If the 'feeling' of privacy is what you're after, then the AA seat will provide it with the 'lugs' that stop you seeing into the cabin, making it feel like your coccooned off. In reality anyone walking past has a full view of you and what youre up to, what you're watching, what youre eating, so actual privacy is basically zero.

In a BA window, yes you may have to look at someone else of 20-30 mins at the start of the flight, after that with the screen up, youre completely cocooned off. Having to step over someone in no way infringes on your privacy.

Once you have the seat down on AA, you may find yourself feeling a bit exposed to the aisle, as your head is basically in it and certainly completely visible to anyone working past.

This pic shows it off well, its obviously take from a bit higher up than the average pax's eye level but you can see that everyone walking by can see you and when the seat is in bed mode, your head is as exposed as a BA aisle seat






I like the AA seat, it has a number of big advantages over the BA seat, 'actual' privacy (against a BA window) is not one one however