Sep 1, 2013, 4:03 am
Last edit by: Prospero
MMB/Expertflyer Aircraft Code: 388
Upper deck
Main deck
Summarizing based on comments thus far:
First
This post shows the seat map and individual seat ratings for First:
First Cabin A380 Seat Ratings
In order of rating:
Club World Upper deck
Club World Main Deck
World Traveller Plus Upper Deck
Photos: courtesy of PETER01
World Traveller Upper Deck
World Traveller Main Deck
Upper deck
Main deck
Summarizing based on comments thus far:
First
This post shows the seat map and individual seat ratings for First:
First Cabin A380 Seat Ratings
In order of rating:
- 2 A/K
- 1 A/K
- 3 A/K
- 2 E/F
- 3 E/F
- 4 E/F
- 4 A/K
Club World Upper deck
- 50AB and 50JK: the B and J seats don’t have anyone climbing over them. There’s nothing else ahead of these seats, so this area should be fairly quiet. However, the A and K seats ... would have to lean forward a long way to look out of the single window serving this row. Good if you like having a very private space and don’t mind stepping over someone to get out. Bad if you like looking out of the window.
- 50J for longest bed is the best. However, you only have a curtain between you and the stairs and right hand side forward loo. Should be okay but might be noisy. Partial barrier around feet.
- 51D and 51F: no half barrier either so very good for tall people and first row of CW cabin so good for food and ease of access to loo without any galley.
- 53AB and 53JK: the window seats have direct aisle access, so in theory these would be a lot like 64A and 64K on the 744. Unfortunately, potentially noisy.
- 56B has a bit of extra length but also a partial barrier.
- 59AB and 59JK: the window seats here also have direct aisle access. However, as others have mentioned, because the CW and WT+ cabins partly overlap at this point, these seats (and particularly the heads of the 59B and 59J passengers) are directly in line with the WT+ centre bulkhead bassinets, so possible noise concerns if baby behind. You can see the close proximity in the photo above for 60 DEF
- Middle seats: since there's only a single middle seat, it's rather nice and isolated and private, at least while the dividers are up. When dividers go down it's face to face with your seatmates to the left and right. Couples who are using a middle seat will probably be better off choosing EF rather than DE, because the extra space to the right hand side of the E seat means the E and F seats are closer together.
Club World Main Deck
- 10J definitely winner for the most length but partial barrier around feet and galley noise may be an issue. However, also first to get food!
- 10A and 10K for window seats only. The rest have absolutely NO view as the wing is massive and all you see is reflecting Silver and a lot of flex!
- There is a reported experience from 13AB of in-flight vibration and resonances which were enough to disturb sleep.
- Avoid 15AB and 15JK due to proximity to the two loos that are right beside and behind this seat. (CW loo behind 15B and 15J, WT loo beside these seats although behind a curtain, near continuous use!)
- General note: due to the curvature of the fuselage, the window seats on the main deck have a greater gap between the seat and cabin wall than the equivalent upper deck seats, thus providing more wiggle room for your legs and toes.
World Traveller Plus Upper Deck
Photos: courtesy of PETER01
- Bulkhead seats: The legroom in the bulkhead rows of 60DEF, 61AB and 61JK is fairly good, but I’m not sure that I would take these for a night flight as you can still get closer to horizontal in the rows behind. If that’s your favoured sleeping position, the absence of leg-rests in those rows won’t matter too much.
- Row 67: The quietness of the aircraft will mean that the toilets at the aft of the WT+ cabin are much more likely to be disturbing in this area (particularly to 67AB, 67DEF, 67JK and 68DEF) than, say, to 15AB on a mid-J 744.
World Traveller Upper Deck
- Centre block bulkheads 70DEFG and 80DEFG have tables in fixed armrests, as one would expect. This noticeably constricts the width of the seat. The armrest between D and E is a conventional lift-up armrest – so if choosing these rows, D and E are better than F and G. Another thing about these bulkhead rows, which are in line with the exits, and the adjacent exit rows (70AB, 70JK, 80AB and 80JK), is that there is a noticeable hissing noise from the slipstream.
- 80D and 80E are the same and could be great for space or for couples that want to lift the armrest during the flight to get closer or sleep.
- Rear cabin: any WT seat in rows 80 to 83 would be very nice indeed as long as: there is not a stag group pissing it up here when you want to sleep! Apparently, they may offer this cabin to groups so need to be a bit careful in selecting this exclusive cabin. Also, there is noticeable galley noise in this rear cabin, and it gets worse the further aft you get.
