I was on a refitted 332 (VH-EBS) for Saturday's QF82 from SIN-SYD... it was my 3rd flight in the J suite, but my first on the 332, with the leather upholstery on the seat.
I really like the J suite product, but for me, having the leather under me (even with the mattress added) for 7+ hours made for a quite interrupted and uncomfortable sleep. I woke up a few times after getting too hot, and needed to get up and walk around a little to 'air out' when I did. Keeping hydrated (in both the right and wrong ways), I took the opportunity whenever I got up to visit the rest room, and it was also quite obvious that a single bathroom for 28 J pax was not enough. There was almost always a wait to go in, and/or a queue when I came out. Thankfully I didn't need to use them around departure or approach, as the usual pyjama party would have taken an age. I do hope QF try and limit the use of the 332 for their longer eligible sectors after all the 333s are finished, as it was not a nice experience. From a sleep perspective, I almost would have preferred the MK1 skybed and my then beloved 'cradle' position! :shock: Of course, most else about the new seat is better.
The other thing which I've noticed now with the three flights I've been on (and all in different seats in the cabin), and from observing others around me, is that the seat recline and adjustments appear to be quite temperamental. Holding down a seat position or command button, the seat will begin to move into that position, but then stop after a few inches, and then start again only after you release and press it again. On occasion it wouldn't want to move at all until I got out of the chair and pressed the button without me in the seat. Others around me were playing with their seats in the same manner... and perhaps just playing... but it looked more like they were failing to complete a specific objective, to me.
Given the seat sometimes seems to work better when I wasn't in it... I wonder if perhaps the motor is not strong enough to move the frame through all positions with weight on it? Anyone else had any similar experiences with this? I'm a big guy... but more rugby, than sumo! On Saturday's QF82, EF told me that seat 4K had become available, and preferring to be by the window, I enquired at the lounge about being changed to that seat... I was told it would not recline / was faulty. Is this the start of something common with the much lauded J suites??
Cheers,
Matt.