I was booked on TG 661 today (8/2) but switched to 641 after I saw on the TG forum that HG-TGY (the first 747 refitted with the new F suites) had flown up to NRT overnight. I really like the TG 777-300ERs that they lease from Jet Star so my expectations were high. I had also flown F in the LH A380 a couple of times in the last month so I was anxious to see how TG would compare
Basically the new seat is an upgraded but very similar version of the seats in the 777-300ERs, with the following changes.
1) The screen is a little bigger. The IFE interface is a little glitzier but a little harder to use.
2) The seat coverings and finish are a little nicer (or a least a little newer). Unfortunately the colors are very bland (dirty greys, browns, and beiges) so the cabin does not look particularly new. There is no coordination between the color of the suites, the carpet, the walls or the ceilings.
3) The dining table is the same but has a much nicer wood finish.
4) The small screen to control lighting and seat position is now matte black with a brushed aluminum housing. The interface has been simplified so it can be used without reading glasses.
5) The doors are gone. The suite has fixed immovable walls extending about 2 feet from the front and back of the suite leaving an opening about 3 feet wide. The front wall is about 4 inches wide and opens to hang a suit or jacket.
6) The side table is a little wider (about 10 inches) and houses IFE controls, dining table, power, USB, etc. The layout is a little different than the 777 but basically similar. About half of the width appears to be dead space. On the window seats, there is a recessed gap between the side table and the window. About 8 inches in row three and narrowing to just a couple of inches in row 1 because of the canting of the side walls at the front of the 747. The space can be used for pillows, brief cases, etc. in rows 2 and 3. Some of the space might have been better used for a slightly wider seat.
7) The seats appear slightly narrower than on the 777, and the foot area is slightly tapered and more narrow in row 1 and the middle wedge of suites than in the row 2 and row 3 window seats
8) There is a new flower holder.
In total there are nine suites: six window suites in three rows and a triangular wedge of three middle suites (two in row 3 and one in row 2). The middle suite wedge is staggered to so that the front of the row 2 middle suite (2E) begins at about the midpoint of the row 2 window suites. The two middle suites in row 3 extend about 3 or 4 feet further back than the row 3 window suites. The aisles between the middle suite wedge and the windows seats are very narrow (feels like Y).
They have replaced the carpeting, but everything else (overhead luggage bins, ceilings, walls, lavs (might have been a slight facelift but I can't remember the old 747 lavs), amenities, food, drink, IFE, service, etc) are all unchanged. It appears that there was no effort made to clean the walls, bins or ceilings.
Behind the first class cabin, there is the half galley/ half J arrangement so the F cabin is completely exposed during boarding, takeoff and landing. After takeoff they have a set of three curtains at right angles which can be closed and velcroed together to somewhat isolate the F cabin.
Overall, the cabin was nice but not overwhelming and certainly an improvement from the previous 747 cabin. I was however disappointed for the following reasons.
1. Without doors, there is no sense of privacy in the suites. Because of the staggered middle section, everyone is looking into someone else's suite. The suite walls provide little privacy and just make the cabin seemed cramped. The overhead luggage bins exacerbate the cramped feeling
2. The color scheme and finishings are at best bland and uninspiring.
3. Nothing was done to improve the F cabin other than the change of seat.
4. I was expecting a major improvement from the 777ER-300 cabin which I very much like, but unfortunately I have to say that if given the choice I would pick the 777 cabin over the new 747 cabin because of the much better privacy.
I'll post some pics as soon as I can.
Nice looking bird.
At the gate.
View on boarding.
A shot of the suite.
Shot from the front. Newspaper table immediately in front of the wedge of middle suites. Galley is visible in the back left and J in the back right.
A shot of 3A (my suite).
3B and the middle suites wedge. Notice the foot area is angled and slightly smaller.
Front of the suite showing the screen and the flower holder (nice touch) but it would have been nicer if they had put the flowers in before the passengers boarded instead of after.
The screen is little bigger than in the 777 and interface looks nicer (glitzier) but I found it harder to navigate and use than the old interface.
Here is the new controller for lights and seat position. Quite nice looking, but unfortunately my seat didn't work properly. The foot rest kept locking into an 45 degree upward angle. I ended up using the 2B (the front single suite in the middle) for sleeping.
IFE controller, USB ports and headphone jack. I found the controller a little hard to use. Sticky buttons which were too close together. I wonder why they didn't combine this controller with the controller for seat position and lighting.
New table. Photo is not great but the real thing looks nice. Too bad they weren't consistent in their choice of wood in the different design elements.
Finish detail. Side table.
Finish detail. Inside of the front wall in the suite.
Finish detail. Seat.
No change in any of the amenities.... same menu, same champagne, same Tumi amenity kit, same Creative headphones, etc.
Not sure if this is the same as the old 747 lav or whether it's been upgraded. Looks familiar.
Storage space under the table at the front of the middle wedge of suites. Second day in the air and they're already using duct tape to hold the cabin together.
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