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Everything You Want to Know About Where to Sit on a United Dreamliner 787-8

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Old May 8, 2013, 9:14 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Seating links:

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Uni...ng_787-800.php

="3"%Polaris business Cabin
Rows 1 and 4 (bulkheads) - all seats have larger footwells. Aisle seat footwells are slightly larger than window footwells in all rows.
6DE are considered "most private" because away from galley and lav (although near coach). 6D angles away from aisle so slightly more private than 6E.

1A Footrest well
{new pics needed}

2A Footrest well
{new pics needed}

4A: DAY Love the full access to both windows and the view of the engine. However, I agree with others here, you're just TOO close to the galley. Worse yet, the galley has these super bright lights that can be bothersome on a night flight. The noise from the galley was bearable if you have your headphones on and are watching the TV etc. I didn't see any curtains to cordon off the galley...I wonder why they don't have this like on other aircraft. (If I remember correctly)

5L: DAY Nice quieter side. No galley issues. Still have a view of the engine but not as good as 4A. Your second window is partially obstructed by your seat so you only have access to the window "button" on the more forward window. Not a big deal...but I prefer to have 2 full unobstructed windows like in 4A.

6A: NIGHT Same a 5L very quiet. Full access to windows. No galley noise. Not as good a view of the engine but you can still see it albeit you're mostly over the wing at this point. ***NOTE: If you're on a night flight, like I was for this instance, there was this very bright spotlight just over the exit door 2R (across the 2L door where we boarded from) that the F/A couldn't turn off. He was very apologetic but ended up just taping a piece of cloth or something to accommodate me. Maybe I'm just super sensitive to the light but I couldn't ignore it even if I tried to. It was just perfectly aligned to my line of sight from my seat.


="3"%Economy Plus Cabin:

The front bulkhead rows (16ABC, 17DEF, and 16JKL) all have good (and identical!) legroom. Unless you are over 6'3" and/or just hate bulkheads, I'd recommend any of these seats.

I can confirm that all of these seats have identical legroom. Didn't bring my tape measure, but in both seats, my fully extended legs just touched the bulkhead -- I couldn't quite brace my feet against it, and ended up using my camp stool. For reference, I'm 6'1" with a 32-inch inseam. There's easily enough room to get up from the window seat and walk out into the aisle in a civilized way without (much) disturbing the neighbors. So, even as a committed aisle guy, 16A/L will be my first choice in the future. The view of the wing, engine, and horizon is pretty good (and you can easily spend half an hour playing with the windows). Bulkhead comes about half-way across 16C/J seat, so angling legs can get you a bit more room into business cabin. However, the curtain dangles there, which can be annoying, as can FAs going through.

UA actually did something pretty clever in 17DEF and 27DEF. Unlike every other bulkhead row in the fleet, this one actually has an adjustable armrest! It's the one between D and E (note: I'm certain of this in row 17, but could be wrong about 27). The trick is that the tray tables and video screens are to the left of D, to the right of F, and in between E/F. Thus, 17D is the clear choice here, since if 17E is empty you get to flip the armrest up and squish out. 17D/E is a good choice for couples. 17D/E are usually blocked until checkin.

Row 27 is the other potential winner. 27A and 27L have significant encroachment from the exit doors, and will probably be debated in this thread for years. 27BC and 27JK have infinite legroom, so the aisle seats are probably the top choice if you have NBA ambitions. You're going to have the standard issues with people hanging out in your space and waiting for the lavs, though. I think that the legroom in 27DEF is pretty much the same as 17DEF, but I didn't get a chance to sit there, and the inhabitants didn't encourage close inspection.

The rest of the E+ seats seem pretty much indistinguishable. Keep in mind that they're narrower than anything else in the fleet, so the eternal "E+ middle or E- aisle?" debate is differently weighted -- middles are gonna be tight. All the seats are tight, but not as tight as the 777-300 and reconfigured 777-200 (10 across) in coach.

Fixed bassinets 4AB, 4KL & 16ABC, 16JKL, 17DEF, 27DEF

Summary.

Normal people: 16A/L, then 17D, then 17F, then 16C/J. 27C/J are probably next best, and after that, it's personal preference between the E++ middles (16B/K, 17E, 27B/E/K) and the rest of the aisles and windows in E+.

Tall (6'3"+) folks: You aspire to 27C/J, followed by 27B/K, and then probably fall back on the advice for "normal people" above. 27A/L are probably not worth it.

Couples (or single + small child): 17D/E and 27D/E are the hidden treasures here; you can put up the armrest and snuggle. Or, if you're traveling with a toddler, you can have legroom while Junior stretches out across your lap for a nap.

