fluffymitten

My partner and I will be travelling to Oz via HKG next year and booked business. Looking at the cabin layout, it seems like all seats are quite separate and we won't really get to sit next to each other.

I've seen some videos that imply you can sit either side of the table which may work (he's 6'4" so we'll see about that!).

Just seems a shame if there isn't an option that allows couples to sit next to each other (Emirates alternate the together/not together seats which is a nice compromise).

I have initially booked middle seats in row 23/26 but it would be great to know if there's a better location for couples. We'll be on B777 for all but one leg, which will be on an A350.

Cambo

Sit across the isle, or if you really want in hold-hands position, downgrade to PEY......
IIRC, the A350 middles seat do have the option to move the whole seat a little (couple of cm) forward before recline, giving some more visual connection with the seatmate, though others might elaborate better on that.

For the rest, CX J is little bling, though -despite all the complaining regulars- not bad at all and the CX reverse herringbone J is my personal favorite, above all the highly praised micro privacy boxes.

What I hate about the middles seats, is the exposure to the seat mate his/her stored screen video.

bhyq

brunos

Middle seats are good for a couple on 777 or A350. Your heads are a bit far away and there is a middle island, but you both cam move the seat forward and talk
I would not advise two aisle seats on 777. The window seats are not aligned with the middle seats, so it is quite difficult to interact. Basically the window seats are in-between two rows of middle seats. Better on A350
Like others, I prefer to book two window seats for my couple

QRC3288

You're right if the #1 and only priority is sitting immediately next to your partner.

But in general you are overthinking it. CX's Cirrus Herringbone is without question a superior hard product to the alternating biz seats in Emirates. Your downside is you don't sit in the love seats. The upside is, random business passengers aren't awkwardly placed next to each other, Cirrus has a longer bed, wider bed, far more "free" leg space, and on the 777 more side table space too. It's a very good product.

Not to mention, Cirrus is definitely more comfortable for your tall husband than Emirates J.

Yes, stick with middle seats.

For eating, due to positioning of the tray table you won't really be able to chat much, just see each other's feet. But when the tray table is put away, there is a slider button on each seat, similar to the electronic slider in your car that moves your seat forward towards the steering wheel. You pull this forward just like you would the one in your car. Have your husband do the same. By doing this, you will be at a level where you can look at each other without having to move ahead of the barrier. It's a nice feature, although most people don't realize it. And it's there specifically to allow you to chat with your neighbor. Or, you can retreat back into the cave part of the seat (default setting), if you're sitting next to a stranger as many people are. It's really a solid product to make the best of both worlds.

Downside is of course you cannot see each other as you eat. But, you can have drinks together by putting the tray table away, pulling each seat forward into the "talk with your neighbor" position I describe previously, and just have your drinks on the side tray table. Done it many times with Mrs. QRC.

I've added picture below. Look at the seat adjustment buttons (in the shape of a seat) under the seat light. The middle, horizontal button is the one I'm referring to. You can "pull" it forward and back to forward the seat to move forward and back along a rail in its current recline setting. This button is pretty pointless in the window; its main utility is allow you to "come out of the cave / go across the barrier" and see your middle seat partner. Then, you can have drinks together on the middle tables. Because of where the food tray table pulls out, however, it won't fit with the seat slid forward this way.

sirflyalot999

Please keep your voice down if you do talk while others around you are sleeping. There is nothing more annoying than ignorant couples who think no one else exists but them.

osotoc

My husband and I fly CX J a lot, and have found the window seats to be the best seats, even for a couple.
We do brief chats when we get up to stretch our legs or go to the lavatory, but we enjoy the privacy of our own little reverse herringbone pod.
As mentioned earlier, the reverse herringbone is designed for privacy (max at the window; less so in the center but still private).
Still, you won't be holding hands or in a "love seat" as in other J seat designs on CX, so sitting near each other is the best you can get.
If you want to sit next to each other, you should avoid all reverse herringbone seat configs and opt for a different airline.

brunos

For love seats you could opt for QR E&F suites.
I just flew late August with wifey and it is amazing.

fluffymitten

Thanks for all the comments. On an Emirates trip to Oz we didn't chat for all that time so I know we won't do that. I wanted to better understand in practical terms how easy it is to converse with your travelling companion and it seems like it's easy enough, especially with the facility to move the seat forward.

Fly2Where

um... I equally don't understand when people siting in a public transportation, ie business class seat, but "expect" others, ie couples, "should not" talk during the flight.
I experienced loud talkers, and I mean really loud, most of the time, they are speaking to their newly made "friends" and travel solo, ie, they can't wait to share their FF experience (they can talk ALL night). Only very few times, loud chat from "couples".
Again, just my experience... different people have different tolerant level to noise. Of course red eye flight is different story.

To OP if you want to chat, middle seat still the best for chatting, any other seats, you petty much will get dirty eyes from people with low noise tolerance.

hl176

I would pick two seats sharing the aisle - one window and one centre with the reason being if anyone needs to be attended to, you can simply go over. Regarding the seats slightly staggered, the "needier" person should sit in the seat slightly forward so the person seated in the seat slightly behind can more easily check on the other person.

With regards to your statements about Emirates J, I would have to respectfully disagree. While I agree CX J is much more private, I would argue that Emirates J in 2-3-2 as a seat (as solely a seat) is much, much more comfortable as crazy as it sounds which I know will cause controversy. The way they designed the seat has superior under thigh support and contour akin to that of a luxury vehicle seat. If given the opportunity, it's something I would pick in a heartbeat over CX J or whatever seat for a daytime flight. Simply said, for lounging, the CX cirrus seat is not good and honestly speaking, even with three duvets as a makeshift mattress pad it's still not great. Don't get me wrong, CX cirrus is a great product but just falls flat in some aspects.

sxc

I think that some of the older seats have the padding wearing thin. I hope they do a refurb of the seat to make them "bouncy" again.

Cambo

Yeah, I certainly look forward to the return of the spring coil inner seat type

ernestnywang

I think what you saw is F, and CX doesn't have F to Australia anymore.

fluffymitten

I think it was a different airline... My partner has gone "class crazy" and keeps sending me videos of various carriers I can't keep up!