World Traveller Main Deck
- 25D is the throne seat on the Main Deck in WT. (no seat in front of them).
BA Airbus A380: Which are the best seats? Master discussion thread
Oct 21, 2019, 11:31 pm
#1906
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
Hi all, I did search but couldn’t find a specific answer to our question. We are going to be 4 adults Flying BOS-LHR-NCE in CW and unfortunately, unless I can change it, we have the min connection time of 60 min.
So our primary concern when we select seats is where would we be off and on our way the quickest — upper or lower deck and by which door?
TIA!
So our primary concern when we select seats is where would we be off and on our way the quickest — upper or lower deck and by which door?
TIA!
Upper vs Main, that is the question. I have been told that until the documents are handed over, only the door where that is happening can be open. That handover happens at M1L or M2L. But remember that CC will stop CW pax from exiting until F has exited, slowing down M2L (and very obviously M1L if applicable) egress! I have been on the occasional flight where I was first off out of F at M2L and found CW pax ahead of me from the upper deck.
Just to confuse things even further, more often than not M2L is in place quite a bit earlier than U1L. Also those pesky F pax can take their sweet time getting off the plane!
So, in summary, it's a bit of a lottery! I would go for the upper deck as it is (IMO) a nicer place to be flying than the main deck - and I'd be the first out of U1L and be moving quickly. Others will probably say main deck and ready for M2L exit immediately after F. YMMV!
rb211.
Oct 22, 2019, 5:30 pm
#1907
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever the lounge is
Posts: 145
Obviously if you are upper deck it the forward door (U1L) between the two CW cabins. If on the lower deck sometimes it is M1L but more often than not IME it is M2L, so you'll want to be at the front of the CW cabin. That's the easy part.
Upper vs Main, that is the question. I have been told that until the documents are handed over, only the door where that is happening can be open. That handover happens at M1L or M2L. But remember that CC will stop CW pax from exiting until F has exited, slowing down M2L (and very obviously M1L if applicable) egress! I have been on the occasional flight where I was first off out of F at M2L and found CW pax ahead of me from the upper deck.
Just to confuse things even further, more often than not M2L is in place quite a bit earlier than U1L. Also those pesky F pax can take their sweet time getting off the plane!
So, in summary, it's a bit of a lottery! I would go for the upper deck as it is (IMO) a nicer place to be flying than the main deck - and I'd be the first out of U1L and be moving quickly. Others will probably say main deck and ready for M2L exit immediately after F. YMMV!
rb211.
Upper vs Main, that is the question. I have been told that until the documents are handed over, only the door where that is happening can be open. That handover happens at M1L or M2L. But remember that CC will stop CW pax from exiting until F has exited, slowing down M2L (and very obviously M1L if applicable) egress! I have been on the occasional flight where I was first off out of F at M2L and found CW pax ahead of me from the upper deck.
Just to confuse things even further, more often than not M2L is in place quite a bit earlier than U1L. Also those pesky F pax can take their sweet time getting off the plane!
So, in summary, it's a bit of a lottery! I would go for the upper deck as it is (IMO) a nicer place to be flying than the main deck - and I'd be the first out of U1L and be moving quickly. Others will probably say main deck and ready for M2L exit immediately after F. YMMV!
rb211.
Oct 22, 2019, 11:32 pm
#1908
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
rb211.
Oct 23, 2019, 12:22 pm
#1909
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever the lounge is
Posts: 145
Thanks, I was going for a setup so none of us has to step over someone we do not know -- or get stepped over by someone we do not know!
Oct 23, 2019, 12:52 pm
#1911
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever the lounge is
Posts: 145
Thank you Peter. You are both giving us lots of food for thought. But as to the matter of the Window on 50A I ask this: If you are taking an overnight flight Eastbound, does it matter? Does this aircraft have the outside cameras that allow you to watch landing etc? AF's A380s have them.
Oct 23, 2019, 2:16 pm
#1912
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
Thank you Peter. You are both giving us lots of food for thought. But as to the matter of the Window on 50A I ask this: If you are taking an overnight flight Eastbound, does it matter? Does this aircraft have the outside cameras that allow you to watch landing etc? AF's A380s have them.
rb211.