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Everything You Want to Know About Where to Sit on a United Dreamliner 787-8

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Old May 4, 2017, 8:30 am
  #376  
 
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Check the wiki of this thread to make a decision. I would take any aisle seat because it is a daylight flight.
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Old May 4, 2017, 1:32 pm
  #377  
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Originally Posted by swiftaw
My upgrade on next week's FRA-IAH cleared, so now I have to decide where to sit. Traveling solo, the only 'middle' seat available is 6E. Other than that pretty much every window/aisle pair in rows 4, 5 and 6 is available, as well as 2A, 3A, and 3K. Any advice/insight?
6E is fine unless you want a window, in which case 4L (north side of plane for daytime TATL west).
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Old May 4, 2017, 3:36 pm
  #378  
 
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Originally Posted by findark
6E is fine unless you want a window, in which case 4L (north side of plane for daytime TATL west).
Does row 4 have bigger footwells?

I like the middle pair because I and my unknown neighbor both have aisle access. Although I was wondering if the downside to being on the last row is being the last for meal choice.
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Old May 4, 2017, 6:58 pm
  #379  
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Originally Posted by swiftaw
Does row 4 have bigger footwells?

I like the middle pair because I and my unknown neighbor both have aisle access. Although I was wondering if the downside to being on the last row is being the last for meal choice.
Yes, row 4 is the bigger footwell but especially if not getting a night's sleep I don't think it's a big deal. Meal choice is a potential downside of 6, but aisle access is a big plus. I'm a window person so I would probably be found in 4L here.
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Old May 7, 2017, 12:00 am
  #380  
 
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Originally Posted by findark
Yes, row 4 is the bigger footwell but especially if not getting a night's sleep I don't think it's a big deal. Meal choice is a potential downside of 6, but aisle access is a big plus. I'm a window person so I would probably be found in 4L here.
Checked again this morning and 4E had opened up, so I grabbed that.
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Old Jun 22, 2017, 2:18 pm
  #381  
 
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Did anyone ever confirm that for 27DEF the D/E seats share a lift-able armrest like 17DE?
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Old Jun 22, 2017, 3:37 pm
  #382  
 
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Originally Posted by toastedcoconut
Did anyone ever confirm that for 27DEF the D/E seats share a lift-able armrest like 17DE?
Yes.
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Old Jun 26, 2017, 7:14 pm
  #383  
 
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Do any of the other rows have bigger footwells or are they all the same except row 4? And does it matter from window/aisle/midaisle etc?

Originally Posted by findark
Yes, row 4 is the bigger footwell but especially if not getting a night's sleep I don't think it's a big deal. Meal choice is a potential downside of 6, but aisle access is a big plus. I'm a window person so I would probably be found in 4L here.
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Old Jun 26, 2017, 7:19 pm
  #384  
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Originally Posted by silverforumsurf
Do any of the other rows have bigger footwells or are they all the same except row 4? And does it matter from window/aisle/midaisle etc?
Row 1 also has the larger footwells. There is some variation between seats, but I don't remember the specifics. The bulkhead versus non-bulkhead is the only difference that's really noticeable.
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Old Jun 26, 2017, 11:00 pm
  #385  
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Originally Posted by findark
There is some variation between seats, but I don't remember the specifics.
Aisles have larger footwells than windows.
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Old Jul 2, 2017, 2:42 pm
  #386  
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Originally Posted by swiftaw
Does row 4 have bigger footwells?

I like the middle pair because I and my unknown neighbor both have aisle access. Although I was wondering if the downside to being on the last row is being the last for meal choice.
I just flew a 787-8 in Row 4 today.
Here's a picture of the footwells for 4L and 4K.

Slight difference for window vs aisle but still above avg.
Middle section bulkhead (4D/E) appeared to have larger space than ours but I didn't personally look at them.

As for meal selection, the FA was probably doing it by status - he was jumping all over the cabin taking orders. YMMV.
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Old Jul 2, 2017, 2:43 pm
  #387  
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Originally Posted by izzik
Slight difference for window vs aisle but still above avg.
Difference is more substantial in the non-bulkhead rows.
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Old Jul 2, 2017, 3:08 pm
  #388  
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Interesting.
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Old Jul 2, 2017, 5:35 pm
  #389  
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Originally Posted by izzik
Interesting.
Windows are impacted by the shell for the seat in front and the fuselage. Aisles only by the seat in front.
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Old Jul 6, 2017, 2:45 pm
  #390  
 
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I had booked a relative with no status on an upcoming SFO-TLV on what UA is saying will be a 787-8 and 27L is open. I understand the exit door "encroaches" on what otherwise would be a lot of legroom. Here's my question: does this actually create less legroom than a standard E- seat? Or is it either the same or better than a standard economy seat? Thanks.

Yonatan
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