Thanks for your quick reply.

Sounds as though the bar is a bit of a zoo. I would imagine that this may quieten down, a little over, over time: FAs will get a little more adept at spotting UC passengers (and, therefore, filtering some of the others out...).

No beauty therapist on board, I assume (I think those only operate out of LHR now?)?

Can you remember if the seats in row 8 were downstairs? Don't suppose it will matter: I don't always get the seats which are originally allocated to me...

I am looking forward to my trip: doesn't matter what the aircraft or configuration is, it should be a good trip :-) No such thing as a really bad UC seat (since my last trip was a transatlantic in BA economy, I feel this quite strongly aout this... :-)).

Thanks again, Influential. I take it that you are fairly well hooked on UC now. Unfortunately I can't help with your upgrade question: I cheat and buy cheap Continental BusinessFirst tickets which codeshare on Virgin (no limo, Revivals or Virgin miles, but at the price I pay, I can't complain... :-)). Since my travel is all personal, it doesn't matter that the tickets are restricteed business class (Z class).

Boo