Apr 9, 2016, 5:10 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
Boeing 787-8 (788) Zodiac Concept D Business Suite Business Class Seats Selection Guide & Reviews
There were 20 787-8 Dreamliners at the end of 2018, now gradually expanding to 42 total 788s in the AA fleet.
This thread is dedicated to discussion of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with Zodiac Concept D Business Suite Business class seating and service
For the 787-9, see Boeing 787-9 / 789: Business (Rockwell Collins (née B/E) Super Diamond Seat, Service (master thd)
The 787-8 offers 20 modified Zodiac "Concept D" Business Suite all aisle access "podded" seats in 1-2-1 with back to back seating in the center pairs, and alternating front and rear facing window seats. They are said to be 21-26" wide, and have 60-61" pitch upright in pods with full aisle access and 77" in the horizontal "bed" position. True AVOD offering up to 250 movies, 160 TV shows, 13 radio channels, 375 albums and 20 games, is offered via cabled handset controllers to large flat touch screens. Power offered is 110 VAC via universal plugs and 5 VDC USB. Bose QuietComfort headsets with noise reduction are provided (picked up about one hour prior to arrival). Ku-Band satellite WiFi is offered for sale.
The Dreamliner "big sister" model (22 787-9, first in service September 2016, has Collins (née B/E Aerospace) Super Diamond Solo seats that largely avoid the Zodiac problems, is the "big sister"). The second batch of 787-8s (787T) differ from the first batch and are fitted with Collins Super Diamond seats.
Zodiac "Concept D Business Suite" seats connected "at the head" are affected by movement from the seat they are connected to, often referred to on FT as "motion over the ocean". The Business seats that are unconnected and stable in 787-8 J are 1D&H, 5A&L.
Due to the modifications AA required of Zodiac for these seats, there are some peculiarities reported:
Link to photos taken by SFO777 here, from his trip on AA2320 DFW-ORD 07:10 - 09:36 Inaugural flight, shared with 68 FlyerTalkers.
There were 20 787-8 Dreamliners at the end of 2018, now gradually expanding to 42 total 788s in the AA fleet.
This thread is dedicated to discussion of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with Zodiac Concept D Business Suite Business class seating and service
For the 787-9, see Boeing 787-9 / 789: Business (Rockwell Collins (née B/E) Super Diamond Seat, Service (master thd)
The 787-8 offers 20 modified Zodiac "Concept D" Business Suite all aisle access "podded" seats in 1-2-1 with back to back seating in the center pairs, and alternating front and rear facing window seats. They are said to be 21-26" wide, and have 60-61" pitch upright in pods with full aisle access and 77" in the horizontal "bed" position. True AVOD offering up to 250 movies, 160 TV shows, 13 radio channels, 375 albums and 20 games, is offered via cabled handset controllers to large flat touch screens. Power offered is 110 VAC via universal plugs and 5 VDC USB. Bose QuietComfort headsets with noise reduction are provided (picked up about one hour prior to arrival). Ku-Band satellite WiFi is offered for sale.
The Dreamliner "big sister" model (22 787-9, first in service September 2016, has Collins (née B/E Aerospace) Super Diamond Solo seats that largely avoid the Zodiac problems, is the "big sister"). The second batch of 787-8s (787T) differ from the first batch and are fitted with Collins Super Diamond seats.
Zodiac "Concept D Business Suite" seats connected "at the head" are affected by movement from the seat they are connected to, often referred to on FT as "motion over the ocean". The Business seats that are unconnected and stable in 787-8 J are 1D&H, 5A&L.
Remedial seat stability fix announced 9 Oct 2016 by John Walton, Runway Girl Network (link)
"Jay Mapston, American’s manager of onboard products, cabin design, spoke to Runway Girl Network with praiseworthy candor about the airline’s current situation and plans. To start, Mapston explains the 787-8 fleet’s (Zodiac) Concept D (Business Suite) will see remedial stability work to fix the much-discussed issue where the seats shake when an adjoining passenger moves."
