Sep 1, 13, 4:03 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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:

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

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Jul 9, 13, 7:18 am

dubbin

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BA Airbus A380: Which are the best seats? Master discussion thread

What do people think will be the best seats on the 380?

For CW, upper deck appears to be a no-brainer (is it?).

For my one itinerary so far, I've plumped for 50K both ways. 53K appears to offer unimpeded aisle access. It's next to the galley (the equivalent seat on the 747 is next to the loo), so noise might be more of an issue than 64K on the 747.

According to the map here, there is tons of space in front of 50, so 50K might allow a squeeze-out - do we think that will be borne out by reality?

Official seat map:

Last edited by dubbin; Aug 8, 13 at 9:35 am Reason: Add seat map and rephrase comment for now-retooled thread

Jul 9, 13, 7:26 am

mfhstid

Join Date: Aug 2004

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I thought I read elsewhere that 50A and 50K were missing some windows.

The adjoining aisle seats (50B and J) look from the photos to be staring right at the impressively capacious lavvies in CW upper deck - so might also be avoided.

A few other seats on the upper deck worry me: 59B and J look perilously close to bassinet locations at the front of WT+.

All in all, there are a few seats which might be less desirable, but I can't see any that stand out as must-haves.

Jul 9, 13, 7:39 am

T8191

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Nothing showing as "desirable" for a couple, IMO. One or the other will get climb over ... Unless there are gaps the slimmer members of the community, such as my OH, can squeeze through a gap by the cabin wall (63A or K on the UD of a 744).

Until tested in the flesh, it's hard to tell from pictures. Are there any slim FTers who could eventuate?

Jul 9, 13, 11:03 am

BotB

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EDITED: after having flown the new bird I have updated my thoughts on a later post in this thread, however, the missing window seats photo is still correct so have left that.

50 A and K missing 2 windows so not good seats for that reason. (see picture below with the area in question circled)

50 K missing two windows by Oxon Flyer, edited by BA_pics, on Flickr

Last edited by BotB; Aug 8, 13 at 4:26 pm Reason: adding pictures to illustrate the comments in the hopes this helps.

Jul 9, 13, 3:09 pm

kanderson1965

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So... best CW seat on A380?

10B, least distance from the door if door 2L used for embarkment. Life's too short to walk along planes unnecessarily.

GratefulSmile likes this.

Jul 9, 13, 3:57 pm

Sixth Freedom

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I would like to try out windows in either row 51 or row 52 due to side bins and distance from the galleys, monuments and lavatories.

However on flights to difficult immigration hotspots I would be inclined to try for windows in row 11 or row 12 as I do not like the idea of the whole LD, including WT, getting off before UD CW!

Jul 10, 13, 2:58 am

Tootall33

Join Date: Feb 2011

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A380 seating

Hello,

I know there was an initial flurry of posts about the best A380 seating when it was announced, but just wondering if there has been any more reliable info released or posted since the delivery?

I am booked in 50B on the Upper deck CW from HK to LHR for Xmas. I am very tall, (6'5) so leg/bed room is my main concern. Thanks!

Jul 10, 13, 5:33 am

clarkeysntfc

Join Date: Jan 2011

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Sixth Freedom

A380 gates will attach an airbridge to the first door of the upper deck, so CW on the UD should get off at the same time as people in that cabin downstairs.

Jul 10, 13, 6:41 am

f4monty

Join Date: May 2012

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My good self and the other half are flying back from HKG in November in row 12 but are folk saying the upper deck is the better bet, with all this talk of 50+? I read somewhere that the lower deck was the better bet - more feeling of spaciousness etc blah. Sadly not flying out on the 380 because of timing issues.

Jul 10, 13, 7:57 am

#10