Originally Posted by
PrimeMinister
... So my question is whether with the new design, face-to-face dining is now impossible, or just a bit less comfortable?
The distance from the seat to the chaise + that the only way to have the seatbelt on when using the chaise is to be seated back with your legs outstretched (or laying flat) makes face-to-face dining somewhat impractical in new LP. Yes, one person can use the chair, and the other can use the chaise, however the person on the chaise is effectively having the meal on their lap and you're 5 windows apart. Window/aisle you'd be closer to converse.
Originally Posted by
PrimeMinister
... This things must be approached with a reasonable attitude, as burg_rtw mentions: if the cabin is full, of course having a guest if a no-go. But if the seat next to you, or the whole cabin, is empty, there can be no question of "diminishing the service" or annoying other Pax. A guest from J will not be more annoying than two passengers in LP sharing a conversation over dinner, or things you cannot control, like children or pets which are both allowed in P.
If there's an empty seat in P then ostensibly it could have been purchased by the P pax wanting to "upgrade" their travel companion for the meal. If I'm paying for P and my flight goes out with empty seats, that's to my benefit. Likely a quieter cabin and more attentive service (though not always.
) I'd definitely be irked if a pax who could have purchased said empty seat for their companion but chose not to, impinged on that with a guest.