As of July 2019, no such fix has been put in place. The seat modification has to be designed, submitted to the FAA for certification (STC) and approved, the parts manufactured and seats modified. Normally, the seat manufacturer would do this, but as AA terminated the Zodiac contract for failure to perform. It’s anyone’s guess when and if a fix is forthcoming.
AA canceled the contract with Zodiac for inability to comply with scheduled delivery times, causing seatless Dreamliners to sit out availability idled in the desert and causing considerable delay for the 777-200ER refurbishment. The seats were NOT used for the 787-9 nor more than half the 47 aircraft 772 fleet, and it is likely the newly ordered 788s will be equipped with Super Diamond Seats.
"Jay Mapston, American’s manager of onboard products, cabin design, spoke to Runway Girl Network with praiseworthy candor about the airline’s current situation and plans. To start, Mapston explains the 787-8 fleet’s (Zodiac) Concept D (Business Suite) will see remedial stability work to fix the much-discussed issue where the seats shake when an adjoining passenger moves."
As of July 2019, no such fix has been put in place. The seat modification has to be designed, submitted to the FAA for certification (STC) and approved, the parts manufactured and seats modified. Normally, the seat manufacturer would do this, but as AA terminated the Zodiac contract for failure to perform. It’s anyone’s guess when and if a fix is forthcoming.
AA canceled the contract with Zodiac for inability to comply with scheduled delivery times, causing seatless Dreamliners to sit out availability idled in the desert and causing considerable delay for the 777-200ER refurbishment. The seats were NOT used for the 787-9 nor more than half the 47 aircraft 772 fleet, and it is likely the newly ordered 788s will be equipped with Super Diamond Seats.
- Many seats are interlaced with others - passenger in one moves, the linked seat moves. "Motion over the ocean" is induced by the partner seat attached at the head,
- Forward facing seats may have more restricted shoulder room / width when flat than aft facing
- Middle seat privacy dividers were balky and continually slipped into the retracted position, so they were "fixed" in place so they are not passenger operable. Apparently crew fixes them in several configurations: all up, making them great for privacy but nearly impossible for couples wanting to share conversation; all down, making for lower privacy; facing forward up, facing aft down. Some aircraft have them repaired and passenger operable, some not.
- Rows 1 and 2 center seats have no overhead bins; they were displaced by the crew rest area in the fore fuselage crown.
- 1A and L are close to lav and galley.
- Many prefer seats 5A or L as they are unaffected by other seats / passenger movement in seats.
- 5A and 5L have one window, rather than two.
Link to photos taken by SFO777 here, from his trip on AA2320 DFW-ORD 07:10 - 09:36 Inaugural flight, shared with 68 FlyerTalkers.
Dreamliner 787-8 / 788 Zodiac Business Seats & Reviews (master thd)
Oct 11, 2017, 9:01 pm
#436
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: AA PLT PRO, AA 1MM, Delta Gold
Posts: 3
Flying ORD to PVG with a return PVG to LAX in November, currently in 6A but have been debating between 5A or 6A, both open on both flights right now... I'm 5'9" and average build and more concerned about privacy, level of service and noise over anything else. Any tips between the two would be great!
Oct 12, 2017, 3:48 am
#437
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: Double OWE (AA EXP, QF Plat), FI Gold
Posts: 1,887
Flying ORD to PVG with a return PVG to LAX in November, currently in 6A but have been debating between 5A or 6A, both open on both flights right now... I'm 5'9" and average build and more concerned about privacy, level of service and noise over anything else. Any tips between the two would be great!
Dec 1, 2017, 4:11 am
#438
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Plat, Marriott Silver, HH Gold
Posts: 797
Just flew in 5L DFW-PEK. Overall, the seat is decent, but I find that there is basically no storage at the seat for anything. CX standard J seat has lots of storage, in comparison.
