chrismk

Heard from an American friend who recently did a return LHR-JNB trip.
I asked him what he thought about the 380. He replied:

At first, I loved the three lockers on the side under the windows. Those things were huge and you could stuff all kinds things in there without getting up to go in the overheads. Add to that, it gave you a side table with lots of elbow room. In all, it was a fantastic seat.

Then a couple of hours into the flight I couldn't open my locker where my important stuff was. They work by pressing down, then they pop up. I was pressing down in all kinds of ways and it wouldn't open. Finally called a flight attendant and she tried to open it and couldn't. Then she called one of the senior attendants. This lady balled up her fist and came down like a hammer a couple of times on it and it popped open.

On the return flight, I had pretty much the same seat I think. The lockers worked just fine on the ground and during the first few hours of flight, so I once again put my most important stuff in one. In the middle of the flight, when everyone was asleep, it wouldn't open again. This time I needed stuff out of it, but I couldn't whack down on it because it would have awakened everyone around me.

Finally, during descent I tapped down on it and it popped open. So I say this about the A380, I loved it except for the stupid lockers!

Apparently they work just fine on the ground, but not so much in the air. I'm sure it's something to do with the temperature and the shape of the airplane being altered.

Anybody else experienced this? He thinks he was in the same seat so it could have been the same 380!
My experience was they became a bit irritatiing because they kept opening with very little pressure required.

LTN Phobia

I can't say I have had that problem. If anything, they pop open too easily.

I have encountered some stiff ones on 747 though. The best way is to put a bit of weight on them (just pushing them sitting down doesn't put much weight on them, so standing up and pressing down with palms of one's hands with weight on them work a treat).

Stez

Never had that problem, as LTN Phobia said, they tend to pop up too easily to the point of being annoying.

Schultzois

I've only been up there once (also LHR-JNB... the way back was downstairs in F). I'll second that for me they opened too easily. If I had anything sitting on top the locker would pop open as soon as I picked it up. Not a major hassle, but obviously the sensitivity for opening/closing needs some adjustment. Maybe they did that, and now it won't open easily enough.

CKBA

I've had the same experience - the latches on these window lockers are badly designed. Sometimes they work - sometimes they don't - either by keeping firmly closed, or not wanting to close at all. (Is this an Airbus or BA design?)

Stez

Airbus design. It's the same issue on QF, MH and SQ when I flew on their A380s.

hbtr

Thirded. I tents to rest my arms on them and they keep popping open! And occasionally takes a couple tries to close. Of course, not the end of the world...

Schwann

How many service recovery Avios is this worth? 40,000?

T8191

The OH had this problem too ... locker lid wouldn't open. Cured by a bang with my fist.

Bloody awful design! Why not just have a simple mechanical catch, which solves both potential problems?

Prospero

The issue of stubborn locker latches has been driving me to distraction lately. It seems no journey from HKG is complete without the dawn chorus of thud, thud, thud...

This problem appears to be related to the spring located behind the small metal bearing inside the latch - the downward pressure should push the bearing back into its housing, unlatching the panel but if the spring is too tight the bearing won't move so the panel remains closed.

Following a trick I learned from a delightful and resourceful crew member who came to my aid a few months ago, I now carry a Pentel P207 mechanical pencil but any pointed metal instrument will do the trick. Locate the latch (at the centre of the panel) and insert the pencil into the gap below the lid then gently apply pressure onto the bearing. Some persistence may be required but it usually works in the end.

If you have a more effective work around, please do share. Also, I was wondering if this problem is unique to BA's A380s or perhaps its more widespread.

Greenpen

LHR FLYER

I had the same issue and thought it was because I had drank too much champagne in the CCR! I eventually figured out about 30 mins later that if you push down on the latch (as normal) but also push the side of the latch it would pop open.
Glad its not just me thats experienced this, I was starting to look at my alcohol intake pre departure!

corporate-wage-slave

I was going to post something fairly similar (well, minus the champers obvs). I was thinking on my last 380 flight, which is the longish daytime service to Vancouver, that BA had somehow improved the latch, since it was working better, but in fact all that has happened is that I've ingrained the knack to it. My version is that it is pressure and timing dependent so you can either push the side of the latch as above or introduce a pregnant pause into the process and do a slight sideways movement with the palm of your hand or thumb. Doesn't help with the middle distance thump thump thump however, it appear some people only fly once or twice a year, strangely.

nivsy

Yeah probably also "opens "your hand baggage from an enquiring security agent before you reach the lounge!! 😉

UKtravelbear