JBD

Forgive me for starting a new thread, but my searching didn't yield any info on this, unless the A340-600 is referred to here as 340 and not 346...

I'm booking travel for family, and they'll be flying the daytime LHR-LAX in November. VS's seat map shows a couple of partitions down both aisles in Upper Class and I'm admittedly confused.

Any suggestions for good seats for a couple? The cabin seems wide open at this point.

Thanks for your help, it is appreciated.

WorldJumper

When we fly as a couple, we like to sit across from one another in the same row instead of being on the same line of seats next to each other.

That being said, on the A340-600 as a couple, we like to be in the middle of the UC cabin as you get less passengers walking past you for the lavatories. Seats 7A/D, 8A/D and 9A/D tend to be my pick. You're going to have less people walking past you for the UC bar on the LHR-LAX route as it's more daytime, but on the overnight flights like LAX-LHR, I'd stay in row 4,5 or 6. It does get a bit crammed feeling towards the front.

Traveling by myself, I tend to be on the right side in 6K or 7K if possible.

On the right side of the plane from 2K to 7K the partition runs down the middle so that seats 2K-7K are just those seats with nobody opposite of you. It's a lot more private feeling. On the Left side, from 8K to 16K or so, the partition runs so that those seats are private.

As a side note, you should be fine in November.... but the D and G seats in the middle don't have any air vents, so if you like fresh and cool air, then I'd advise not booking a middle seat. In the Summer it gets very hot, stuffy and bothersome when seated in a middle seat.

So for a couple, if they want privacy, no ability to really see one another (unless they lean over the seat), and want fresh air, I'd highly suggest 8A & 9A or 6K & 5K or 7K & 6K. It's a little easier to talk to one another in this configuration as you're not chatting across the aisle.

If they want to sit across from one another and be able to easily look at each other durning the flight, (one wont have fresh air) seats 7A & 7D or seats 8G & 8K are fantastic.

Hope that helps

JBD

WorldJumper you're amazing! Thank you so, so much for such a comprehensive reply. YES that helped! I'm sincerely grateful!

^^ :-::-::-::-::-:

Therealdragonlady

There's a bassinet at 8 G so I avoid anything around that area at all costs ( it's generally not a requestable seat either because of the bassinet facility).

JBD

Another question please.

I'm looking at VS' seat map for my sister's flight, and the rows don't line up:
Seat 2A appears to be across from 3D, or actually just a smidge behind
6A lines up with 7D
7A is across from the basinet/closet space

However, on the other side the "couples seats" do line up:
8G with 8K, and so on

Is this just a crappy illustration?

Or if my sister chose seats 2A and 3D because they appeared to be across from each other on VS' map (which she actually did, not waiting for my FT research), would they end up sitting across from strangers?

(I tried to find a VS seat map for the 346 that I could link here, but was only able to pull it up within my sister's booking, under "select your seats". I made 2 screen shots of the cabin, and combined them in a crude pdf - but I don't know how to link pictures or pdfs here. Happy to do so is someone directs me how.)

Thanks again.

flyerCO

The window and aisle seat dont line up exactly thus the map is correct. Common with this type of seating.

JBD

Thanks for the replies and additional info!

Yet another question please.

I found the VS online seat map on their site, and see one difference between the A340-300 and A340-600 is inclusion of the vertical lines between D and K, and A and G in the 346 map.

These partitions represented by the vertical lines, that were referred to in WorldJumper's post above, are they floor to ceiling?

Here's the link:
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/us/en...our-fleet.html

Thanks again.

Therealdragonlady

No, they're not floor to ceiling but are the height of the back of the UC seat.

JBD

Thanks Therealdragonlady!

WorldJumper

Yeah, luckily I've rarely ran into anyone using it on the SFO/LHR or the LAX/SFO routes. Never considered it to be that bad, maybe 1 in 10 times they get ovcupied.

Zacnlinc

Yeah, after reading this info I went into my itinerary and moved one of our seats from 5K to 3K. Now were 3K and 4K to/from LHR from SFO. But if it is too "cramped" up front as mentioned in this thread, maybe we could move again once we're on the plane and if no baby is in the cabin... Not sure what makes the front seem so cramped, but hey, it's all about the trip and the destination. Nice long flight indeed.

WorldJumper

Well, the front has always seemed more cramped feeling to me. It may only be a bit smaller than towards the middle or rear of the Upper Class cabin, but that's my feeling.

On a second note... if you're tall, or a member of your group is, then getting a window seat will give you a few extra inches of sleep space by putting your pillow in the indentation of the window when sleeping.

bennytma

Great thread - thanks! Just updated my JNB-LHR-BOS UC booking.

JBD

Just wanted to report back: I relayed all this to my sister, and they switched from 2A and 3D to 4K and 5K.

So thanks again!

WorldJumper

Should be some good seats for them, full air, not too much traffic and very private feeling there. ^