Oct 23, 2019, 3:25 pm
#1913
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 804
Thank you Peter. You are both giving us lots of food for thought. But as to the matter of the Window on 50A I ask this: If you are taking an overnight flight Eastbound, does it matter? Does this aircraft have the outside cameras that allow you to watch landing etc? AF's A380s have them.
Oct 23, 2019, 3:44 pm
#1914
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
The downside then is that out of the four of you, two are going to be sitting next to people they don't know, face-to-face (which really bothers some people). Having (for example) 52A, 52B, 53A and 53B means that you're all sitting next to someone else in the group, albeit 52B is stepped over by 51A who is not part of your group.
Oct 24, 2019, 8:23 am
#1915
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,150
Thank you Peter. You are both giving us lots of food for thought. But as to the matter of the Window on 50A I ask this: If you are taking an overnight flight Eastbound, does it matter? Does this aircraft have the outside cameras that allow you to watch landing etc? AF's A380s have them.
If your flight is in total darkness then yes it doesn't really make any difference. However, but some folks like to see the take off, landing etc. Here's a photo from an old TR. More so I really wouldn't want to be in 50 B or J especially of there's other choices available to you.
Unfortunately there's no camera on the BA A380.
Oct 24, 2019, 2:50 pm
#1916
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever the lounge is
Posts: 145
Sorry for the late reply 02bmmw, work sometimes gets in the way of Flyertalk!
If your flight is in total darkness then yes it doesn't really make any difference. However, but some folks like to see the take off, landing etc. Here's a photo from an old TR. More so I really wouldn't want to be in 50 B or J especially of there's other choices available to you.
Unfortunately there's no camera on the BA A380.
If your flight is in total darkness then yes it doesn't really make any difference. However, but some folks like to see the take off, landing etc. Here's a photo from an old TR. More so I really wouldn't want to be in 50 B or J especially of there's other choices available to you.
Unfortunately there's no camera on the BA A380.
Thank you all. I appreciate the visual. You are right, that divider moving up and down with a stranger sitting there is probably at least as disruptive so we are going to follow RB211's recommendations.
I am also going to work on moving the connecting flight to a later one. Great info from everyone!!!!
Oct 25, 2019, 12:38 pm
#1917
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: BA Executive Club, Bronze
Posts: 438
Will be doing our first long haul with our first baby in February this year. He will be 9 months old when we fly to Singapore then onwards to Auckland. BA have automatically assigned us 56 A/B, however reading on here, it seems that 14EF would be better for travelling with an infant. Is that the general consensus?
Nov 4, 2019, 6:27 pm
#1918
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland
Programs: AA Explat, UA former 1K + PremExec, DL
Posts: 1,151
WT+ bulkhead availability
Hello, I don't think I've flow WT+ on the 380 before. In the past I've been able to pre-book bulkhead on 777 and 787, but I wasn't able to book 61AB JK or 60 DEF on any of 4 flights coming up. Are these always blocked and then released day of? If I want to try to get it, should I not check in until a few hours before, or are they likely already assigned, 3 days out? I have 61F, which the call center says is bulkhead, but posts 130-134 in this thread says not, nor do any available seat maps I've consulted.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Nov 11, 2019, 4:43 am
#1919
Join Date: May 2016
Location: EDI
Programs: Was BA GGL but no longer travelling
Posts: 583
A380 in F on BA
Hi folks
I've just booked LHR to IAD for next Monday. I've done this trip 5/6 times in the last couple of months, and I see that this one is operated on an A380; normally it's the 747 so maybe the winter timetable?
Anyway, I've used Avios to bump up to First. I've never done First on a BA A380, in fact my only experience on an A380 has been with QR, in Club and in First.
What would you suggest are the best seats - or does it not really matter on the A380? Solo traveller. 1A/1K are gone (I'm logged in and I'm GGL, so definitely gone).
Many thanks
Jim
I've just booked LHR to IAD for next Monday. I've done this trip 5/6 times in the last couple of months, and I see that this one is operated on an A380; normally it's the 747 so maybe the winter timetable?
Anyway, I've used Avios to bump up to First. I've never done First on a BA A380, in fact my only experience on an A380 has been with QR, in Club and in First.
What would you suggest are the best seats - or does it not really matter on the A380? Solo traveller. 1A/1K are gone (I'm logged in and I'm GGL, so definitely gone).
Many thanks
Jim