Upper Deck vs Main Deck
 

Hi Guys,

Not sure if this is the right area, but would like to find out generally for business class on 747's, are upper deck seats preferred over main deck?

if yes, just wondering why?:)

Cheers,
K.

I don't fly the upper deck much but the upper deck business class seats are preferred. It has the quiet and cozy feel of a small cabin, and you are quite isolated from the noise and people below, unless, of course, you decide to go downstairs. I'm speaking from my one-time experience on the upper deck on UA.

The Upper Deck is preferable in my opinion as well. You don't have the inter-cabin traffic of the lower deck and it feels like you are on a private jet. Also,
they usually have additional storage bins beside the window seats, so it makes it much easier to stow and retrieve personal items during the flight without having to get up and open an overhead bin. This may be just personal experience, but I find the service is usually better up there as well (may have something to do with the flight attendant to passenger ratio being better). Try it, you'll like it!

Definitely the upper deck.... it is much quieter.... and you feel less confined... in my opinion.

Have never had a line to the bathrooms... and I feel you get more attentive service from the attendants.

William

I've always felt the upper deck to offer more privacy.

I prefer the upper deck - but will often go downstairs to walk around. It is a bit pokey. Business class in the "nose" is also OK - there is no through traffic.

It is nice having the lockers by the window seats. But, they seem to be quite narrow. Also the overhead lockers are shallower than downstairs. The upshot of all this is that if you have something particularly bulky you might need to store it in a cupboard, whereas downstairs you might still be able to fit it in the locker.

For EVA air pax in C, look out for flights where no F class is sold but they run a 747 with F in the nose. This is certainly preferable to C upstairs. They will normally happily allocate you to an F seat on request at check-in. (Might do this without asking.) On one TPE/SGN flight I had F in the nose to myself whilst several people were upstairs. Food service was C though (as expected).

Lower Deck,
 

for sure! LOWER DECK has better food, fresher air, FAR better seats (seats UPSTAIRS are lumpy, broken, uncomfortable) friendlier FA's,better champagne, etc., etc.
Really, LOWER DECK is for you. Honest
(and that leaves the upper deck for ME! ^ )

I'd guess that about 3 out of 4 pax prefer the UD. Give it a try.

Better food in the same business class flight? :confused: I find it difficult to believe that those upstairs would be served inferior quality than those downstairs.

You heard the man! And if on UA especially stay away from awful Row 15, and 16 A,B too for that matter!

How? I specifically asked about food not seats. How is there a difference in food quality & offering between those upstairs and donwstairs? Those upstairs get a different menu than those downstairs?

Upper deck always. I like the compartments next to the window seats. I agree with previous poster who said that the nose is also ok, especially if you have angled seats which give you more room.

I believe dcutcher was joking - effectively, I might add. ;)

It's called sarcasm
 

Rejuvated,
They are being sarcastic, for Pete's sake!

No, no, let me try to explain - if one were to equate the number of joules (vectorizing the ergs of course) with the foot-pounds required to lift the trays to the UD, compensating for the altitude and velocity, it can be clearly seen that the food on the UD will by necessity taste like cr@p in comparison with the food on the LD.

I'm sorry, maybe someone else can explain this better.

Exactly why, given the choice, I would opt for the upper deck.

Somewhere along the line you missed the sly sarcasm... those of us who love the UD apparently live in constant fear that so many people will discover our "secret" that we try to fool newcomers ;)

Kate

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies. I will definitely try upper deck. I had tried main deck near the nose before which was not bad. But since i have never tried UD i will give it a go and see what i think of it:)

ps. i will be flying Malaysia Airlines.
Only down side to this is, if i do get a old non refurbished C class aircraft i won't be able ot get away with the old F seats which are in the main cabin.....

I guess its worth the gamble?:)

Cheers,
Kenn.

Depends. Mostly upper deck, but if I have tight connection and/or expect flight to be almost full I will go for lower deck centre block aisle bulkhead. Easier to exit quickly, and middle seats downstairs are the last to be used in my experience.

Yes I am rather poor in detecting sarcasm as English isn't my first language. :o

Hi Kiwiflyer,

Thanks for the info. You mean UD passengers don't leave before th emain deck leaves?

Cheers,
Kenn.

