Finnair A340/330 in J - Seat query ?

[nonpop]

Have a Finnair flight coming up BKK to HEL.
Oneway is an A340 and the other is an A330 return. Both in J.
Am with SWMBO.

I can select font row in both birds. Should I go with row 1 or 2 (actually on the A330 it has to be row 3 as row 2 is a single seater). So any real negatives to being front row 1A & C so to speak. I currenlty have row 2 on the A340 & row 3 on the A330. Thoughts ??

I usually select Boeing but with Finnair they seem to run these dam Airbus things. If it were A B777 or B747 I'd be much happier.

 

[serfty]

I guess there's not too many here with AY experience - maybe ask on FT oneworld/finnair forums.

Have you checked SeatGury/SeatExpert?

 

[ozmille]

I have done about 4 AY J trips, 2 solo and 2 with SWMBO, solo I took the solo seat on the A330 and with the MRS we were in row 3 in the middle block so we both had aisle access. From memory (it was last year so a bit vague ) the toilets are in front of row one so I decided I wanted a bit of distance for toilet noise and from waiting pax.

 

[awilcockson]

I can select font row in both birds. Should I go with row 1 or 2 (actually on the A330 it has to be row 3 as row 2 is a single seater). So any real negatives to being front row 1A & C so to speak. I currenlty have row 2 on the A340 & row 3 on the A330. Thoughts ??

Stick with row 2/3.

I've done many J flights on AY, row 1 is too close to the toilets, and there's just as much room in row 2/3.

 

[drron]

As it so happens I have done a TR on the AY A330 in J-
Finnair J BKK-OSL | milepoint
it was part of a longer TR on AFF.I really enjoyed AY.

 

[nonpop]

Thanks all. Will keep rows 2 & 3 then as I suspected. AY seem to be very well priced and offer excellent connections. Though I am aware that their EU connections in J are not really J, but rather Y with the mid seat blocked out. But for short hops and no extra cost, then no real issue I hope.

We have a 50 min layover between an international arrival then transfer to an EU connection. When I queried it with them they said it would not be an issue. So time will tell.
On the return it is 1hr 30 mins. Seems overkill.

Re seatguru etc I notice that there is very little good info on the seat plans.
Very much like RJ ... not a lot of seat info out there it seems. Even their own call centre was near to useless and tried to tell me that the flight from BKK to AMM did not have angled lie flat beds, but rather the old style recliners. To which I did not believe them but ended up booking AY due to price and shorter connections.

 

[Danger]

It probably doesn't help your cause much but here's a couple photos of J on AY's A340. (This was HEL-JFK.)

 

[Dougal]

Myself, husband and 2 friends flew A340 to Helsinki last year. We were
seated in rows 2 and 3 and had absolutely no problem. Plenty of space
and service was excellent.

 

[jebba]

Hi, Im thinking of booking a return Singapore to Helsinki segment in business. I know the seat in the A340 is nothing flash but wondered if it's at least reasonably comfortable and offers some hope of sleeping..?
Thanx

 

[KitKat]

The A340 J is like QF J Skybed Mk1, the new A330 J is like QF J Skybed Mk 2 (when new!, without the droop* feature)

Preference is to go for the new A330 J (the one with "staggered seating")

Found the A340 J a little firm but one could sleep after a few glasses of red.. the pictures above are accurate

 

[jebba]

Thanx for that Kit Kat
From what I have read they only have the A340 leaving on the Sin / Hel segment - I had the old AF business class seat last year and it was only just, so it shouldn't be too much of a shock if I end up going with Finnair. Would go AF as they now have the new seat on the A380 but their connecting "flight" from CDG to Brussels is always a train - is also a bit annoying as you have to collect your luggage at CDG instead of it being through checked on to Brussels.

 

[ozmille]

Thanx for that Kit Kat
From what I have read they only have the A340 leaving on the Sin / Hel segment - I had the old AF business class seat last year and it was only just, so it shouldn't be too much of a shock if I end up going with Finnair. Would go AF as they now have the new seat on the A380 but their connecting "flight" from CDG to Brussels is always a train - is also a bit annoying as you have to collect your luggage at CDG instead of it being through checked on to Brussels.

last time our flight ex-BKK was delayed by 45 minutes which meant we missed our connection to BRU and were rebooked on the next flight... which left about 10 hours later. At least we got to see HEL on that trip. SWMBO flew them again in August and the incoming flight was delayed which meant she was going to miss her connection again so they rebooked her SIN SYD QF flights to the next day which threw out her upgrade. In the end they held the plane from HEL to SIN so she did make the QF flight but lost her J seat (also the HEL to SIN flight had no IFE, including no reading lights for which she was handed a 20EUR voucher, she said it was a looooooooong flight). I think I might have a hard time convincing her to fly AY again after this.

 

[jebba]

last time our flight ex-BKK was delayed by 45 minutes which meant we missed our connection to BRU and were rebooked on the next flight... which left about 10 hours later. At least we got to see HEL on that trip. SWMBO flew them again in August and the incoming flight was delayed which meant she was going to miss her connection again so they rebooked her SIN SYD QF flights to the next day which threw out her upgrade. In the end they held the plane from HEL to SIN so she did make the QF flight but lost her J seat (also the HEL to SIN flight had no IFE, including no reading lights for which she was handed a 20EUR voucher, she said it was a looooooooong flight). I think I might have a hard time convincing her to fly AY again after this.

..I ending up booking a BA business class ticket from Perth all the way through to Brussels as it was only $1,000 more than the Finnair mixed fare (business class SIN/HEL only)
I know BA has a true flat bed so was happy to pony up the extra coin, now after reading your story I'm even more convinced - thanks for the info
(that voucher for 20 euro is an insult)

 

[Robert Qld]

Did HEL-BKK in 1A a few months back. Pleasant enough. Flat bed was surprisingly comfy even if the product was a little frayed around the edges. Luckily 1B was empty or it might've been a little more cramped.

self serve bar was VERY basic, and IFE was bare boned (the tv selections hasn't changed from the flight over two months prior)

service was lovely however. Arrival in BKK also was at an optimal time with few other arriving flights so immigration was fast (even without the priority pass you where given)

I don't have much else to report sorry. I hate something dodgy in the FinnAir lounge and basically slept that off for the entire flight and I ended up sleeping through dinner (hence why I was raiding the self serve area after I awoke)

 

[dairyfloss]

Hi All - I've got my first AY flights coming up next month when I'll be doing SYD(QF)-SIN-HEL-MUC and return (yes... Oktoberfest! ) - plus a side trip to on A3 to Cyprus for a mate's wedding. Unfortunately I'm only in lowly whY - and wondering if any tips on best seat options on the A340 SIN-HEL-SIN? Not too fussed about the HEL-MUC and back as those are quite short (2 hours-ish) on A319/A320, but I can select reasonably well from the AY website, so if anyone knows, it would be good! I'm OWS, and cant seem to select the first couple of rows on any flight, but all other rows incl. exits on the smaller equipment seem to be available.

Cheers!

 

[dairyfloss]

I'm thinking there's little experience behind the lie-flats on AY? Been searching over on FT and not a lot of advice coming up there outside of J either...