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Seating guide: BA Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 B788 | 787-9 B789 | 787-10 B78X

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Old Jan 12, 2015, 2:30 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: PETER01
Here is a guide as to the best and worst seats in First, Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Please ask your questions here, and hopefully someone will be able to help!

NB. The new 787-8 configuration is covered in the separate BA Boeing 787-8 (with Club Suites): Which are the best seats? thread

The following 787 seat maps have been prepared for quick comparison and reference

MMB/Expertflyer Aircraft Codes:
788 = Boeing 787-8
789 = Boeing 787-9
781 = Boeing 787-10

Boeing 787-8
Type 78B
Three class: 35J 25W 154M
G-ZBJA G-ZBJB G-ZBJC G-ZBJD G-ZBJE G-ZBJF G-ZBJG G-ZBJH G-ZBJI G-ZBJJ G-ZBJK G-ZBJM (12)
2006 CW, 2010 WTP, 2010 WT and Thales IFE




Boeing 787-9
Type 789
Four class: 8F 42J 39W 127M
G-ZBKA G-ZBKB G-ZBKC G-ZBKD G-ZBKE G-ZBKF G-ZBKG G-ZBKH G-ZBKI G-ZBKJ G-ZBKK G-ZBKL G-ZBKM G-ZBKN G-ZBKO G-ZBKP G-ZBKR G-ZBKS (18)
2015 First, 2006 CW, 2010 WTP, 2010 WT and Thales IFE




Boeing 787-10
Type 78X?
Four class: 8F 48J 35W 165M; fitted with new Club World Suites
G-ZBLA G-ZBLB G-ZBLC G-ZBLD G-ZBLE G-ZBLF G-ZBLG (7)
2015 First, 2019 CWS, 2018 WTP, 2018 WT and Panasonic ex3 IFE





Boeing 787-8 seating comments
As an aside note: The lavatories on the aircraft have handles to open, rather than a push the door mechanism (as found on the 777). The flush also uses a sensor rather than a button. This has potential to cause confusion at an inopportune moment.

B787-8 Club World:
The front CW cabin is quieter, and better for service than the mid cabin.

1 & 2 D/F: There is no overhead locker space, as it is taken up by the crew rest. The foot stools on these seats are also at risk of being bumped by a trolley, although they are semi-protected.



3A & K: These are the official C-W-S recommended seats. They have a little extra room, and direct aisle access, as well as good window views.
6A & J: These are recommended, as they are the longest, and offer the greatest legroom, as well as being ideally positioned for getting off the aircraft.
6D & F: These also offer an extra 3 inches of legroom.
7A & K: These have a little extra room, and direct aisle access. Ideal for those wishing to sleep. Unfortunately, these seats do only have 2 windows, one fewer than other seats.

B787-8 World Traveller Plus:
Passengers use the WT toilets, which does require a walk back through one of the WT cabins.
If you are worried about catering/meal options, it is recommended to sit towards the front of the cabin, as this is where the service starts.
An interesting video trip report can be found here.

10A-K: Recommended due to the extra legroom.

B787-8 World Traveller:
BA 787 Economy Class Comfort & Health Warning

Reviews for World Traveller on the BA 787 (and indeed many other airlines) seem to largely agree the experience is not pleasant, with 9 seats across in a cabin more ideally suited for 8. The seat is smaller than the WT seat fitted to any other BA aircraft, and this can be felt, especially if you have broader shoulders. Seat pitch is also tight, at only 31 inches. The rear 5 rows are reported to have a slightly tighter pitch than the others.

30 A & K are to be avoided: the emergency exit infringes on your personal space both at upper body and foot level.
30B-J: Recommended due to the extra legroom.
HJK seats in rows 31 to 34 have 1 more legroom than standard rows
A, C, D, F, H, K seats: an IFE box is under the seat in front of you, which infringes on legroom. Please see the photograph below.





Boeing 787-9 seating comments:
As an aside note: The lavatories on the aircraft have handles to open, rather than a push the door mechanism (as found on the 777). The flush also uses a sensor rather than a button. This has potential to cause confusion at an inopportune moment.

B787-9 First:
2K: Recommended by ThatT1Feeling. Quieter side of a/c and away from galley.
1E/F: Recommended for couples by All She Wrote.

B787-9 Club World:
7A/K: Recommended by CWS.

B787-9 World Traveller Plus:
No seats have limited recline.
21 A, B, J and K - Missing window (last window in cabin near row 20's head) + near toilets

B787-9 World Traveller:
The width of the WT seats on the B789 is marginally greater than on the B788 (owing to reduced aisle width on the former).

However...

BA 787 Economy Class Comfort & Health Warning

Reviews for World Traveller on the BA 787 (and indeed many other airlines) seem to largely agree the experience is not pleasant, with 9 seats across in a cabin more ideally suited for 8. The seat is smaller than the WT seat fitted to any other BA aircraft, and this can be easily felt, especially if you have broader shoulders.

A, C, D, F, H, K seats: an IFE box is under the seat in front of you, which infringes on legroom.
41A/K: No window.
43A/K: Increased space between seat & cabin wall.