Put me in the lower deck camp. The upper deck has a more cramped feeling to me. Plus, I usually travel with a (very legal sized) rollerboard, so I don;t like hoofing it upstairs and sticking it in the rear cubbyhole. Although some have esposed the benefits of the storage space on the side, it's useless if you are in aisle seat. I also find that air friction noise is higher upstairs. Finally, I have really never had a problem with lav lines on the main deck - most carriers have 4 lavs below, and at least one of them is typically very roomy.

All things considered, there isn't that much difference. If you have no larger carry-on, try the UD.

In my experience most airlines will have a FA "block" the economy section downstairs while Business (and First) pax deplane from the upper and lower decks. IMO there's minimal time difference between UD and LD in exiting.

Thanks for the replies guys.

I will try window seat upper deck if not available then i guess main deck:)

Depends on the airline.

On LH upper deck is first so yes they leave first. On most airlines upper deck is business, but another business zone on lower deck - these leave at same time but I can get out quicker from the appropriate seat lower deck (aisle on either bulkhead or last row depending on if door 1L or 2L likely to be used). Some airlines, eg SQ, will hold economy pax back so all business class (upper and lower deck) leaves first. Other airlines, eg UA, do not bother and can take a while to get out from upper deck.

Best seats on upper deck are the exit row, but note the windows are not as good here as other rows.

Empty or full flight: Upper Deck, for all the reasons stated above

Somewhere between empty and full: Lower deck. It is more likely that the LD will be less full compared to the UD, and I will get a center aisle with no one sitting in the middle, which means more space.

UD for me. The UD (full disclosure here, my UD experience is only on UA) is just like a nice little community -- kind of like FT. In fact, 2/3 of UD on any given flight is most likely taken up by FT members.

I certainly don't like the delay in getting down out of the UD, but for the 12 - 16 hours before that it is the best thing going IMHO.

Hi Kiwiflyer,

I will be flying MH, not sure if you know their policy on this? Also why are the windows on the exit rows not as good?

Cheers,
K.

I haven't flown MH upper deck so can't comment specifically on that. However most times I've flown the exit row upper deck (number of airlines) the seat by the window is behind the seat.

Absolutely, positively upper deck. However, avoid the last row as close to the FAs and that is heightened by the smallness of the cabin.

Thanks guys for the info. Seems like UD choices outnumber lower deck.....

So which upper deck seat is best for space for a window seat?:)

This is really dependent on the airline you fly. There are many people on BA who swear by the last row in UD business class. This is because the window seats face backwards, which allows easy access and on the side opposite the stairs, great privacy.


Again, this is really dependent on the airline and how it configures the seats. Which airline are you planning to fly?

Planning to fly Malaysia Airlines MH :)

hi,

i'll be flying MH. Have you flown them before?

Hi Guys,

I am about to book my tickets:)

SYD->KUL->LHR return.

Should i go to maindeck on one of the legs?

They are all on 747-400 except the KUL->SYD leg.

Cheers,
Kenn.

I have not flown LD in years on 744 so I really do not know how to compare present situation. Also, I am almost always on UA metal so my comments relate to preceeding disclosures.

I love the UD and design my trave around the avaibility of select seats in the UD, ie, if seats in the exit row (UA row 15) I seek to alter the itn, change dates, etc. Of course, this is not rational behavior as the idea is just to get from point A to point B right? But of course, I was transferred to my present post in Texas...and I did not resign. Kind of revealing, yes?

Honestly,
 

I wonder sometimes why I bother! :D

Hi guys,

I am thinking to mix it up. LD on one leg and UD on other legs etc. But its nearly impossible to get exit row for UD on MH. In fact just checked and its already booked. So not sure which is the next best?

My experience:

UD PROS:
- Storage bins beside the window seats.

UD CONS:
- "Small and cosy"? Yup... small allright. But not like "leather seat in a private jet"-small but rather "cramped commuter prop"-small.

Worst experience in UD:
Starting to taxi to runway, when pax in front row had to use his barf bag big time. When that smell started to spread, you're no longer happy about the 'small space'... :p

Put me on the LD team - leaving more seats for all you UD fans :D

/Mike

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the reply. I might try UD on one or 2 legs and see if i like it. Did you fly MH?

So you mean lower deck you feel it has better legroom?

Regards,
Kenn.