ALW

I'm flying YYZ-LHR-HKG-LHR-YUL in F (last segment J). Actually two of us are flying together. As far as I know, I don't have seats assigned.

What seats do the experts here prefer when flying with a companion?

YYZ-LHR is a 777. Is it better to get the EF pair, or do you prefer the relative privacy of adjacent A or K seats (I don't mean privacy from my companion, but from other passengers)? Flight leaves at 6pm (after sunset) and arrives at 6:25am so I don't think a window is of much benefit. From the various seatmaps online, it appears to me that 2EF is the best, followed by 3EF, then 1EF, then a pair of seats in K. Is that right?

LHR-HKG-LHR is on 747s. Using the same logic as the 777, 4EF appear to be first choice, then 5EF, then two adjacent K or A seats?

LHR-YUL is a 777 in J. I cannot find a seatmap that shows NCW on a plane with no F. Does that mean we're getting old CW, the only layout shown anywhere online (ba.com, seatexpert.com, seatguru.com)? This seems unlikely since WT+ is available on the route, so I infer they've pulled out F seats and replaced with extra NCW. In any case, is it better to get the middle EF seats (both backwards facing) or an AB or JK pair? If so, which rows/seats are good to avoid?

All that said, it's difficult (or impossible) to see what's actually available on our flights. The best I've come up with is travelocity.ca, which lets me pick seats before paying for a dummy reservation (interesting that we've had to go back to dummy reservations for finding available seats -- it's like we've turned the calendar back five years!). I was somewhat pleased at finding those maps but additional inspection shows they're not reliable.

Specifically, travelocity.ca shows a 747 layout YYZ-LHR (5|2|2|5 seats when it should be 4|3|3|4 -- hope my description makes sense). LHR-HKG could be right although it shows only 5F and 2K-5K open. HKG-LHR isn't offered for sale on my flight, although ba.com offers that flight. And YUL-LHR shows three rows of 2-4-2 (spread over rows 1-4, and no 4FG), then rows 10 and 11 of 2-4-2 but nothing further back.

So I can't really tell which seats are available on any of my flights. I'd like to call BA and get _something_ reserved, in anticipation of being able to use OLCI later.

Any suggestions for which seats/rows to target will be much appreciated.

Thanks!
andrew


[This message has been edited by Andrew Webber (edited Nov 26, 2003).]

Ken hAAmer

Welcome to the real world. But now you'll never be able to go back. You're not in Kansas anymore.

There's no such thing as "adjacent A or K seats." I know you know that, but what I mean is that unless you get up out of your seat, turn around, and look over the back of your seat, then the seat behind you doesn't even exist. They might be immediately fore and aft of each other, but they are their own little worlds.

If you want to share the experience with your companion (and bask in their warm glowing warming glow, with F-enhanced glow) then the EF seats are absolutely the way to go.

Be that as it may, the window seats are much more private, particularly due to the herring bone seating arrangement. The EF seats feel a lot more exposed, much as they would in a more conventional seating arrangment and cabin.

They're all great. The only real differences are between aisle and/or window. Any other differences pale into insignifcance in the face of the overwhelming benefits of the cabin. (Sort of like a non-smoker complaining that the ashtray in their new Rolls Royce is too small.)

Generally the same arguments as the 777. However, due to the triangular shape of the cabin, the row 1 and 2 seats are probably not bad for couples. They are also very private and quiet.

Don't know, don't care. J is for losers. And people with $11,000 MCO's in their pocket.

Two seats facing opposite directs are probably nicer as you can face each other, much like on a love seat. There is a foldable "japanese geisha fan" divider between the seats, that can be stowed if you desire.

The only difference between fore or aft facing seats that I noticed on my brief encounter with NCW was that on take-off and landing, the aft facing seats are actually reclined quite a ways. Makes for an interesting take-off.

Call 'em up and do it. Or if you're near a BA counter, drop in. It's easy, and as an F passenger, you'll be treated better than royalty. (Better than Charles, anyway.)

If you'd like to bring me along, I could assist you with seat selection once on board. It is also rumoured that my presence can greatly increase the likelihood of hitting the jackpot.

ALW

Thanks for your comments, Ken.

Yeah, I should have said "contiguous". But your answer clarifies for me, that being in 3K and 4K is better than 1A and 5K, but not by much.

IOW, you can't get much benefit from sitting together?

Actually that's what I was thinking, that if the single seats weren't as isolated as they obviously are (from your answer), have 3K and 4K might be nice. But I think not.


I can believe that, but from some of the sites (and from just looking at the layout), 1EF and 4EF (or whatever it is) are closer to the toilets and the galleys and perhaps not the first choice.

And people who have to return to YUL.

Well sure that's a benefit for me, but what about for Terry?

I expect I'll end up in the backwards seat although I may have to fight Terry for it.

Hmm, I'll be getting off the train at Dorval next Saturday, maybe we'll swing by YUL on our way into town. Get a taste of the experience. We rather enjoyed the F checkin and F lounge at AKL last year, and the difference as we entered the plane was amazing (I got, "welcome Mr. Webber, thank you so much for joining us this evening", while Terry got the standard polite, "your seat is xxx, aisle on the right" -- actually that surprised me since we were obviously travelling together and I had anticipated he would greet her by name as she basked in my reflected glory).

