747 Upstairs and Busy or Downstairs and quiet?
 

Here's a poser.

I'm on a 747 out of NYC ... it's an hour and 10 until the flight - so OLCI is almost closed.

Upstairs is pretty busy - I'm in 64A and have an empty seat beside me - but there's only 5 empty seats in the cabin up there.

Downstairs - in the very back section of club is completely empty. 16 seats ... no one there.

Stay upstairs - further from the engines ... but more people ... more risk of cutlerly clink Or move downstairs into a completely empty section - but be nearer the engines and nearer WTP/WT (with associated traffic and noise).

Oh - and WT has a total of 35 people in it.

What to do ... what to do ...

What do you want?
Personally, I always go for space and privacy. You could always start in 64 and ask to move if the seats downstairs seem attractive. You might not be allowed to if the crew have spotted and empty section...........and decide to keep it that way.

So five empty seats out of 20 equates to 75% occupancy, but you are in 64A (a very good seat by all accounts) and no one in 64B? I'd be tempted to stay put. If you move downstairs and you're the only one in the cabin then I'd wager that the CC will forget all about you and we'll have a thread tomorrow ranting about poor service etc. etc. :D

All joking aside, if it was me, I'd stay upstairs!

I'm torn - hence my question.

Upstairs is normally my preference - especially for engine noise reduction. But it's an earlier flight - which means more people eating on the plane ... so more crockery clinking. People count around me being reduced would avoid that.

And in the last minutes before online checkin closed - it looks like someone else had the same idea and has moved into the empty back section.

Dunno - might stay upstairs.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...0cb58a6f14.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...da302be508.jpg
Attaching the seat maps. Haven't seen a flight this lightly loaded in a long time.

Upper deck will be where the golds and regulars are - they'll have the sense to sleep. I'd hold.

Looks like there are plenty of seats in Y to stretch out on :-)

I'd stay where you are. If you're not happy when you get on board then you have a choice to move. Nice problem to have.

Could the UD be full of FTers & Golds who are thinking the same as you and hope to be away from the engine, all wanted the king of all seats (62/64 as we all know!) and on top of all that are all scheduled for early work appointments and therefore heading straight to sleep.

So, no clinking or cutlery noises, you’ll have a great nights sleep with some attention should you need it.

I'd stick, downstairs might subsequently be filled with AUP or just those being upgraded.

My wife and I flew the 747 with seats 62A&B lhr/iad which is a daytime flight. They have 2 fas so the service is great. I would stick with the ud.

Hardly unusual to find the UD full and the lower deck pretty empty. In fact with 5 empty seats I would say it isn't actually that full...
No way would I move out of 64A to the lower deck, especially with 64B being empty.

Totally agree and neither would I. I was in 64A last month to LAX and 64B was free/blocked. Wonderful!
I'll miss the UD on the Jumbo when it eventually goes, still a few years to go though and the refurbished 86J's are fab! :)

Agree with all... I've always had a much better experience in the UD. Every time I find myself counting on empty seats around me, they never fail to fill up.

I’d move actually. With the new service more people take the food (understandably) and leaks last much longer. A quiet cabin of two people is probably a unique chance to get some sleep. 64A is a great seat compared to most others in a full cabin, but empty cabins are a unique luxury, and a much rarer one at that.