Originally Posted by number_6
The footrest area doubles as a guest chair. It is intrinsic to the suite design so CX has had it since day 1. Not really a useful feature in my opinion, but it is exactly the same as the "guest seat" that BA boasts of having). As for the BA cabin layout, it is more cramped but the herringbone suite pattern does help quite a bit (while QF has 14 seats using the CX pattern, now that is crowded). Two years ago BA and CX F were close to equivalence, now CX is markedly better in almost every aspect.
What footrest?
CX does not have the permanent/immobile stool that BA has. On CX, the seat itself forms the entirety of the bed; it, unlike BA, does not meet a stool to form the final foot or so of the bed.
As can be seen in these pictures, there is no stool on the CX seat, only empty space:
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/263239/L/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/070149/L/
This picture shows to good effect how the CX seat reclines. As can be seen, there is no stool.
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/070153/L/
I do agree that there is room for someone to sit and eat with you in the CX suites. The problem is that there is no seat for them!