Terry's flown J in the past on AC, so this isn't entirely new to her.

Perhaps you could board with us and then sit in my guest seat? I wouldn't mind getting bumped down to J for £1000 or so each. Yes I know you did >4x better than that, but as I recall you had a particulary harrowing experience, including being lied to? I'll settle for a lesser compensation and taking the flight I'm booked on.

andrew

Frequentflyer99

As to availability try your booking ref in checkmytrip.com You should be able to see a seatmap for each flight showing whats available. However, on BA flights not that many seats are pre-allocated, so some that are available will be shown as unavailable. This is always true of seats like 1A - 1K which are generally kept back for those needing a baby basinnet, or Gold card holders.

On the 747 if you cant get the middle pairs go for 1A and 1K which are just about close enough together to communicate, although your communications will not be very private. Also remember that on the 747 you have a buddy seat so you can (for example) eat together even if not seated together.

dnw

For me it depends a lot on if its a day/night flight.

If a day flight, then any EF pair is great for comms and enjoying everything F. I'd go for 4EF on a 744 and 2EF on a 777.

On a night flight, you are probably just going to eat together and then sleep, this is perfectly accomplished by two seats in a line- you can dine together then hit the more private bed. On a 744 go as far forward as possible i.e. 1A/2A (1K/2K) then 2A/3A (2K/3K) and on a 777 try to avoid 1 and 4 i.e. get 2A/3A or 2K/3K.

777Brit

OneWorld Emeralds too, as my AA EXP status allowed me to pre-book these seats on 4 flights LHR-HKG roundtrip.

ALW

Thank you for the advice. We're going to stop by the BA counter at YUL on Saturday. Does anyone have advice on a no-F 777 LHR-YUL?

Some specific replies...

I think this is one of many sites that no longer offers that feature.

YYZ-LHR is for sure a night flight (well, 6pm departure, but it will be dark). But I suppose LHR-HKG is both, so we'll try to get an EF pair. Thanks for the specific seat advice. Ultimately I do realize that worrying about how close my seat is to the "T" is much less an issue in F than in Y (not likely to be long lines in F).

And of course, the availability of the guest seat makes a difference.

andrew

Gaza

It worked for me yesterday. If you enter your PNR and Surname it will bring up details of your reservation. If you have seats preassigned it will show you which ones. If you click on the seat number it brings up the seatmap showing your seats and if any others are available.

If no seats are allocated you should be able to phone BA and request some.

I did FIRST in a 777 a month or so ago with my partner and we sat in 4EF. You can lower the privacy screen and communicate freely. If you are both sitting in a A or K communication is almost impossible. Unlike a 747 1A & K offer no benefits.

Frequentflyer99

It works if you have the booking ref and name. It is only the general view in relation to unbooked flights which has gone.

Swanhunter

If you call BA they will be able to pre-allocate you seats. As metioned above, 1A/K on the 747 will be blocked out, but can be allocated. 4 E/F are the bassinet position and are normally blocked out too.

2A/K seem to be most people's favourites - while too far away for a couple of talk easily they are very nice seats indeed. That said, I've enjoyed the ride in 5K, 3K and 1A in the past. One observation from my few flights if F is that the left hand aisle gets a little busier as most of the pax traffic to the lavs is through there.

ALW

I suppose it's because I have no seats assigned that I'm not seeing them on seatmap.com (I do have the PNR and name entered).

Thanks for clearing that up!

andrew

Frequentflyer99

Did you mean checkmytrip.com as this is what you should be trying. It is true that if you have no seats assigned you cant get up the seatmap up. I suppose the idea is to show you your own seat rather than what's happening in the rest of the plane.

Merry

Sorry I am in a real rush (Turkey munching today), but if there are two of you in F Ba should have assigned seats.

I still don't believe that 1 A & K are blocked off.

ALW

Thanks everyone, you're right I was checking checkmytrip.com and now that I've called BA I can actually see the seat assignments. Doesn't do much good because there's not much available. Will probably stick with 3K+4K on the first leg (which is a 747, I was sure it was 777 out of Toronto) as it's an evening flight. We'll take a good squint at 4EF though, and if it looks good we'll ask about it at LHR (presently occupied or held back).

They gave me 2K/3K and 2A/3A on the HKG segments, 1AK are showing occupied but that doesn't mean they are. (Although I would never doubt Merry, and may I say I hope you enjoyed your turkey dinner!).

Finally we got 10DE for Montreal. I still find this one strange, both travelocity and checkmytrip.com only show rows 1-4 and 10-11, I'm inferring that the 22 seats in 1-4 are in the old F cabin, and that 10 and 11 are still the first two rows of J. It's not clear to me why rows 12-15 are not shown. Does anyone care to speculate? Or confirm that the old F cabin is rows 1-4 in NCW?

In case anyone's interested, the checkmytrip.com popup shows the following configuration for 3-class 777:

Thanks again!
andrew

[edited because I'm not getting a monospace font for the seat layout]


[This message has been edited by Andrew Webber (edited Nov 27, 2003).]

ALW

The following item is in my itinerary on checkmytrip.com It's been there all along. Can anyone tell me what it is?

Thanks!
andrew


[This message has been edited by Andrew Webber (edited Nov 27, 2003).]