Best economy seat for solo traveller on A380
#16
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
I don't think any of the economy seats are that great.
80a or b would be my choice for a night flight, but there's no window for day flights. 80a does access to a side bin in order to stash the pillow and other crap on the seat
The A seats that aren't exit rows or bulk heads have the IFE boxes that mean you can't position your legs effectively.
At least the rear mini cabin is only 2 seats along the sides so you're not too hemmed in but still not great if solo on a night flight where your seatmate is asleep and you need a toilet or leg stretching trip.
I've got 80a on a SIN jaunt later this year and whilst ok for some of it, there's a load of daylight bits I won't see such as seeing the tankers / ships on approach. Really don't like being unable to see outside like on the LAX-LHR flights where most of the time you are confined to a darkened metal tube.
80a or b would be my choice for a night flight, but there's no window for day flights. 80a does access to a side bin in order to stash the pillow and other crap on the seat
The A seats that aren't exit rows or bulk heads have the IFE boxes that mean you can't position your legs effectively.
At least the rear mini cabin is only 2 seats along the sides so you're not too hemmed in but still not great if solo on a night flight where your seatmate is asleep and you need a toilet or leg stretching trip.
I've got 80a on a SIN jaunt later this year and whilst ok for some of it, there's a load of daylight bits I won't see such as seeing the tankers / ships on approach. Really don't like being unable to see outside like on the LAX-LHR flights where most of the time you are confined to a darkened metal tube.
Is that 80A/K bin difference true for all the BA A380's , as if so I should swap 80K to 80A so I can keep my blanket/pillow/book/ipad there ?
(For night flights I'd normally fly J, but for 35euro I can suffer a little and as BA-Gold no need to pay hk$650 seat booking fee (even twins on the upperdeck are hk$608))
Last 30months my Longhaul Y limited to just 3x 1ways, two good, one soso experiences
o one CX Y daytime 9am HKG departure (MNL)-HKG-Europe, and had exit seat (foc), great for a day flight
o Using up orpaned+expiring miles, 1x AF Y BKK-CDG-AMS, not really impressed with product but staff were good
o Also 1x 1way flight Finnair LHR-HEL-BKK , Finnair A350 Y Window seat behind exit row is great, as Exit row lacks Seats A/K far better than exit row but just 2seats/plane. Chose Finnair as only gbp320 versus using Avios fro LHR on BA costing same plus loads of avios coz paid BA prices 1way were a very pricey joke!
Last edited by scubaccr; Jun 18, 2018 at 5:19 am
#17
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,768
Well, it's probably slightly behind the seat than alongside it so maybe more into 81a's jurisdiction, but I've always used it without an issue as they have another anyway. Usually first on so grab the overhead storage space as well.
The plane is pretty much:
Window + storage = trapped by 1 or 2 people + recliners, IFE boxes in the way of your legs
B/J seat Aisle = no storage and window but easy access to aisle
C/H or I? seat Aisle = no storage, possibly IFE boxes, but aisle access, no window, someone reclining.
Bulkhead / exit row = minimal if any storage, plenty of legroom, no IFE boxes or people reclining into you, no window, crooked TV screens
The plane is pretty much:
Window + storage = trapped by 1 or 2 people + recliners, IFE boxes in the way of your legs
B/J seat Aisle = no storage and window but easy access to aisle
C/H or I? seat Aisle = no storage, possibly IFE boxes, but aisle access, no window, someone reclining.
Bulkhead / exit row = minimal if any storage, plenty of legroom, no IFE boxes or people reclining into you, no window, crooked TV screens
Last edited by xenole; Jun 18, 2018 at 5:25 am
#18
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Singapore
Programs: BA Gold. KrisFlyer Gold
Posts: 732
80A definitely does not have its own side bin. You could possibly dump some of your stuff on top of one end of the bin just behind you, but I'm not sure 81A would to be too keen on that. The exit row seats are narrower at the waist due to the tables stored in the armrests, but there is more shoulder room in 70A, 70K, 80A and 80K due to the shape of the cabin walls (this is one of the major advantages of these four seats, in my opinion). I would pick 80A/K over 70 A/K, and certainly over 25D, just because they're in the mini-cabin. Take an eyemask though; as someone pointed out in another thread both 80A and 80K can suffer from light pollution from passengers who don't close the toilet door after using it.
