Originally Posted by
Liphotoman
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.
Paragraph 1: Yes, that is correct.
As for the rest, unfortunately it's something people have complained about...but no matter that you want to hold her hand, go on vacation, etc, those really won't change the fact that you have a huge barrier between you if you're next to each other.
A few additional things about the seats, it's a herringbone design as you've likely seen, but on the 77A the slant is significant enough that even if there were no barriers, your head is at about the other person's midsection. If you're looking across (if your partner is across the aisle instead of next to you), you really can't see them due to the barrier being so long, unless both parties are leaning forward.
I'm the business traveler who only flies for work and never actually with anyone I'm dying to talk to, so take this with a grain of salt, but I find it MIGHT actually be advisable for CX to consider making the back flap lower-able. Others here, please chime in, but my logic is this: The barrier between you and them is slim. On the 77A, the slant is significant enough that it only requires about 1/4 of a head turn by each party to see each other. I've thought sometimes that if you had a partner, and if that slat could be lowered, you actually could have a good time with that person (assuming you know them, and your seat is in the lie-flat mode).