Welcome to FT Dianne Lambert. ^

Assuming an open seat map I would consider taking the following seats:

From London to Maldives

* 1 passenger: 14A
* 2 passengers: 14AB
* 3 passengers: 14ABD
* 4 passengers: 13AB, 14AB
* 5 passengers: 13AB, 14ABD
* 6 passengers: 12AB, 13AB, 14AB
* 7 passengers: 12AB, 13AB, 14ABD
* 8 passengers: 12AB, 13ABD, 14ABD
* 9 passengers: 12ABD, 13ABD, 14ABD

From Maldives to London

* 1 passenger: 14K
* 2 passengers: 14JK
* 3 passengers: 14GJK
* 4 passengers: 13JK, 14JK
* 5 passengers: 13JK, 14GJK
* 6 passengers: 12JK, 13JK, 14JK
* 7 passengers: 12JK, 13JK, 14GJK
* 8 passengers: 12JK, 13GJK, 14GJK
* 9 passengers: 12GJK, 13GJK, 14GJK

The proposed seats are based on the following logic:

* sit on the side of the aircraft that faces away from the sun
* window-aisle pairs are better than centre pairs
* the 'odd' passenger should take the seat over the aisle from a pair rather than be invisible in the row in front