Aircraft Seating Configuration

[Beasley]

Is there anyway to work what the actual seating configuration of flight are before booking. For example, Cathay Pacific flights to Hong Kong are identified as 333 (Airbus 330) but looking at the CTX fleet, they have three different layouts - 333/33K, 333/33E or 333/33P.

Can anyone cast any light on how to identify the actual flights please?

 

[TomVexille]

expertflyer should. However CX are rather notorious for last minute equipment swaps and no configuration is guaranteed.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Is there anyway to work what the actual seating configuration of flight are before booking. For example, Cathay Pacific flights to Hong Kong are identified as 333 (Airbus 330) but looking at the CTX fleet, they have three different layouts - 333/33K, 333/33E or 333/33P.

Can anyone cast any light on how to identify the actual flights please?

The 33P is a regional configuration - so you can discount that. These are not subbed to AU routes.

The 33E has full flat beds in business, but no premium economy. It's not usual that they'll be on AU routes, but you can check if premium economy is for sale or not pretty easily.

The 33K has full flat beds and premium economy - this is the standard configuration for AU routes (again, confirming the presence of premium eco is easy through a dummy booking)

 

[Beasley]

Thank you for the advice .... makes it a lot easier.
Cheers Peter

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thank you for the advice .... makes it a lot easier.
Cheers Peter

if you are flying business class, avoid the second mini cabin.

for economy, exit rows are good (free if you have any sort of OW status)

 

[Beasley]

if you are flying business class, avoid the second mini cabin.

for economy, exit rows are good (free if you have any sort of OW status)

We intend flying business class, so I presume you recommend the forward cabin and not the one next to the premium economy cabin?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

We intend flying business class, so I presume you recommend the forward cabin and not the one next to the premium economy cabin?

Correct - for several reasons... it has a lot of traffic during boarding as the rest of the aircraft has to pass through the cabin, it is close to the PEY bassinet seats (which aren't all that likely to be occupied, but you never know!), they are closer to the engines (more noise), and finally if the flight is not very full the second cabin can get closed off for crew rest. That means you'd lose your seats for something perhaps less desirable (centre) in the front cabin.

Recommended seats... anywhere from mid way in the front cabin (row 15 onward) to the last row in the front cabin. The second galley isn't used during meal services so there's no noise. I like 16 or 17K. There is toilet right behind the last row which hardly anyone uses.

 

[Ausbt]

Hoping someone can help me as well with CX139 HKG-SYD on 28/02/17. Qantas suggests it will be a 777-300ER however Seatguru defaults to a 777-300 New Regional. There is a big difference in the J seats between the two, hoping it's the ER but unsure. Should I rely on Qantas? I'm allocated 12K.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hoping someone can help me as well with CX139 HKG-SYD on 28/02/17. Qantas suggests it will be a 777-300ER however Seatguru defaults to a 777-300 New Regional. There is a big difference in the J seats between the two, hoping it's the ER but unsure. Should I rely on Qantas? I'm allocated 12K.

seatguru is increasingly unreliable for anything outside of North America.

the SYD flights are all operated by three class long haul configured aircraft, with flat beds.

i would not rely on seat selection through qantas, do it direct with MMB through CX.

that being said, 12k is one of the worst seats in the house, galley noise and lots of foot traffic. I'd be moving to the 'A' side if possible, and certainly a few rows back (mid cabin is good)

 

[Ausbt]

a few rows back (mid cabin is good)

Thanks MEL, I've got no experience with Cathay so appreciate the tips. I managed to burn my last remaining stash of QFF points on a Classic reward.