Been looking at the configuration and this forum, and it seems that if couples are flying together in Biz class, due to the seat configuration they cannot really sit/talk/eat/snuggle, etc together in these seats because of both the privacy partitions and the general layout of the seats. Is that correct?

My wife is nervous during takeoff & landing, and she wants to hold my hand during that time. And we are going on Vacation - we don't want to be isolated from each other for 16 hours on the plane.

And it seems like the configuration makes it difficult to look out the window, too, something she feels a need to due, otherwise she feels claustraphobic.

We'll be flying NY - HKG. Recently flew NY - JNB on SAA & it was not configured this way, so there was no problem (but the service - well, that's another story).
Is there a way to book - certain seats - that will allow us to fly as two people flying Together, rather than as 2 individuals who don't want to be bothered by each other? Or a different airline with a better config?

Thanks.