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From SAT Lawyer's First Post:
Please also see: http://seatexpert.com/seatmap/320/Un..._First_&_Biz)/ and http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Uni...747-400_B.php]
What follows is my assessment of where to sit on the 744, which I sampled on a recent flight from SYD-SFO. I sat in E+ for three hours before a flight cancellation on Tuesday and in 15K in the upper deck in business for 13 hours the following day, so I feel sufficiently well-informed to dispense advice for those cabins. I cannot, however, make a recommendation for business class seating on the lower deck or the E- minus cabin, so with that caveat, here is my feedback on the upper deck . . .
Where should I sit in the upper deck? Any seats better than others?
Unlike the old configuration of the upper deck where certain seats – especially the exit row seats in row 15 – are appreciably better, on the new configuration, there is not really much to distinguish between the upper deck seats except for the limited caveats noted below.
What seats should I try to avoid?
There are only five seats that are nominally less attractive than the rest. 12 J & K are close to the forward lavatories and the flight deck so you can expect increased foot traffic and noise during the flight. The shell for 14K protrudes backward into the exit door area and partially overlaps with the exit door causing a nominal reduction in the view and a possible cold spot due to airflow penetrating the door seal. 17 J & K lose a good deal of privacy because they are visible from the top of the stairs and suffer from increased noise and light from the galley and traffic to and from the galley.
Window or aisle?
Window, definitely. And I say this as someone who is typically an aisle guy. You get the side bins for storage, the view, a little more peace and privacy being further removed from the aisle, and avoid the possibility of being disrupted by a seatmate climbing over you. Climbing over a seatmate in the aisle seat who is in the sleeping configuration requires a little bit of dexterity, but certainly is not terribly difficult for anyone who is at least 6 feet tall. Those who are substantially shorter than 6 feet may want to avoid the window, however.
Forward or backward?
Doesn’t really matter. Due to the pitch of the aircraft, those facing backwards will have their feet slightly below their heads in the sleeping configuration, but we are really splitting hairs here. Personally, I prefer the backward-facing view from the upper deck because you can see the wing and the engines.
What if I’m traveling with more than two people?
You will not be able to see or converse with the passengers whose feet oppose yours behind the wall adjoining the foot pocket and video panel. In other words, to give one example, the passengers in 15 J & K are fully walled-off from the passengers in 16 J & K. The shell of the seat also provides full privacy from behind. So, if you want to keep an eye on travel companions, you should try to sit diagonally across the aisle from one other. Passengers in 15 J & K, for example, will have a good view of passengers in 16 A & B, and vice versa. Actually, if you are travelling in a group of more than two and being able to chat is important to you, you'll probably want to sit in the middle section of the lower deck.
What happened to the exit row?
For all intents and purposes, it doesn’t exist. The seats in both rows 14 and 15 both back up to the exit area creating something more akin to an exit corridor. No extra legroom or particular advantage to these seats.
How is the seat for sleeping?
It’s a true, parallel-to-the-ground lie-flat seat, which is the big improvement. The arm rests on both sides can be manually lowered so that they don’t extend above the seat in bed configuration, which further increases arm and shoulder room. Unfortunately, for window seaters, there will be a healthy gap between the lowered arm rest and the side bins which means that the extra room on one side isn’t particularly useful since if you stick your arm far enough off the seat, it will essentially drop off a cliff with nothing to prop it up. As a 6-footer, my left foot was a little bit cramped due to the curvature of the foot-pocket, although this was not terribly bothersome. Both my seatmate and I felt that the seat lacked sufficient padding in the lumbar region of the back so we both woke up with sore lower backs.
What is the audio and video on-demand like?
For United and in comparison to the old configuration, great. The video screens are positively huge. There aren’t as many movies as one may find on airlines like Singapore, but still, there should be enough features to keep all but the most demanding and fickle passengers entertained.
As for the E+ cabin . . .
Seat pitch seems indistinguishable throughout, the bulkhead row 19 excepted. I don't care for the seats in row 19 myself because the hard bulkhead without cutouts effectively prevents all but the shortest traveler from stretching out his or her feet. This is true of both the outside seats as well as the middle section.