The IFE screen is also positioned it seems just a bit too high, so that when you are sitting in the chair or lounging (I am average height), you get that effect where parts of the screen are washed out. Sitting on the right side of the plane, the handheld remote mini-tablet was also backwards from what I would expect (meaning I have to flip the remote upside down and the cord is pulled across to the left side of the remote to be oriented ok).
Other than that, I think the seat in bed mode sleeps fine, but I think feels a bit tighter than the CX seat.
Regarding 5A/L vs. 6A/L, it looked like 6A/L are sufficiently far away enough from the restrooms/galley, but I'll know for sure when I fly it in a week.
The IFE screen is also positioned it seems just a bit too high, so that when you are sitting in the chair or lounging (I am average height), you get that effect where parts of the screen are washed out. Sitting on the right side of the plane, the handheld remote mini-tablet was also backwards from what I would expect (meaning I have to flip the remote upside down and the cord is pulled across to the left side of the remote to be oriented ok).
Other than that, I think the seat in bed mode sleeps fine, but I think feels a bit tighter than the CX seat.
Regarding 5A/L vs. 6A/L, it looked like 6A/L are sufficiently far away enough from the restrooms/galley, but I'll know for sure when I fly it in a week.
Dec 11, 2017, 8:12 pm
#440
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Plat, Marriott Silver, HH Gold
Posts: 797
So flew 6L on the return, and it was fine, was not bothered by the restrooms/galley, but then I also sleep with earplugs. Didn't really see anyone from economy coming up to use the restroom in the business cabin. The mini-cabin did not feel particularly private given that the curtains used are basically transparent. I'm not sure if they've addressed the connected seats movement issue, but I think all the non-connected seats are pretty much the same. I do prefer to sit facing forward, though.
Dec 19, 2017, 7:43 pm
#441
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 63
Best business class seats on 797-800 for couple
Please merge if necessary - I could find a thread for the 777 but not for the 787.
Wondering what the best set of business class seats for a couple would be on the 787-800. Traveling DFW-PEK and back with my husband.
Do the dividers still not go down on the rear facing seats for all these seats, or is it locked down every other rear-facing row? I saw a similar discussion on this topic in the 777 thread. If we're not going to be able to see each other anyway I might just get us both windows.
1D is the only seat taken on both flights (probably because it's unattached) but I think the entire rest of the business class cabin is available. I grabbed the middle two seats in row 3 because I couldn't think of what else to do.
And I'd like to thank this forum for introducing me to aavacations.com. I've never flown anything other than coach in my entire life, and now I have not one but TWO business class tickets booked for travel in 2018. I never could have found those deals without the help of this forum!
Wondering what the best set of business class seats for a couple would be on the 787-800. Traveling DFW-PEK and back with my husband.
Do the dividers still not go down on the rear facing seats for all these seats, or is it locked down every other rear-facing row? I saw a similar discussion on this topic in the 777 thread. If we're not going to be able to see each other anyway I might just get us both windows.
1D is the only seat taken on both flights (probably because it's unattached) but I think the entire rest of the business class cabin is available. I grabbed the middle two seats in row 3 because I couldn't think of what else to do.
And I'd like to thank this forum for introducing me to aavacations.com. I've never flown anything other than coach in my entire life, and now I have not one but TWO business class tickets booked for travel in 2018. I never could have found those deals without the help of this forum!
Dec 19, 2017, 7:49 pm
#442
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 153
1D is blocked on international flights for crew rest. But you're right, 1D and 1H are the only two center seats that are 'unattached'. I would go with 6A and 7A (or 6L and 7L): you both get window seats, and the seats aren't attached, so no rocking. And you're in the 'mini-cabin', which some prefer.
Dec 19, 2017, 8:12 pm
#444
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,378
Dec 19, 2017, 8:37 pm
#445
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Please merge if necessary - I could find a thread for the 777 but not for the 787.
Wondering what the best set of business class seats for a couple would be on the 787-800. Traveling DFW-PEK and back with my husband.
