QRC3288

Yes, PEY folks do try to (and usually quite successfully) use the J toilet. It is an identical situation on 33E/33K and 77G. Adding to the fun, I have no fewer than 5 situations on 77G and 33K/33E where people self upgrade themselves. I have to imagine it will happen on 35G occasionally too.

Definitely tell the FAs in either situation. They both drive me nuts, particularly since the rear mini cabins are in theory lovely.

The WORST for the bathroom dynamic by far is 77G, because the toilet is actually inside the cabin (versus the galley) on the A side aisle. PEY pax poking their head through the curtains see it and some flights, it turns into a constant stream of people, even to the point where they're lined up in the J class A side aisle next to the seats. Lovely. And because the extra galley curtain is usually closed, the FAs don't see it.

35G/33K/33E are a lot better, since the rear J lavatory is inside the galley area, so it's a bigger stretch for the pax to cross the cabin. Often they don't know where the lav is, walk forward and then get swatted by the FAs. And them getting sent back deters others. Fyi, I have selected the rear mini cabin for 3 out of probably 7-10 A350 flights to date. All short haul, but lovely every single time. I also frequently fly in the mini-cabin on 33E and 33K, which is an identical dynamic. But I refuse to fly in the mini-cabin (particularly left side) of 77G.

I don't know the service flows and staff stations on A350, but overall the rear mini-cabin - because it is directly connected without a galley to PEY, and the rear J galley is very close, just two rows ahead (giving possible cabin crossers the view that there is just two rows of J to cross before the reward of a potential bathroom nearby) encourages cross cabin traffic. This is just normal human behavior. And when the FAs aren't patrolling, which is natural when you have a cabin dynamic like that, then it will happen more and more if a few folks are successful.

Interestingly on 77H, cabin crossing rarely happens. Even though row 26 of J is connected to PEY without a galley. I've concluded there are two reasons for this. 1) PEY pax have their own lav. 2) because the rear J cabin is enormous (11 rows), and if they're peeking through the curtains PEY pax see they'd have to walk through the entire J cabin to get to a galley, all 11 rows of it. It's way easier on the 77G/35G/33K/33E because it's TWO or three rows to cross only. Not 11. On 77H, note the left PeY section doesn't have a lav, but I frequently sit in 26A (last biz seat) on longhaul flights and very, very rarely have pax crossing the curtain. So that's one reason I say I think a bigger J class deters crossers.


Whereas on 77G it's a virtual guarantee to happen many times each flight. And of course, once some pax do it they all do.

Anyway long story short tell the FAs don't hesitate at all.

rienhart87

I just flew DUS-HKG yesterday and I can attest that a constant stream of PEY pax tried to use J lav. It was beyond annoying and dare I say ignorant from the PEY pax side. I was on 21A so I saw so many heads peeking through the curtain to see if the lav is free or not. There was a lady seated on 21D (I assume she's a Diamond because the ISM came to greet her, brought her bottled water,etc and they seemed to know each other very well whereas I was greeted by the SP) and she got so upset so she called the ISM and the SP and told them that they need to rectify this problem. ISM and SP then went to the PEY cabin and I saw them talking to PEY passengers seated on the first two rows and the stream of PEY pax going to J lav decreased dramatically. Except there was this one guy who was so stubborn and kept on trying to use J lav despite being turned away multiple times.

G-CIVC

Sad to hear about this. If it was a flight to the US, I would just advise the CC to pull the safety trigger and I'm sure everyone would comply right away

QRC3288

Yea, to reinharts point, this was my concern with the rear mini-cabin. Unfortunate to hear how pronounced it was. Exact same problem with 33E and 33K, and same problem just worse on 77G (hands down takes the cake due to presence of lav inside the cabin itself).

I will add, anyone who has flown Qatars A350 might've noticed the same problem. Although the cabin is beautiful and airy, that doesn't stop economy pax from coming up to the mid-section bathrooms. I've only ridden Qatars A350s a few times, but on two of the flights there were self upgraders to the rear of J. It's the nature of the beast unfortunately when you have a big J cabin and it's connected to the back without a galley....aka FA station...in between.

sxc

When flying QF in Y+ on the 747, the cabin crew come and introduce themselves to every passenger. And they also make a point of saying "And just to let you know, your toilets are behind you through the curtain" motioning to the economy cabin.

QRC3288

smart. that would probably go a long way if CX would do the same.

lionelhutz

I like to deal with people from PEY who use the J toilet by staring at them, rolling my eyes and saying nothing. Then weeks later, I complain about it on the internet. I have to admit it isn't really effective.

LoveHateRelationship

Flying in 40H as we speak and the seat is pretty .... despite what seat guru says. Its IFE is in the armrest so you can't watch anything on final. You also have the constant stream of PEY people going to the loo. 40A and 40K are far better options imo since they also don't have the solid arm rest against the wall so you have a little bit more seat width. You get plenty of leg room without the stream of people.
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Innocent Abroad

So what is the verdict concerning the best seats in Y? 40A/K or 60A/K?

^

LoveHateRelationship

I quite liked 40A on my way home. 60K is close to the lavs and generally that means there's a bit of traffic and a ton of congregating depending on where your flight is going to/coming from.

Innocent Abroad

Thanks; it's going to be TLV-HKG-SIN and back (with stopovers) - all segments on the A359. Perhaps I'll go with 40A for the long flights and 60A for the short

SilverChris

Can anyone confirm if there's a difference in footwell size between 20A and 21A? Currently have a choice between the two and was wondering which to go for

QRC3288

I've sat in both, sadly can't recall.

I feel confident saying 21A is a standard footwell. The only possibility for 20 is that it's larger.

Either way this is highly academic mate! They're both either very good (or bad) seats depending on your preference for that type of mini cabin. Essentially 77G, 35G, 33K, 33E all have the same mini-cabin dynamic. Potentially nice and quiet and private, moreso than forward cabin and on its best days the mini-cabin is awesome. But also last served, frequent cabin intrusions from PEY and Y, and IME even sometimes self-upgraders. It's a difficult part for the cabin crew to patrol and the rear galley blocks their vision.

SilverChris

To answer my own question, there's no discernible difference in footwell size between 20A/K and 21A/K.

Agree that the mini-cabin is very intimate. However, row 21 does suffer from increased noise and light from the PEY cabin during the midflight meal service, but nothing major.

FiveMileFinal

Anybody have experience in 33ABHK in PEY? Is the noise from the bassinet row that bad due to the misalignment?