The New Ultimate Seating Thread, version deux
Aug 2, 2005, 5:10 pm
#121
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,422
777 seatmap and 74R seatmap are found in About Us, Fleet (rather than the usual place for seating). Hopefully will be fixed soon.
Aug 3, 2005, 3:01 am
#124
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,315
Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
Welcome to FT melbtraveller 
I have found the seatmaps on NZ website match those you use at time of booking to select seats. However, NZ is starting to refurbish 747s from mid this year - expecting the first route to operate will be AKL-SFO vv. So its possible the booking system already has updated seatmaps loaded, and you are the first to report that. Nice if it is the newly refurbished - not only new seats but also much improved IFE. See other threads in this forum for more info if you're interested.
Be aware though there are no guarantees - with such a small 747 fleet that is highly utilised, a/c substitution can occur.
I have found the seatmaps on NZ website match those you use at time of booking to select seats. However, NZ is starting to refurbish 747s from mid this year - expecting the first route to operate will be AKL-SFO vv. So its possible the booking system already has updated seatmaps loaded, and you are the first to report that. Nice if it is the newly refurbished - not only new seats but also much improved IFE. See other threads in this forum for more info if you're interested.
Be aware though there are no guarantees - with such a small 747 fleet that is highly utilised, a/c substitution can occur.
It was a United award, no-one called me about the change. I had to fight just to get two seats together. Bummer.
Aug 3, 2005, 10:18 pm
#125
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,984
Originally Posted by zonky
and they're squeezed in before the bulkhead wall. How easy will it be to reconfig these at a later date?
Any enlightenment ?
Aug 4, 2005, 6:48 am
#126
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: BNE Aust
Programs: SQ *G, QF S, Hilton Gold, SPG Gold, Accor Advantage Platinum
Posts: 685
Originally Posted by ntddevsys
I had thought that they had just installed another bulkhead behind U class - one which was not usually required.
Any enlightenment ?
Any enlightenment ?
On the 74R - they share the same toilets upstairs.
Aug 4, 2005, 10:07 pm
#127
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,984
Originally Posted by Gotta Requalify
It could be so U class can share same toilets as J.
On the 74R - they share the same toilets upstairs.
On the 74R - they share the same toilets upstairs.
I know that J and U share the same lav's but as to what zonky said - the seats are not squeezed in before the bulkhead wall - The bulkhead wall at the back has been added in and could easily be moved back to expand the class (of course at great cost to retrospectively do the whole thing).
Aug 5, 2005, 2:26 am
#128
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: London, UK
Programs: Air NZ Gold Elite, Sheraton Gold.
Posts: 66
Originally Posted by ntddevsys
Sorry my fault for not making the question clearer.
I know that J and U share the same lav's but as to what zonky said - the seats are not squeezed in before the bulkhead wall - The bulkhead wall at the back has been added in and could easily be moved back to expand the class (of course at great cost to retrospectively do the whole thing).
I know that J and U share the same lav's but as to what zonky said - the seats are not squeezed in before the bulkhead wall - The bulkhead wall at the back has been added in and could easily be moved back to expand the class (of course at great cost to retrospectively do the whole thing).
Aug 6, 2005, 4:02 pm
#129
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Sun Peaks, Taupo.
Programs: NZ Elite, AC SE100K, Westjet Teal, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 6,135
Originally Posted by Gotta Requalify
It could be so U class can share same toilets as J.
On the 74R - they share the same toilets upstairs.
On the 74R - they share the same toilets upstairs.
Aug 8, 2005, 1:51 am
#131
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: London, UK
Programs: Air NZ Gold Elite, Sheraton Gold.
Posts: 66
Originally Posted by ntddevsys
This board still hasn't come to a logical conclusion as too why there are so few U class seats, even now after the demand has been demonstrated.
Aug 10, 2005, 4:10 am
#133
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,482
Business Premier Seats
I was lucky to be on NZ6 with Business Premier seats before the 74R switches to NZ7/NZ8.
Essentially, the seats and layout are the same as VS although they are numbered differently. In my view, the forward zone, rows 1-7, are the best. Rows 3-5 are the most desirable, rows 6-7 are more private but row 7 is too close to the galley. Rows 1-2 are too close together and are good for couples only, unless the person on the other side is someone you want to hookup with. The upper deck, rows 16-20, are also nice. You just need to watch your head when someone opens the overhead bin. 
The rear zone, rows 10-15, feels crowded and should be avoided, especially the Es and Fs. The Es and Fs also seems to have less room near your head, although that's just from the look of it, not from actual measurement. Passengers traveling together should book successive rows with same letter. For example, 3A/4A/5A.
The Premium Economy look similar to domestic US First class seats, only a bit narrower, definitely more comfortable than Economy. It is on the rear of the upper deck and shares the restrooms with Business Premier. The same staff serves both the upper deck Business Premier and Premium Economy passengers. Row 23 has essentially unlimited legroom. ^ The downside is that you could see clearly the people in front of you getting much better seats, food and service. And that would be right on your face for 12 hours.
All in all, a vast improvement over the old First/Business seats. IFE has AVOD selections but buggy. It is based on Windows CE and crashes a lot. After several crashes, they were never able to get mine to work for the last three hours of flight.
Yeah, blame it on Bill.
Essentially, the seats and layout are the same as VS although they are numbered differently. In my view, the forward zone, rows 1-7, are the best. Rows 3-5 are the most desirable, rows 6-7 are more private but row 7 is too close to the galley. Rows 1-2 are too close together and are good for couples only, unless the person on the other side is someone you want to hookup with.
The upper deck, rows 16-20, are also nice. You just need to watch your head when someone opens the overhead bin. The rear zone, rows 10-15, feels crowded and should be avoided, especially the Es and Fs. The Es and Fs also seems to have less room near your head, although that's just from the look of it, not from actual measurement. Passengers traveling together should book successive rows with same letter. For example, 3A/4A/5A.The Premium Economy look similar to domestic US First class seats, only a bit narrower, definitely more comfortable than Economy. It is on the rear of the upper deck and shares the restrooms with Business Premier. The same staff serves both the upper deck Business Premier and Premium Economy passengers. Row 23 has essentially unlimited legroom. ^ The downside is that you could see clearly the people in front of you getting much better seats, food and service. And that would be right on your face for 12 hours.
All in all, a vast improvement over the old First/Business seats. IFE has AVOD selections but buggy. It is based on Windows CE and crashes a lot. After several crashes, they were never able to get mine to work for the last three hours of flight.
Yeah, blame it on Bill.
Last edited by TerryK; Aug 10, 2005 at 4:13 am
Aug 10, 2005, 10:12 pm
#135
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,984
Originally Posted by olympicnut
The maps are there the maps are there!!!
I just checked the ANZ website and the seatmaps for the refitted 744's and the 777's are there. Yay!!
I just checked the ANZ website and the seatmaps for the refitted 744's and the 777's are there. Yay!!
Has anyone else found them too small ?