2Tall4Y

To answer my own question I misread expertflyer, but changed to 14 A&B as these are the actual upper deck exit row. Rows 1&2 are blocked for elites.

og

Just flew in the 787 MEL-SYD - seat 12D.

This seat should be avoided because of the noisy air duct immediately behind the seat. Its deafening compared to adjacent seats (which are far enough away not to suffer the noise). The noise makes the sear ambience equivalent to the 777's noise and spoils the otherwise very quiet 787 cabin.

On the flip side, sitting in 12D gives you the chance to be first out of the aircraft if door 2L is used.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

These will actually be 'new' full flat beds - not the old angled ones.

Depending on your preferences - the forward A zone (former first class) is also a good option.

2Tall4Y

Same updated biz as the 380 from my understanding which looks perfectly fine for sleeping--which I will hopefully be doing with a 23:30 departure

zpaul

Economy seating help on the 380, please:

I'm currently in 32K, the upper deck bulkhead window. Most of the other seats around it are available. Seat Guru says that legroom is limited due to the bulkhead - is this true?

Thanks!

serfty

If you are much over 6' tall then move. I am just on 6' and it's borderline - I would go row 33 Window over 32 for a transpacific flight.

Storyteller

Same as Serfty, I suggest 33. On QF A380 in Y I find I can stretch out nicely under the seat in front. I'm just under 6'. Also love the locker, plus the extra shoulder room it offers

zpaul

Thanks, Serfty and Storyteller, I'm now in 33A.

zpaul

It seems that as Emerald I received all of the extra leg room seats at no charge, even though I had to input my credit card information on the seat reservation website. LAX-MEL, MEL-PER, and PER-SYD all came through without my card being charged.

I must admit that I was envious of 32...there was more room than I had in 33, as my knees hit the seat in front of me before I could extend fully, and I would have prefered the openness of not having a seat recline in front of me. 33 wasn't bad by any means, but my preference runs to 32. Live and learn!

Also, seat 43K on the 747 was excellent - there is a large cut-out so you can extend much more. Of course, it IS in the "family section," with anybody with kids assigned to those two rows, it seems. Between ample champagne in the lounge, earplugs, and Lunesta I was able to sleep pretty well, though. Others could have found it to be a living hell at 40,000 feet.

serfty

I have travelled in both 32A and 33A - It's a wash for me with the difference being I can stretch out more in 33 balanced against being reclined in to by 32. Both A (and K) seats have valuable side storage.

Since Qantas have been charging $180 for the row 32 seat, row 33 wins out.

zpaul

Yes, I can see how the $180 charge would be an issue. As I think I mentioned, I did book various "extra legroom" seats with the payment, but was never charged. I have had no confirmation that it is due to Emerald status, but I presume that it is.

That said, the side storage and "table" at A was a true benefit. I think A and K would always be my choices in the future, regardless of 32 or 33.

Thanks for all of your help!

NYkiwi

I'm flying QF8 DFW/SYD later in September. Expert flyer shows the plane as pretty empty and Ive read that they run it low on Y to keep the weight down?
I had already paid for an upstairs exit row before reading that. A month later I notice I still havent been charged for the exit row. Do you think thats just an error or something to do with running the flight light?

Meanwhile it shows the upstairs having having 8 seats booked and the rest blocked. Would they really run upstairs Y with only 8 people?
On the SYD/LAX flight over I was upstairs with one seat empty next to me - but then swapped into the last row of three as they were empty and the FA said first in first served. Mini stretch out provided a nice little sleep.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

Seat maps are no indication of loadings on a flight - well at least not until right before departure.

As qantas charges just about anyone without status to reserve a seat, many people will forego this and wait until check-in opens.

As for the upper deck economy/coach, that will be blocked for high status passengers. Those already reserved in there will have sufficient status to lock them in now.

Not actually being charged for an exit row seems to be quite common... although the charge could theoretically come in at any time.

Qantas usually does a pretty good job of filling their planes. There may even be last minute quick sales which will fill seats.

When the QF7/8 was being operated by a 747 there were weight limitations, with a good bulk of seats blocked off from sale. However - once on board it really wasn't a case of rows and rows of empty seats. The crew would proactively move people around to give everyone room to stretch out, and by the time of takeoff, only maybe one or two seats in each row might have been empty (and only one or two passengers were lucky enough to have three seats to themselves for a mini bed).

I'm not sure of the exact weight limitation for the A380 in terms of numbers, but I suspect it will be the same as the 747... a scattering of spare seats (if any), rather than whole rows.

Guvner067

Flew that config last week in 3F, wife in 3E, kids in 3A and 3B. All good seats. I liked the big table and the foot lockers in E/F and the quietness of the nose area overall. Try to get seats in that section.

baggyred

Flying on the A380 and currently in 18 A&B

Main focus for us is quiet - so mid cabin seemed the way to go. However should I be able to secure 12 j&K - would the smaller "elites" cabin be a better option?