the overhead bins.

Best Cabin And Seat

I much prefer a cabin of six to one of 30.  One the other hand the potential disruption from being near the lavatories makes the first row of the aft cabin too much of a gamble.  On a night flight, even the middle seats in Row 10 might find light from the lav annoying.

The best seats on this aircraft in business class are 10A and 10J.  They are far enough from the galley that flight attendant activity is not a problem.  By being directly behind the lavs, light and traffic is not a problem.

Overall Impression

I was very pleased with Seat 10 J in the aft cabin and AeroMexico 787-9 business class generally.  Seat 10J provided superior privacy and convenience and less commotion than Seat 3A in the larger, forward cabin.  Seats 10A and 10J are my first chooses on this aircraft.  I think avoiding Row 9 is wise.

What seat would you prefer on this plane.  Are there additional factors to consider?