I would strongly advise against any D seat -- the aisle seats on the port side of the middle section -- because the audio boxes are beneath those seats and inhibit leg room for the left foot. There still should be enough room to place both feet, but only at a fairly sharp and uncomfortable angle.
As an aisle guy, I would go with one of the G seats. No audio box inhibiting leg room and landlocked middle seat passengers can access the aisle in either direction cutting in half your chance of getting bumped or bothered while you are trying to sleep.
There are still no individual seat-back video screens, unfortunately, so you are stuck with whatever programming UA runs on the main screens. Fortunately, the main screens have been upgraded to LCD screens. Sit at least a few rows back from row 19 to avoid being uncomfortably close to the screens.
Everything You Want to Know About Where to Sit on a United 747
#2266
Join Date: May 2009
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The exit row slide is a pain, but IMO it's still better than a typical E+ seat because you can stretch out. It's of course YMMV, and also depends on what alternatives are.
#2267
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#2268
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LAX
Posts: 177
For rows 9 & 10, is there a significant difference between the A/B side and the J/K side as far as noise, light, or other "environmental" factors?
There are two of us traveling together on an overnight flight, and we're trying to sort out which side would be marginally better for sleeping. The upper deck is fully booked and we'd like to avoid the 8-across part of the lower deck.
Thanks!
There are two of us traveling together on an overnight flight, and we're trying to sort out which side would be marginally better for sleeping. The upper deck is fully booked and we'd like to avoid the 8-across part of the lower deck.
Thanks!
#2269
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#2271
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The galley opens to both sides.
#2272
Join Date: Jul 2013
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I don't consider there being much "stair noise"...it's not a major thoroughfare (maybe a person or two will use it) and it's not like Titanic where the people below are dancing a jig and singing drinking songs that will waft up from below deck.
I'd try to get away from the galley.
I'd try to get away from the galley.
#2273
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Agreed there's not major traffic. When they block off the front lavs for the flight crew you will get UD pax using the LD lavs. Plus the FA's will go up and down during the flight.
#2274
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Just noticed they mentioned 9/10 on the LD, thought it was about the seats on the UD next to the stairs/galley.
#2275
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Everything You Want to Know About Where to Sit on a United 747
Kickin' it in 2A right now SFO-HKG, quite good. No trouble getting my rollaboard into overhead compartment. The deep storage compartment on my right seems smaller than 772, as really had to work my backpack to get it in, whereas on 772 can just drop it in. Also lots fewer movies available compared to 787 from which I connected.
#2276
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LAX
Posts: 177
Other than 9 and 10, the only open pairs right now are middles in rows 6 and 7. And there's nothing at all in the UD.
It doesn't sound like there's a better or worse side, given the limited options. At least I'll get to try the longer seats downstairs - I'm 6'4" and the upper deck seats are just slightly too short. Forced optimism.
Thanks for your input!
It doesn't sound like there's a better or worse side, given the limited options. At least I'll get to try the longer seats downstairs - I'm 6'4" and the upper deck seats are just slightly too short. Forced optimism.
Thanks for your input!
#2277
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Colorado
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Posts: 1,158
For rows 9 & 10, is there a significant difference between the A/B side and the J/K side as far as noise, light, or other "environmental" factors?
There are two of us traveling together on an overnight flight, and we're trying to sort out which side would be marginally better for sleeping. The upper deck is fully booked and we'd like to avoid the 8-across part of the lower deck.
Thanks!
There are two of us traveling together on an overnight flight, and we're trying to sort out which side would be marginally better for sleeping. The upper deck is fully booked and we'd like to avoid the 8-across part of the lower deck.
Thanks!
As always though, earplugs and eye masks are necessary no matter where you sit.
#2278
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I don't consider there being much "stair noise"...it's not a major thoroughfare (maybe a person or two will use it) and it's not like Titanic where the people below are dancing a jig and singing drinking songs that will waft up from below deck.
I'd try to get away from the galley.
I'd try to get away from the galley.
I'm one of very, very few people who go up and down stairs - like to see how full steerage is
#2279
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Only time I venture downstairs is when the front lavs are blocked off due to flight deck access...and I have consumed far too many 312s or G&Ts to comfortably wait.
Last edited by goodeats21; Nov 7, 2014 at 7:50 am