Air New Zealand Air Points - Best seats to book in Premier Business class

My mother and I are travelling from HK to Heathrow later in the year. I have not flown Air NZ in this type of lay out and was wondering best seats to ask for. I read somewhere that front section of lower deck probably the best. I was going to ask for 3A and K as it sems reasonably near front (so narrower) to conduct a conversation from time to time. Rows 1 and 2 also available but no storage cabin space above I see. Would we be better in Row 1 or 2 or even a 3A/4A type combination?

My mother and I are travelling from HK to Heathrow later in the year. I have not flown Air NZ in this type of lay out and was wondering best seats to ask for. I read somewhere that front section of lower deck probably the best. I was going to ask for 3A and K as it sems reasonably near front (so narrower) to conduct a conversation from time to time. Rows 1 and 2 also available but no storage cabin space above I see. Would we be better in Row 1 or 2 or even a 3A/4A type combination?

Depends on what you want, see / talk to each other? no stairs, higher FA/PAX ratio, faster de-boarding... etc To be honest no NZ C seat is bad, they are all the same, the ideal location depends on your own criteria... You can always dine together with the "oterman" (foot rest). I like the nose, Flew 4A last time, have only flow T/D with the old config and the nose when it was F prior to my last AKL-LAX-LHR in C... Try www.seatguru.com...

tht

It is personal preference whether to sit across from each other (can look but not so easy to talk) or beside each other (easier to talk but can't see).

Depends on what you want, see / talk to each other? no stairs, higher FA/PAX ratio, faster de-boarding... etc To be honest no NZ C seat is bad, they are all the same, the ideal location depends on your own criteria... You can always dine together with the "oterman" (foot rest). I like the nose, Flew 4A last time, have only flow T/D with the old config and the nose when it was F prior to my last AKL-LAX-LHR in C... Try www.seatguru.com...

tht


I second www.seatguru.com option. I love that site!

-SF

I wouldn't try to conduct a conversation across from 3A to 3K... it is still quite a distance...

Kiwi Flyer is right......I was in 4A and was able to talk to (and hear) the guy in 5A easily enough.. BUT.. I like to look at people I'm talking to and I rapidly developed a sore neck trying to do that....

As a solo traveller I think the seats are marvellous... I can see the downsides for those travelling together.... even 1A/K didn't look terribly conducive to easy conversation if you ask me..... haven't tried the ottoman alternative.....

In fact on my flight 1A was empty.. a family had 1/2/3 K.....

It is down to personal preference, but of course the choice is easier once you've experienced it!
Having travelled BP many times, my wife and I prefer window seats behind each other downstairs. Works for us - YMMV.
Have a look at some photos of the BP cabins (www.airliners.net is a good resource as well) and this might help you make up your own mind. The dining together option is really nice as long as one of you has a reasonably slim rear end that will fit onto the ottoman seat ;)

hmmm... according to seatguru it sez row 1 has a good view from the windows. Now if this is true, and you haven't done it before, it's really quite awesome to sit and be able to 'look forward' where the plane is going.

regards

lme ff

Ok - Upstairs or down in BP? Anyone got any experiences of both? which would you pick?

Ok - Upstairs or down in BP? Anyone got any experiences of both? which would you pick?

Downstairs is my pick as it's a more private feeling cabin, and you don't have 23 people sitting in Premium Economy looking at you!

For solo travellers, I guess seats that are furthest apart in the nose of the cabin are the best? Would this be row 4, 5 or 6? I don't really wanna see the "thing" in the middle of the cabin, or whatever it is.

If travelling alone I prefer row 7 - nice and private.

And it is probably old news here... but I was pleased to see the improvement to the seat controls.. that little white shield thingie was totally effective for me in preventing unwanted table "activations"! :D

And it is probably old news here... but I was pleased to see the improvement to the seat controls.. that little white shield thingie was totally effective for me in preventing unwanted table "activations"! :D
Yes, I thought it was a nice improvement... although a strategically placed elbow does still seem to set it off, but much less regularly.

You know, I'd like to commend those of you providing answers to this question for your patience. On other boards here on FT a newbie poster like dunas-dog would have been given a couple of hasty 'use the search function, this question has been asked plenty of times before', or even a more polite 'please refer to the seating sticky'.

But no, some of you have taken the time to re-post what you've posted plenty of times before, and that reflects well on you.

You know, I'd like to commend those of you providing answers to this question for your patience. On other boards here on FT a newbie poster like dunas-dog would have been given a couple of hasty 'use the search function, this question has been asked plenty of times before', or even a more polite 'please refer to the seating sticky'.

But no, some of you have taken the time to re-post what you've posted plenty of times before, and that reflects well on you.

Most welcome, this board is not like those other boards :)

My view is the the lower nose area is best for the reasons mention by many. I traveled with a colleague HKG-AKL and we were seated in 6A/5A - ok for talking, but a lot of head turning or ottoman sitting. If you don't like 'things' in you field of vision, perhaps shooting for 3A/4A (or 4A/5A) (or K) would do the trick as there is a cabin divider that separates the A and K rows from 7 through 6/5.

Finally, I didn't like the fact that the view directly ahead from your seat was a profile view of the person on the other side of the aisle each of you are sitting around 45 degrees to the centerline of the fuselage and so you are a 90 degrees relative to each other. Especially at night, the reading side-light seemed to be shine in my face when trying to doze or watch a movie. Still managed a good sleep with eye shades and seat in sleep position.

See here for a view from 7A http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5815831

cheers, TK

Most welcome, this board is not like those other boards :)

The responses have been helpful and appreciated

sorry to tag onto this thread, but mine is pretty much the same question, but I will be travelling alone.

Should I go for seat 5 or seat 7? Looking at the picture, it seems the galley thing where the bottles of water are would be a bit annoying, but then again as I'm travelling on my own, don't want to be too close to someone I don't know (but then again, i have done my fair share of econ long haul sitting next to strangers).

as I mentioned in another thread, theworld, I usually prefer 4A/K. It's far enough apart across the aisle, yet not right next to the dividing area, so feels more spacious. I never have felt particularly watched or on display in that row. Others, however, do prefer 6 or 7, as it does tend to feel more secluded. That being said, I don't know if any light/noise issues from the galley?

I'd say you'd be fine with rows 4 or 5 - enjoy! :)

FWIW, rows 1-3 seem to get into confusion and some territorial struggles over the overhead bins, so avoid those, lol!