Originally Posted by
We won the world cup
Here are available seats for daytime flight LHR-JFK. I am most confused with posts about whether there are fixed dividers between D and H. Please advise which two seats are best for a couple on this flight
Total crAAp shoot. and beware of relying on SeatGuru for advice. See why:
D/H seat pair privacy dividers do not work properly, so they must be locked prior to taxi and flight. FAs can not lock or unlock the dividers, so this is done on the ground.
On various aircraft, the dividers are arbitrarily and apparently randomly set and locked as follows:
- All center dividers locked in the "up" position.
- All center dividers locked in the "down" position.
- Center dividers alternately locked in the "up" and "down" position.
- Whether odd or even dividers are locked up or down seems to be inconsistent and decided arbitrarily.
My observations from AA80 DFW-LHR 13 April 2015. The 77D was substituted for a 772 a few hours before departure. We were seated in middle seats 8D and 8H, aft facing. Our dividers were locked "up", as were all even numbered seat pairs. Odd numbered seat pairs were locked "down", but row 12 was also "down".
I had hoped these might have lowered (or better yet, fixed - hah!) privacy dividers, as my wife has special needs (Alzheimer's disease as well as need for ophthalmic care I administer in travel) but the even numbered middle seat privacy dividers were fixed in the "up" position. This meant no conversation unless I stood up and made applying medications difficult.
Those in front and behind us were traveling solo and had privacy dividers fixed in the "down" position - uncomfortable for some.
Several hours through the flight, my wife's seat jammed in the "Z" position. Cabin crew moved the seat cushion, opened a hinged door to an underseat panel at the seat front and were plain unable to reset seat controls or fix the issue other than to leave it semi-reclined, without reaccommodate on offer or returning to check if she wanted (assuming it was possible) the seat raised to full upright position.
Not much later the seat came loose and moved forward and aft freely; my wife (with Alzheimer's disease) blocked the seat from moving forward (for her, aft for the aircraft) with her extended leg to avoid waking me up and incurred some soft tissue muscle injury as a result. An unlocked seat freely moving in its track is unsafe and surely unsafe for takeoff or landing, of course. (With Alzheimer's disease, the ability to process recent memories and "executive function", the ability to make rational and logical decisions, are the first brain functions to become impaired. I am her care giver as well as husband.)
When I awoke and found this out, I walked the cabin and found 12D and H were not occupied! and had the privacy partition down. Crew had not offered us the information though I had commented on the inconvenience of our partition / seating and my wife's condition.
I informed the crew I was moving my wife to 8H for safety reasons (unsecured seat) and I was taking 12H.
They merely acknowledged my decision by agreeing her seat was a possible hazard for landing at LHR. ("We're here primarily for your safety." Suuure.
In my opinion, crew were derelict in their duty of care, particularly as they were aware of my wife's disability, as they'd have allowed her to remain in an U anchored seat for landing.
(BA cabin crew were much, much more attentive and friendly on BA502 LHR-LIS, though when the CSD sneezed into his hands and then passed food and beverage items to a couple of pax, I did cringe a bit).
If there had not been an available seat, I'd have told the crew my wife would sit in my seat and they'd need to find safe, approved seating for me for landing, whether in economy or a jump seat. A seat loose in its track at landing I am sure is not STCd for seating a passenger for takeoff or landing.
Further observations (added to the wikipost):
NOTE: Aft-facing seats seem roomier at shoulder level when reclined than forward facing seats.
Forward facing seats require use of a shoulder strap in addition to the seat lap belt during takeoff and landing operations.
Privacy dividers between Business middle seats D and H were delivered not working properly. AA has dealt with this by "locking" D-H privacy dividers up, down or alternating with (usually) odd seat rows (facing forward) dividers down, even (facing aft) up. FAs can not change this; it is apparently done by maintenance.
Cabin lighting is 787 style; suite lighting includes a swiveling but flat two intensity LED and a traditional overhead lamp.
Cabin overhead storage bins are capacious and when closed give the aircraft a more open, spacious feel.
Suite storage is minimum, consisting of a niche with "fence" capable of holding a mobile phone connected to one of the two USB ports and a small area below seat level capable of holding a water bottle and small item. (110 VAC with a "universal" plug socket is also provided.)
The area under the footrest (too small to be called an ottoman) might be able to store a purse or small item.
General seat and suite fit and fit is poor, with plenty of misfits, gaps, forced overlaps, missing or poorly installed plastic separation between hard components, etc. Shoddy looking, IMO; I'd never buy a car with such finish work.
IFE is AVOD and operates from a touch hand control. The spacious screen is hinged and can not be tilted vertically.
Bose noise reducing headsets are provided in J, but are retrieved by crew about an hour prior to landing.
A self-service snack bar is set up in the galley for Business class.
Lavatories seem more open and spacious, offering higher capacity sink basins.
Executive summary: The cabin feels spacious, sleeping and general seat comfort are good (but I'm 6'4" and slept on my side with slightly bent knees, as stretched out supine or on my side I could not fit in the bed). The width will feel somewhat restructed and box-like to some. The fit and fit reminded me of a Yugo.
I hereby dub these "NGBB" - Next Generation Business Box. To think AA required modifications from Zodiac and this was the result makes me think the proper word is "chiseled" the OEM product down to this.
I apologize for the poor 90 degree "squashed" rendering of the seat - it's FlyerTalk.