How much noisier are the VA 777 J seats behind the bar?

[Homer]

VA cancelled my upcoming LAX-SYD flight, moved me a day earlier, then 30 minutes later reinstated the flight. They did all this without me knowing but my TA just called to tell me. In that 30 minutes, my seat allocation was lost.

I had the family in 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A (it's easier if we're all on one side) but the computer has put us back into 7A, 8A, 9A and 10A which is all behind the bar. VA won't put us back to the original seat allocation. I don't think this is a major drama and I believe this can happen with any airline so I'm remaining calm.

But...I've never flown behind the bar in the new config (only once in the old config) and I was wondering whether those that have can tell me if it's going to be much noisier? My feeling is that because it's a late night flight, the bar should be relatively quiet. But I might be completely wrong about that!

Based on the responses from the brains trust, I will decide whether to push back with VA or just leave it.

 

[Denali]

I flew LAX>SYD in March and believe only the occasional person used the bar on the flight home, most ate and slept. Some skipped their meal and went to sleep.

My husband went to it mid flight for a while and said he and the FA were the only ones and had a chat for about 15mins and he didnt see another person there.

If it was SYD>LAX I would be worried but as its the other way around, unless you are really unlucky, I would think it would be quite. Most people have already been awake 12-16hrs by the time the flight boards for Sydney.

 

[stux]

8A has a pretty good view of the bar and associated lighting through a crack in the blinds. The rest of the seats are fine.

Volume is only an issue if there are lots of bar flies on the flight.

I actually prefer the rear cabin as there are no where near as many people strolling about the cabin.

 

[Homer]

Thanks for the replies; seems all should be well.

 

[pauly7]

Honestly you should be fine - the bar is empty 99% of the time (on the flights I've been) - giant waste of space really IMHO, a good marketing gimmick though

 

[SBD]

I've had good and bad experiences with the VA bar.

On good flights (the vast majority) it's abandoned to people like me quietly reading a book or doing solitary stretches. I've also had nice (short) chats with crew and passengers.

Once in a blue moon you get a small crowd of yahoos celebrating something or other who act like they are in a 1000-drinker establishment in a capital city on a Friday night.

Three or four hours of that and it really is time for the judicious use of the "fasten seat belt" sign, in my book.

If this fictitious anticipated turbulence somehow never eventuates, the sozzled are all snoring by then anyway...

SBD

 

[clipped_wings]

We were in 4D/G and I went on a bit of a wander through the aircraft after dinner. The rear J cabin was packed, but everyone was asleep or quietly watching TV. Premium was mostly asleep and the when I returned though the bar, it was still deserted. I had an early morning coffee at the bar a few hours before we descended into Sydney and I must say, I'd do the rear cabin any day. I also like your logic of keeping everyone to one side, I'd do that next time as well.