Liphotoman

I am looking at QF12 from JFK to SYD. Looking at the Qantas site, it states that on both legs of the flight, from JFK - LAX on a 787, and from LAX to SYD on a A380-800 (although it is difficult to tell which aircraft is which leg - there is a plane change in LAX but not a flight no change), every seat in Biz Class has aisle access. BUT - when I look at the seat map for the A380, it shows the Biz Class configuration to be 2-2-2. How does the person in the window seat have aisle access? Is there something that doesn't show in the map, or is the information on the Qantas site wrong?

It's a pretty long flight, and two of us side by side is fine IF my better half can get out of her seat without waking me! :-)

Thanks

Jacek_C

SYD-LAX is 2-2-2 on A380
dreamliner has configuration 1-2-1, hence window/aisle access.

cova

The seat pitch is much bigger on A380 in J. Your feet don't go under the armrest in front. I prefer the QF A380 J seat over the 1-2-1 in the 787 (For the 777 and 787 I much prefer AA/CX reverse herringbone). With the wide pitch, the person at the window can get out if they are tall enough to step over the window seat lie flat position. The seats goes lower to the floor when the seat is put in lie flat mode.

I am ticketed on QF 12 from JFK-SYD for a future flight as well. You CAN NOT use the QF manage booking to assign your seats. You have to call and they have to do it manually. And you will only see your seats on one of the segments. I checked after the agent assigned by going to the seat map from Expert Flyer and looking at each segment.

787 is JFK-LAX (which continues to BNE)
A380 is LAX-SYD.

If your are OneWorld Emerald you will be able to get the forward section of the A380 (referred to as Emerald Aisle).

Liphotoman

I guess one of my worries is that I will not get a decent seat from LAX - SYD. Not terribly concerned abt JFK - LAX. I'd prefer to stay awake on that segment so I am more likely to sleep on the longer segment. My wife is short - so unlikely she can climb over me. And she does prefer a window seat. I'm a lousy sleeper - if I get woken up, I usually cannot get back to sleep. SO maybe we are better off with the two center seats. But then you say we cannot select our seats? OUCH. We'd be booking this via Cruise Air on the way to a cruise out of Sydney. I don't think that changes the possibility of booking our own seats - IF that was possible.

Is it possible to do JFK - LAX one day, and then stay over in LAX a night and catch the LAX - SYD the next evening? I doubt it - but wondering.

I've read that Qantas will be changing the 2-2-2 config. ANyone know if that will happen before April 2019, when I will be flying?

Thank you.

ButFli

The A380 reconfig doesn't start until second quarter of 2019. It will not be available for April 2019.

You are overthinking this far too much. If having direct aisle access for both seats is so earth-shatteringly important, book two centre seats. There is nothing to see out the window except dark ocean. Note that when Qantas does change to every seat having aisle access, it will be in a 1-2-1 layout so people travelling together will be in the centre seats anyway.

og

Volvo Mike

Or fly JFK - LAX - BNE on the 787 and then BNE - SYD on a 737.

Liphotoman

I think you're right - I am overanalyzing this. WIndow seats seemed better because of the extra storage for "stuff", but the center seats should be fine, esp since most of the flight will be in the dark.
In reading reviews on many different sites, the most common negatives are the climbing over, and often people spoke of inattentive crews. The seats themselves get good marks.
Think we'll go with it.
Thanks.

cova

I would call QF and get your seat assignments for the LAX-SYD portion. As pointed out - get center seats then both have aisle access. But a window seat is more private.

No for QF12 from JFK-SYD as a single flight number you can't stay over for a day. That makes the connection more than 24 hours. And it would not price out the same. You can't purchase a ticket on JFK-LAX as a separate ticket - but you could do the stopover and fly JFK-LAX since you are continuing on a QF itinerary (I believe). But then again the fare would be different.

ButFli

The benefit of the centre seats is that each seat gets its own overhead bin. The side seats only get one between two, with the side bin for the window seat to compensate.

og

ozflygirl747

.....or Emerald City even.