Do the dividers still not go down on the rear facing seats for all these seats, or is it locked down every other rear-facing row? I saw a similar discussion on this topic in the 777 thread. If we're not going to be able to see each other anyway I might just get us both windows.
1D is the only seat taken on both flights (probably because it's unattached) but I think the entire rest of the business class cabin is available. I grabbed the middle two seats in row 3 because I couldn't think of what else to do.
And I'd like to thank this forum for introducing me to aavacations.com. I've never flown anything other than coach in my entire life, and now I have not one but TWO business class tickets booked for travel in 2018. I never could have found those deals without the help of this forum!
Wondering what the best set of business class seats for a couple would be on the 787-800. Traveling DFW-PEK and back with my husband.
Do the dividers still not go down on the rear facing seats for all these seats, or is it locked down every other rear-facing row? I saw a similar discussion on this topic in the 777 thread. If we're not going to be able to see each other anyway I might just get us both windows.
1D is the only seat taken on both flights (probably because it's unattached) but I think the entire rest of the business class cabin is available. I grabbed the middle two seats in row 3 because I couldn't think of what else to do.
And I'd like to thank this forum for introducing me to aavacations.com. I've never flown anything other than coach in my entire life, and now I have not one but TWO business class tickets booked for travel in 2018. I never could have found those deals without the help of this forum!
There are two issues:
1) the “motion over the ocean” seat issue, and
2) the non-working privacy dividers.
Both of these are scheduled for repair, but the question is: Will your aircraft have been remediated? Well, will it?
(See the Wikipost the top of the page.)
Dec 20, 2017, 12:39 am
#446
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
Search titles only, key search term “787” or “788”, results as threads, will find this (and any other relevant) thread. Be sure to use the quotation marks as shown to force very common terms or those with three or fewer characters.
There are two issues:
1) the “motion over the ocean” seat issue, and
2) the non-working privacy dividers.
Both of these are scheduled for repair, but the question is: Will your aircraft have been remediated? Well, will it? (See the Wikipost the top of the page.)
There are two issues:
1) the “motion over the ocean” seat issue, and
2) the non-working privacy dividers.
Both of these are scheduled for repair, but the question is: Will your aircraft have been remediated? Well, will it?
(See the Wikipost the top of the page.)1. Fix Zodiac "motion seats".
2. Clean air vents.
3. Repair non-functioning electrical outlets.
4. Buy more Quinoa.
Dec 24, 2017, 8:30 am
#447
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: SEA, FLL, Martha’s Vineyard
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Posts: 2,019
Weird I was in row 2 in the middle to Tokyo on the 788 with a buddy and couldn’t feel any shaking. Also in row 6 in the middle on the way back and had no problems.
The only time time I felt bad shaking from the seat was ORD-PVG-DFW in the middle in row 4.
The only time time I felt bad shaking from the seat was ORD-PVG-DFW in the middle in row 4.
Dec 31, 2017, 12:24 pm
#448
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL DM, AA PlatPro, Hilton DM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 1,532
I just flew my 5th and 6th 788 flight in business I believe... I don't quite remember, but I must have always selected non-connected seats or had calm seat-mates before. Anyways, was on 4A on the way to PEK and it was terrible... lots of shaking, waking me up several times and just making working uncomfortable. I was much happier in 6L on the way back... lesson learned.
Dec 31, 2017, 2:31 pm
#449
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
The center seats in row 1, the window seats in rows 5, 6 and 7 are not connected st the head. And hopefully AA is implementing the fix they promised to. But until they do, be choosy.
Jan 1, 2018, 8:03 pm
#450
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 3
Flew PVG-ORD on 1-1-18. Had seat 1H and was notified prior to boarding that the seat had lost power and would be unable to move mechanically. They assured me that a FA would be able to manually put it into sleep configuration. Turns out that was not possible either and I was forced to sit in Take-Off/Landing position for the entire 14 hour journey. AA provided me with a $500 voucher prior to boarding but this seems quite inadequate. Has this ever happened to anyone?