#19
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 285
I always go for 25D where possible, LHR-SIN, and hope that 1 day Theoretical Seating will work for me and block 25E but it never does. TS seems to enjoy putting a solo traveller in 25E even when plane is far from full...
Use your priority boarding, if you have it, and "own" the leg space before anyone else boards.
Use your priority boarding, if you have it, and "own" the leg space before anyone else boards.
#20
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,768
I always go for 25D where possible, LHR-SIN, and hope that 1 day Theoretical Seating will work for me and block 25E but it never does. TS seems to enjoy putting a solo traveller in 25E even when plane is far from full...
Use your priority boarding, if you have it, and "own" the leg space before anyone else boards.
Use your priority boarding, if you have it, and "own" the leg space before anyone else boards.
#21
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
Unlike ShortHaul Exit seats eg AMS-LHR where I think my BA-Gold statusprotects me from moment I book+choose seat a few weeks out from less than other Emeralds, on Longhaul it is seemingly different and even non-status fliers can purchase any seats including seats mext o a gold. I just dummy booked to see cost of seat 80K if not a Silver/Gold , and would have been able to book 80H next to my 80K for hk$650 during booking
..... Alas I fully expect someone to grab the seat next to mine foc, maybe a Gold/Silver anytime or Bronze at T-144. Not sure if later at 72hours out that TS will protect exit seat next to me still not chosen.
#22
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,768
I've had the pair of row 80 seats to myself once. Most of the time, from cursory BP glances, my seatmate has no status.
On top of that, a lot of the time, 80C? has the seat next to them free in the middle block of 4.
On top of that, a lot of the time, 80C? has the seat next to them free in the middle block of 4.
#23
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,150
That's useful info thx, regards Upper Deck 80A exit seat having a bin, whereas corresponding seat 80K doesn't. Is A380 rear cabin not symetrical in some way, as I'd normally expect 80A/K to be identical ?
Is that 80A/K bin difference true for all the BA A380's , as if so I should swap 80K to 80A so I can keep my blanket/pillow/book/ipad there ?
Is that 80A/K bin difference true for all the BA A380's , as if so I should swap 80K to 80A so I can keep my blanket/pillow/book/ipad there ?
#24
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Amsterdam, Asia, UK
Programs: IHG RA (Spire), HH Diamond, MR Platinum, SQ Gold, KLM Gold, BAEC Gold
Posts: 5,072
I am ambvivalent on whether 80A/K has rights to first bin. with seats reclined 81A/K are level with second bin. If I was seated in 81A/K I would be happy for 80A/K to use first bin as I'd have my own bin too
Also with 80A/9K reclined sleeping resting against jet wall and resting/leaning on first bin lid, 81A/K won't be able to use it, so more support for xenole and use of bin by row 80.
#25
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,768
Storage is at a premium on the A380 so I'm not too fussed about using a side bin to put the pillow, blanket and headphone / charity bag etc. packet into it. There are 4 rows of seats with 4 misaligned bins, so technically 1 bin per row.
Not sure if the same thing applies here to the overhead bins that are shared space rather than "That's MY bin as it's above MY seat!".
If I have a tablet, I tend to keep that on my seat. The other bits just take up too much of what limited space you have in the first place.
Never had any issues yet.
Not sure if the same thing applies here to the overhead bins that are shared space rather than "That's MY bin as it's above MY seat!".
If I have a tablet, I tend to keep that on my seat. The other bits just take up too much of what limited space you have in the first place.
Never had any issues yet.