I believe I may have the answer, it looks like Emirates are running the new two their
A380 from Manchester to Dubai from next year, instead of from Gatwick, that would make our aircraft one of those with just Business and Economy, on the seating plan for that I believe it shows row12 sat beside each other.

Do you know what date next year Oztraveller? I ask because I am booked on Man- Dubai- Bne in Jan & return in March. Booked row 14 E/F on each leg so I hope that's still valid.

I've just checked it & it seems you might be correct Oztraveller. I'm going to call tomorrow to check my options. Now why haven't Emirates informed me of this?

Why didn't Emirates tell me that they downgraded my wife and I from F to J and now refuse to pay more than 300AED as the fare difference?

Not a customer friendly company. Great in the air but the reality is they don't care about customers because they have too many...Even the I/Os given the recent story re stolen miles....

I checked my booking details and they have changed me from 14 E & F in the front cabin to 20 E& F in back cabin, nearer to the bar. I can't change the seat allocation because all other E& F seats are taken, I suppose because there are now less J seats on a 2 class aircraft. Is it likely to be noisy in these seats? I am optimistically hoping that because there are less J seats and no F seats that he bar is less likely to be busy. Is it likely that Y passengers who are now in the front would make it to the bar?

OK, only 1 flight a day has been changed to 2 class ( up to now) and apparently it's generally the overnight flight, which explains our change as we are on the 20.25 flight. However, return flight is 7am from Dubai, so that's still a 3 class and our seat requests are not changed. Booking agent has told me that 20E/F are still good seats ( well she would!!) So, not too bothered about the change, as long as there isn't any more.

Depends on how busy the bar is and how sensitive you are to noise. If you find you can't sleep, relatively good quality earplugs are available on request. I wouldn't worry too much!

On the three-class B77Ws which J seat would one recommend for a solo traveller?

Row 7 apart from E (middle seat) - unless you have a burning desire for a window seat in which case probably 9A/K.

imho.

Sorry to hear about your change katykat, I have read on here that some people recommend row 23 which is even closer as being a good row, so 20 cannot be that bad. It is poor though that Emirates change these things and don't tell you. I recently flew with them and they changed the return aircraft configuration and the seats we had booked no longer existed, we only found out when checking in online the night before, and they were useless at helping, the system would not let me change my seat, because row 14 was not recognised, it ended with the Emirates agent in the Maldives having to do all sorts of things to allocate us new seats I believe she cancelled our tickets and re issued them. But at least you have advanced knowledge of the change now.

Our agent told me today that Emirates ( and other airlines) don't attach much priority to seat changes, even to aircraft change although they do try to avoid changing from an A380 to any other craft because there isn't actually any other plane that would accommodate so many passengers. In the grand scheme of things, it isn't really a hardship. As long as it's a safe flight, I'll be happy. Mind you, I think we will probably check in online just in case there are any surprises.

Row 23 in a 3 class, and Row 20 in a 2 class are effectively the same row in distance from the bar, due to the numbering system changing between the two types.

Thanks, I take it that row 7 doesn't have a window?

There is a window missing from Row 7. There is another one that you can lean forward to look out of, so not practical for during take off and landing.

The window that would be right next to you (actually a bit behind you) in row 7 is missing. But the one just forward of that is fine. For takeoff and landing maybe slightly annoying, although I find that with leaning a bit forward its not a big hassle. When I first booked that seat (7K), I worried a bit about it but in reality I found it fine!
Otherwise row 7 is probably the best as it is a 'very mini' cabin, only 2 rows (6 and 7). Much more quiet than the 'big' J cabin further back.^
Plus they let the front cabin disembark first as F is there as well (those poor souls have to disembark behind sone J passengers)

All very much first world problems...