Best seat in the house.

[simongr]

Thanks to both of you - I shall make the change ASAP. I still cant believe that QF can get away without AC power on a 10 hour flight. Ah well - at least its a late night flight so a few drinks will knock me out.

Edit

I wonder how the qantas pre-allocation system deals with the 1/2/3/4/5A seats - are they aisle or window...

@NM I recently switched preferences to window over aisle in J as I am trying to enjoy the experience a bit more by getting to look out the window a bit - havingto step over people isnt too much of a drame I think. Mind you I guess like a lot of people flying int'l out of Oz all there is to see out the window is water

 

[maninblack]

Thanks to both of you - I shall make the change ASAP. I still cant believe that QF can get away without AC power on a 10 hour flight. Ah well - at least its a late night flight so a few drinks will knock me out.

Qantas is getting away with a great many things at the moment, including the cabin fitouts on the 763's, which could have been refitted but they had not really planned to still be using these planes for longhaul as much as they are. Still, we the paying customer should voice our dissatisfaction to QF loud and clear. Write letters directly to Dixon and Jackson, not the call centre. This has been discussed ad nauseum elswhere in the forums.

 

[simongr]

I had meant to add in my original post that this was all connected to the A380 debacle/fit out/capacity issues - I was aware of that - still shocking though.

 

[NM]

Thanks to both of you - I shall make the change ASAP. I still cant believe that QF can get away without AC power on a 10 hour flight. Ah well - at least its a late night flight so a few drinks will knock me out.

I too thought the lack of in-seat power was a significant limitation. However, since flying on many airlines, aircraft and routes that do have in-seat power, I am surprised at how little I actually use it, and even then how little I actually needed it. I have found that I have used the in-seat power on QF, BA, CX, AA etc on maybe 5% of the flights it was available, and it was more for keeping the battery topped up just in case I needed it later and in almost all cases I could have run on battery power for the whole time I was using the device (combination of laptop and PocketPC).

But I do know some people plan to work a lot longer than I do on a long flight. I tend to spend no more than 1 hour working on my computer on a long flight. I spend more time reading, watching movies on the IFE, eating or sleeping.

I wonder how the qantas pre-allocation system deals with the 1/2/3/4/5A seats - are they aisle or window...

I think they are seen as both. I have an aisle preference and have had them auto-allocated. However, I always check the on-line seat maps and call QF to request the seat I like best from those showing as available. I rarely stick with the seat that is auto-allocated to me so it really does not matter to me where the computer initially puts me as I am likely to change it anyway.

@NM I recently switched preferences to window over aisle in J as I am trying to enjoy the experience a bit more by getting to look out the window a bit - havingto step over people isnt too much of a drame I think. Mind you I guess like a lot of people flying int'l out of Oz all there is to see out the window is water

I tend to consume copious quantities of water when flying (and sometimes too much other beverages ) so make regular trips to make space for more water. I think that would really annoy an aisle passenger if I was seated in a widow seat on QF dreamtime or Skybed aircraft. I am happy to take a window on AA's international business class as their extra 10 inches of pitch make it easy to get out from the window seat.

If you tend to remain seated for most of the flight, then the window is a comfortable place to be. That is why I particularly like the A seats on the QF 767-300 business class cabins.

 

[simongr]

Wow 10in extra pitch - that's massive! Does it make up for the other -ve aspects of flying AA that I am told about?

My main use for power is actually for my own IFE on my laptop - I dump a lot of TV shows on the machine for when I am travelling so that I can keep up and catch up whilst I am away alone - sitting in a hotel in Singapore watching old movies is less than fun.

 

[Skyring]

I too thought the lack of in-seat power was a significant limitation. However, since flying on many airlines, aircraft and routes that do have in-seat power, I am surprised at how little I actually use it, and even then how little I actually needed it. I have found that I have used the in-seat power on QF, BA, CX, AA etc on maybe 5% of the flights it was available, and it was more for keeping the battery topped up just in case I needed it later and in almost all cases I could have run on battery power for the whole time I was using the device (combination of laptop and PocketPC).

I tend to consume copious quantities of water when flying (and sometimes too much other beverages ) so make regular trips to make space for more water. I think that would really annoy an aisle passenger if I was seated in a widow seat on QF dreamtime or Skybed aircraft. I am happy to take a window on AA's international business class as their extra 10 inches of pitch make it easy to get out from the window seat.

If you tend to remain seated for most of the flight, then the window is a comfortable place to be. That is why I particularly like the A seats on the QF 767-300 business class cabins.

I carry a spare battery for my laptop (Dell Latitude X1) and I've never run out of power on a flight yet. If I was planning on working throughout a transPacific flight, I'd carry more batteries, but I use up a good deal of time watching the movies, trying to sleep, gazing out the window. You'd have to be real dedicated to get on board and type for 14 hours straight.

Incidentally, there are a few Aussie 240v power outlets on 747s.

A couple of times I've staid in my window seat all the way over the Pacific. The most recent was JFK-NRT and there was quite a lot of spectacular scenery out the window. Plus a window seat gives you a view out during launch and landing, and I love that.

 

[NM]

Incidentally, there are a few Aussie 240v power outlets on 747s.

Actually these are 110V AC supplies that have a combo socket that will accept Aussie, USA and probably others (UK?)

 

[NM]

Wow 10in extra pitch - that's massive! Does it make up for the other -ve aspects of flying AA that I am told about?

AA's seat pitch for business class seats on their 767-300 is 62 inches, and on 777 its 60 inches. Their 767-200 3-class aircraft used for trans-continental services are 62 inches in F and 50 inches in business.

Qantas has 50 inch pitch for dreamtime seats and 60 inch for Skybeds.

So there is a 10 inch difference between QF Dreamtimes on 767-300 and 747-300 aircraft and the AA 777-200 business class. There is a 12 inch difference to the AA 767-300.

Yes this is noticeable. When you sit in the AA J seat you cannot reach the back of the seat in front without removing your seatbelt and sliding forward. It is easy to get up from the window seat when the aisle passenger is fully reclined.

I find the AA J seats good for day-time flights for sitting and resting, but not for overnight flights when trying to sleep as they do not go flat.


My main use for power is actually for my own IFE on my laptop - I dump a lot of TV shows on the machine for when I am travelling so that I can keep up and catch up whilst I am away alone - sitting in a hotel in Singapore watching old movies is less than fun.[/QUOTE]

 

[maninblack]

Wow 10in extra pitch - that's massive! Does it make up for the other -ve aspects of flying AA that I am told about?

My main use for power is actually for my own IFE on my laptop - I dump a lot of TV shows on the machine for when I am travelling so that I can keep up and catch up whilst I am away alone - sitting in a hotel in Singapore watching old movies is less than fun.

Best sleep on a plane I have ever had was on an AA 767 LAX-MIA. The ordinary looking old business class seat had excellent pitch and went nearly flat. I had just flown the day flight MEL-LAX Dreamtime seat, with wife and kids, (after flying on a 2 day trip to Singapore just a few days earlier) then 4 hours in the AA lounge, got on the flight to MIA lay the seat back after takeoff and slept like a baby, I have the feeling circumstances played a part. The FA even smiled as she woke me for landing just 10 mins before touchdown. The kids still reckon that they were the best cabin crew we have ever had...go figure.

 

[JohnK]

Mind you I guess like a lot of people flying int'l out of Oz all there is to see out the window is water

Or if you are flying to the other side of the world you get to see red/brown dirt for ~4 hours.