Business cabins

[blu]

is there any preference for the upstairs cabin?

 

[NM]

not from me ... except in a few circumstances.

On Qantas, my preference is lower deck for a few reasons:

• Upper deck overhead lockers are shallow and don't hold much, so larger carryons have to go in the coat locker near the galley and can be hard to access during the flight. Note the upper deck coat locker on the 2-class QF 744 aircraft is very small compared with the 3-class 744 config.
• Upper deck seems to be more popular so it nearly always fills first, so even on a lightly loaded flight the upper deck is often full.
• I like an aisle seat so I don't have a person needing to climb out over me. So my preference is a D or F seat on the lower deck. All aisle seats on the upper deck have a trapped window passenger next to them. If travelling with Mrs NM, this would not be an issue, but when alone I want lower deck centre block aisle seat.
• Lower deck passengers get off the aircraft first, meaning less queuing at immigration. Note that at LAX they use the second door (at the bottom of the stairs so less of an issue), while in Australia, Singapore, London etc they use the forward door.

Some people claim the upper deck is quieter, but I don't find it any different. Most of the cabin noise if from the air conditioning rather than the engines (at cruise) and the higher ceiling on the lower deck gets the AC noise further away from your ears. But I wear my Shure E3 isolation earphones on long-haul flights anyway so noise is not an issue to me.

My exception is with BA. My preference with BA is the rear-facing seat at the back of a seating section. Those seats have easy access (no stepping over a neighbour) and great privacy. And there are 4 such seats on the upper deck (62A/K and 64A/K), and either 2 or 4 on the lower deck depending on the config (14A/K and 20A/K).

 

[AlwaysUpThere]

For me, it depends of the timing of the flight...

While the "overheads" are smaller up stairs, if I have checked luggages, usually small carry-on so no problem. Upper-deck has a great bin on the floor by the window which allows lots of work stuff so if a day flight and I'm working - upper window is great.

With the new seats on most airlines not reclining, it makes it MUCH easier to get out.

However, if I'm sleeping on most of the flight with a late departure time, I prefer the lower deck. As previsoulsy posted, there are usually less people and so the meal service is MUCH quicker and the lights off sooner than up stairs!

Yes, the lower deck doesn't seem as "private" and tends to get passing traffic into the First Class cabin - staff, duty free, trollies etc... If you're travelling on a Asian carrier, they are courteous and tend not to make a fuss (or bump you!) as they move through.

Plus / minus.

Everyone will have their own little reasons...

 

[cssaus]

not from me ... except in a few circumstances.

On Qantas, my preference is lower deck for a few reasons:

• I like an aisle seat so I don't have a person needing to climb out over me. So my preference is a D or F seat on the lower deck. All aisle seats on the upper deck have a trapped window passenger next to them. If travelling with Mrs NM, this would not be an issue, but when alone I want lower deck centre block aisle seat.
• Lower deck passengers get off the aircraft first, meaning less queuing at immigration. Note that at LAX they use the second door (at the bottom of the stairs so less of an issue), while in Australia, Singapore, London etc they use the forward door.

ALthought I don't fly QF business class, on UA flts to the USA my preferences are similar to NM's for more or less the exact same reasons. I find I can usually be at immigration pretty much at the same time as the first class people.

I usually sit in the section immediately behind first class that has 3 rows of 2x3x2 seating and I usually try and request 8F which is an aisle seat, centre section last row. It works for me.

 

[oz_mark]

is there any preference for the upstairs cabin?

Certainly not when the -200's were flying and it was an economy cabin. Didn't like it up there one bit.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

On flights that arent quite full, far higher chance of empty seat next to you downstairs than upstairs. However if I can get exit row upstairs that usually trumps for me, unless I want or need to get off a/c quickly (tight connection &/or horrid immigration queues).

On LH upstairs is first class!

 

[NM]

On flights that arent quite full, far higher chance of empty seat next to you downstairs than upstairs. However if I can get exit row upstairs that usually trumps for me, unless I want or need to get off a/c quickly (tight connection &/or horrid immigration queues).

Oh, you mean like arrivals into LAX :roll: .

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Yes, or FRA or SIN, or ...

 

[clifford]

On flights that arent quite full, far higher chance of empty seat next to you downstairs than upstairs. However if I can get exit row upstairs that usually trumps for me, unless I want or need to get off a/c quickly (tight connection &/or horrid immigration queues).

Oh, you mean like arrivals into LAX :roll: .

Hey NM,

They're not too bad if you're flying UA.

If you're flying Tom Bradley, then who knows...

 

[NM]

Hey NM,

They're not too bad if you're flying UA.

If you're flying Tom Bradley, then who knows...

Yes, I am sure that is correct. I have found that the QF arrivals into AA's T4 are much better than my recent arrivals in TBI. The moral of the story is to avoid TBI as much as possible - both inbound and outbound :roll: .

I have probably lost days of my life queuing at TBI :cry: .

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I have probably lost days of my life queuing at TBI :cry: .

Ditto but for T2 :x

 

[duffshot]

I prefer upstairs purely for the side bins. I like being able to throw all my junk into a spot I can easily get to, and find they are handy as a footrest when you need a change in position, even with the newer seats. I also tend to use the top of them as a storage area for books, blankets whatever.

In my experience I have caught and or passed the majority of downstairs passengers well before immigration (or the lounge showers!) anyway, and like to walk as quick as possible to get the blood moving again. Having a target group just in front is a good motivator!