Originally Posted by howellajohnson
I should have known something was amiss when I boarded AA#2031 JFK MIA 6:20 p.m.- 9:32 p.m. Friday, January 28th Terminal 8 Gate 10 (normally Terminal 9 Gate 48A, but late as usual departing at 8:00 p.m.) and found my assigned 777 First Class Seat 3J already in the fully reclined position.
With the assistance of two FAs, we were able to force the seat to its upright position for takeoff, but not without the seat suddenly lurching forward and making a very loud noise, startling everyone in the cabin, including some of the FAs in the galley who came out to investigate.
Unfortunately, this was going to be my seat for better or for worse. There were no other seats available. The flight was oversold.
As I began to recline after takeoff, the seat made an even louder noise. Without warning, it began lurching back and forth again so violently it felt like I was riding a mechanical bull. I feared that I was going to be tossed into the aisle or worse some piece of the out-of-control mechanics was going to rip through the seat and then through me!
The purser re-assured me that this could not happen.
With the aid of the FAs, three by my count now, we were able to calm the seat down enough, by using a manual override switch (FA looked it up in the instruction booklet for the 777 seats) in an aisle compartment next to the floor, for me to remain seated slightly reclined for the flight, albeit uncomfortable and in some fear despite what the purser had said.
Just to be safe, I spent part of the flight seated on the ottoman.
In trying to upright the seat for landing, the lurching back and forth started again, but this time we also began to notice a strange odor (the PAX is 4J assured us it wasn't him!) something like oil or grease from the gears or mechanics of the seat possibly overheating.
Thankfully, we landed without further incident.
Has anyone else had an experience with a malfunctioning seat? If so, what was it? How were you accommodated?
By the way, this is completely unrelated, but the Inflight Entertainment System was also experiencing "mechanical difficulties", and for the first time that I can recall, money had to be refunded to those PAXs who purchased headsets in the main cabin.
Had a malfucntioning seat on a 777 -- first class, last row. It was the 1x2x1 configuration. The seat would not recline without CONSIDERABLE force. I could not recline it on my own, while seated.
I was accommodated as follows: flight attendants told me that I could not recline prior to departing the gate, and that they would adjust my seat after we were aloft. FA's came over after we had been flying about 15 minutes and, two of them together, forced (with considerable effort) the seat into a partial recline. Not wanting to bother them again, I left it in that position for the remainder of the LAX-->DFW flight, until it was time for landing. As I recall this was not very comfortable for dining. The FA's returned and helped get the seat to the upright position for landing.
There were no vacant seats in first. By the way, the seat had a sticker on it indicating that it was not functioning properly.