Boeing 787-10 seating comments:
B787-10 Club World:
From porphyra's post:
6A/K window seats have one set of windows only, across the seat. The second further window adjacent to the screen/display that all other seats have is missing - this might be an issue for some people but I preferred it as there was likely less glare on the screen. The issue is that if you like to look out then you almost need to turn your head 90 degrees vs a slant 30-45 to look across the other window.

From corporate-wage-slave's post:
Bulkheads do have more vibration transmission compared to other seats, but that's almost looking for something to say. Essentially all CS is the same, with the only difference between window or middle seating.

B787-10 World Traveller Plus:
From Nil SeAnn's post:
All seats, even in the rearmost row 24, have very significant recline such that my head never fell forward during sleep.
20J/K have great legroom, but [20]D,E&F have even more legroom.
As I sat into 24F to try out the back row, a helpful F/A warned me that I would not be happy with the noise from the bathroom immediately behind the bulkhead to my rear. I thought to myself - how bad could it be? Well it was awful and I lasted about 10 minutes before moving again.
The toilet is oriented facing the rear of the plane and mounted to the WT+ bulkhead. I estimate it is probably only a foot or so from the back of the seat when fully reclined! If you plan an overnight flight I suggest you absolutely avoid 24D,E or F if you hope to get some sleep.

B787-10 World Traveller:

Far rear row of 48 has what appears to be very limited recline, around half an inch. See this post

The wall at seats 30A and 30K curves inward which limits the leg room for the leg closer to the wall. See post 1395 for photo.

Related threads:



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Seating guide: BA Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 B788 | 787-9 B789 | 787-10 B78X

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Old Jan 23, 2025 | 1:53 pm
  #1531  
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Looking to help the inlaws fly from PDX to LHR in late May (first trip to europe) on BA. The flight details are below. Is this business class the old style (that is terrible) or the newer, standard 1-2-1 style? Seatmaps showed 1-2-1 (787-10) and Aerolopa showed 2-3-2 for the 787-9, which is what the AA website shows. I did fly the LHR-PDX route back in September and we got the good business class, but there was some issues with BA at the time (lots of cancellations around 9/7/24), so not sure if that influenced us getting the newer plane.


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Old Jan 23, 2025 | 2:01 pm
  #1532  
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At present it is scheduled to be on a B787-10 with the Club Suites, there is also a First cabin that will be used for the overspill in the CW cabin is full.
https://www.aerolopa.com/ba-781
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Old Jan 23, 2025 | 2:13 pm
  #1533  
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Great, thanks! Just curious, how do you know this when the AA site says 787-9?
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Old Jan 23, 2025 | 2:24 pm
  #1534  
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Originally Posted by bradpitch92
Great, thanks! Just curious, how do you know this when the AA site says 787-9?
AA site is often inaccurate (it doesn't update regularly), the schedule data says 78X (787-10).
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Old Jan 23, 2025 | 2:30 pm
  #1535  
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Originally Posted by bradpitch92
Great, thanks! Just curious, how do you know this when the AA site says 787-9?
Expertflyer is usually more accurate and currently showing 78X
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Old Jan 23, 2025 | 2:35 pm
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got it, thanks everyone
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Old Jan 23, 2025 | 3:04 pm
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You can also always check the codeshare original flight, BA266/BA267 in this case. Sometimes codeshare numbers are not often updated.
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Old Jan 28, 2025 | 8:01 am
  #1538  
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Question HND - LHR - aisle seat question

Flying HND - LHR next week and wanted to know:

Is it just a matter of one's preference or is there any noticeable difference between the four center (non-window) seats on the 787? I unfortunately have only the choice of two..

Heard F catering has been pretty standard of late and the long-haul F post on FT corroborates as much... any tips welcome!

Any real difference between the two?

Last edited by JJarmuth07; Jan 29, 2025 at 9:09 am
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Old Jan 28, 2025 | 8:35 am
  #1539  
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Only difference is a centre divider to look at rather than windows !
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Old Jan 28, 2025 | 9:25 am
  #1540  
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I seem to recall the most important factor relates to whether the OP is sinister or not.
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Old Jan 28, 2025 | 9:49 am
  #1541  
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Exactly. I pick the side where my right (drinking) hand is away from the aisle.
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Old Jan 28, 2025 | 10:10 am
  #1542  
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I have found that the K side tends to be very slightly quieter with foot traffic than the A side.

I cant prove it though.
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Old Jan 28, 2025 | 10:34 am
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Not sure about the 787 but in the A380 I find the bassinet seat a bit annoying with the metal bits on the footrest.
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Old Jan 28, 2025 | 11:22 am
  #1544  
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Originally Posted by tjcxx
Exactly. I pick the side where my right (drinking) hand is away from the aisle.
Just changed my seat to the K side as I am left handed - great comment thanks mate!
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Old Jan 28, 2025 | 11:24 am
  #1545  
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Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
I seem to recall the most important factor relates to whether the OP is sinister or not.
it's not, why would I even do that? finnicky configs that I haven't flown on ever made me want to ask the forum. Thanks!
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