speedbird182

Only if it's being used to catch the water/champers seping out of the loos to prevent it from soiling your shoes.

Genius1

I was sitting next to an American businessman whom I assumed had connected from another flight on the way to CDG last month, sitting in the last row of CE which was the A319 overwing exit Row 9.

He insisted on talking on his Blackberry right up until well after the engines were on, despite frequent attempts by the cabin crew to get him to turn it off.

He first put his laptop bag under the seat, before I asked him to move it. He refused. The cabin crew asked him to move it. He complied.

Then out came the laptop. I asked him to put it back, once again explaining that we were in an emergency exit row. He complied (he's getting there... slowly... ).

Then the jacket came off. He first put it under the seat on top of his laptop bag. When that got moved, he succeeded in trying to hang it on the table catch on the back of the seat in front. The cabin crew asked him to move it. It got moved to the B seat, before finally moving it to the overhead locker at the request of the cabin crew.

His response to me after this debacle; 'It's complicated sitting here, isn't it!'. Well, I just nearly exploded with laughter.

He turned out to be quite a nice chap, we had a brief discussion about the benefits of the extra legroom at the emergency exit seat.

He seemed to be a regular traveller, with AnotherAirline's frequent flyer cards on his bags (IIRC) and only taking one drink and refusing the meal. I've always thought it's this type of person that would cost me my life in a potential evacuation situation. Luckily I was the one in the window seat...

bcmatt

Talking of emergency exits, the video of the WN plane which caught fire at HOU today might be apposite:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...-fire-hou.html

Much discussion of the man with his hand luggage blocking the bottom of the escape slide!

BingBongBoy

Whilst I can only apologize that a colleague may have been less than gracious with this request. Hanging of jackets on Short Haul is not actually part of the product in any cabin. So, whilst it is a "nice to do", it certainly is not part of the product, even in Club.

Whilst I appreciate that people may be under the impression that their jacket will come out of a wardrobe looking better than going in an overhead locker, but the small wardrobe at the front of an A319/320 can accommodate maybe 8-10 jackets before things start getting crushed... Much better results to lay it across the top of a wheelie bag...

But... Getting back to original topic...

Yes, an 8 sector trip of people who obviously had no idea what they were reading and agreeing too when they chose those seats. One with an arm in a Cast... for heavens sake...

heckenhocker

Really? Wow, then I've been lucky on lots of CE sectors. I never ask, but usually hold my coat on my lap until the crew start collecting them. Had never realised this was "goodwill" not "product". Good to know.

BingBongBoy

Indeed... We do it, when there is a small club cabin, but as you will know, club on a 319 and 320, can go back to beyond the over wing exits, so we can not offer it as part of the product as we can not provide it to everyone. I know we can work miracles sometimes, but getting 40 jackets into that wardrobe really is something that even god would not assist with!!!

And indeed, I do see many people holding their jackets, waiting to have them hung... and once the wardrobe is full, usually with Row 1 coats and jackets, then I will apologize that I am unable to put their coat/jacket in the wardrobe due to it being full...

It is an unfortunate situation, but people have gotten used to something that is not part of the product and really has just become part of the "routine" when it really should not be.

heckenhocker

aha, that'll be the clue...I often take row 1. In other CE rows, have occasionally been told wardrobe's full, which is no big deal. Just hop up and wriggle the coat on top of suitcase. no DYKWIA from my coat

BingBongBoy

Well, Mr. Heckenhocker, if I ever see you in any row other than row 1, I shall make an exception and take exceptional care of ones coat or jacket and make it pride of place next to the Passenger Oxygen Unit...! ^

bjorns

I'm very surprised to hear that.

The hanging of jackets was at some point in the past, mentioned in BA adverts as part of the CE service.

While we can all understand that on some routes with a large CE load, the cupboard space may not suffice, I've never been told that this has been removed as a CE service.

bjorns

heartybob

Absolutely.

On a recent flight on an A319 I was in the row with non-reclining seats.

A lady sitting in the exit row behind was asked to put her bag in the overhead locker five times by three different cabin crew.

Then she had the cheek to complain after she'd been asked a sixth time that she'd already been asked five times!

She also said she regularly sat in an exit row and knew the rules ...

FlyIce

16 to 20 kg, some airlines display the weight on the door or on safety cards.
A thin woman might have difficulties, not to open, but to throw way.

BingBongBoy

I am surprised at that. I have been told on numerous occasions that it has never been proactively offered as part of the service but has came to be something that is expected onboard, and unfortunately crew have continued to do.

tiredflyer62

MMMmmmmmm.
I had a conversation with a very pleasant CSD on a shorthaul flight about this very issue quite some time ago and he advised me that the 'offer' was described in an Exec Club communication to members. However, the author had omitted to check it out with either BA Brands or Product Department..... so, landing the cabin crew with a frequently undeliverable expectation.
I admit to being a little sceptical about his explanation so asked an 'insider' friend/contact to make further enquiries. Lo & behold it was true! So the cabin crew that do either hang the jackets up when asked, or more impressively, offer to hang them up proactively are really going above & beyond!

pfd

As a not very frequent SH BA flyer, I discovered this past weekend on a LHR-GVA-LHR trip that the 319 has a nice exit row with a bit of extra leg room but the 320 (with 2 exit rows) does not. I fact I would avoid the 320 exit row completely as the baggage restrictions downside has no discernible offsetting upside unless I've missed something?

BTW the return on Monday evening was a zoo with more babies (including I think 3 sets of twins!) than I've ever seen on a flight. There was a stack of strollers to be loaded that would have not looked out of place in Mothercare. Q. If there are 2 parents with 2 babies, do they have to be split across the aisle for oxygen mask purposes?

dmahon

I've been booked into ET on a 320 and 321.

I may upgrade myself at T-24 if offered, but as it's only a jaunt to Paris, I now have lounge access through status, and they don't convert the seats anymore I'm likely not to bother.

The sticky talks about the best seats in the 737's and which are convertible (extra legroom) rows, but not the airbus - unless I missed it. Which are they? Do the seats in front of the exit rows recline? Does the second row of exit seats recline? In short, I guess I'm asking which is the best seat again?