There is about a 20% chance I am going to Dakar as part of the work of a nonprofit that recently asked me to take over as executive director. As I understand it, the most convenient way is DAL from Seattle to JFK then DKR. Is DAL using a 757 to DKR? How is the comfort on such a long flight?

Coach on 757's are horrible for long-range flights, IMHO.

Going anywhere in the back of a 75 sucks! Try to get the comfy comfort seat.

It's showing a 757, but it's only 8 hours.

Try sitting in that same coach seat for 17 hours from JNB to ATL.

I'd rather sit in the wheel well!

East Coast of the USA to West Coast of Africa...piece of Cake.

A little over 8 hours...easy. Buy Economy Comfort if you want a little more leg room. Otherwise, pop a sleeping pill and you'll be there after watching a few movies, a few snacks, and a few drinks.

I have made 16 trips to/from the middle east, 14-16 hours each way, all in coach on Delta.

Use some of that big baller money and get yourself an upgrade to business.

Seriously...I would be more concerned with the doxycycline that you will be taking on a daily basis once over there. Its a horrible drug, but necessary.

It will be a domestically configured 757 from SEA-JFK, then an international configured 757 from JFK-DKR (it is referred to as 75S)

Coach will be miserable unless you can get an economy comfort seat, which will cost some extra $ unless you have top elite status at Delta.

look at seatguru.com for seat recommendations.

good luck and be safe.

Why take doxycycline? Take Malarone.

Did the leg last yr in economy plus 757 - it was fine. Dakars a small airport but by far the worst part of the trip was JFK - what an absolute dump with the worst employees on the planet.

Doxycycline is a better overall drug for long term use and protects against other issues found in Africa. Malarone can have some nasty wise effects and is for malaria only. I got to experience some of them first hand. The downside to doxycycline is having to take it for 30 days after leaving.

I guess everyone handles it differently. I've been flying to ACC and DKR since we started and never had any issues with malarone. Growing up in Nigeria, the Congo, and Indonesia, we had to take quinine pills. Those things were nasty and 30+ years later, I still shudder at the thought of those POSes.

Besides, I understood the OP to be visiting, not living there. Long term residency, then yes, doxycycline would be a god idea.