New Qantas 747-400 3 Class Fitout

[Flying mermaid]

I have a very sick parent I need to go and visit, so have taken advantage of the sale that is on to book 2 J fares to South Africa (I am starting to feel like a "real" FF - back from Hong Kong on the 2nd Sep and off to South Africa on the 10th!)

Anyway we have been allocated 17JK (upper deck) going and 12AB coming back. Going over I can select 3 EF which people seem to like - coming back the config seems different as there doesn't seem to be a row 4 and it goes to row 5 downstairs. So what do people think - should I stick to 12 AB coming back and swap to 3EF going over, or is the upper deck better both ways? Thanks for any advice.

 

[Joshua]

I have a very sick parent I need to go and visit, so have taken advantage of the sale that is on to book 2 J fares to South Africa (I am starting to feel like a "real" FF - back from Hong Kong on the 2nd Sep and off to South Africa on the 10th!)

Anyway we have been allocated 17JK (upper deck) going and 12AB coming back. Going over I can select 3 EF which people seem to like - coming back the config seems different as there doesn't seem to be a row 4 and it goes to row 5 downstairs. So what do people think - should I stick to 12 AB coming back and swap to 3EF going over, or is the upper deck better both ways? Thanks for any advice.

On the way there (Sept 10 departure) you're on a 4 class bird. Zone A has the old first class sleeper seats. I would strongly recommend switching to one of the EF combinations in row 2, 3 or 4 - and yes I also suggest 3EF, from personal experience. Otherwise you'll be with the older Skybed J seats, so that seems black and white to me.

On the way back you probably have the latest refit with Skybed MKII's in business (it lacks row 5 - but that route also has seats missing for SAA to sell). If in zone A for the flight over, try going upstairs on the way back. It is all personal preference but the old first class seats are a no brainer, even without the F service.

Of course equipment may change. And most of all I hope your parent recovers. Safe travels.

 

[Flying mermaid]

On the way there (Sept 10 departure) you're on a 4 class bird. Zone A has the old first class sleeper seats. I would strongly recommend switching to one of the EF combinations in row 2, 3 or 4 - and yes I also suggest 3EF, from personal experience. Otherwise you'll be with the older Skybed J seats, so that seems black and white to me.

On the way back you probably have the latest refit with Skybed MKII's in business (it lacks row 5 - but that route also has seats missing for SAA to sell). If in zone A for the flight over, try going upstairs on the way back. It is all personal preference but the old first class seats are a no brainer, even without the F service.

Of course equipment may change. And most of all I hope your parent recovers. Safe travels.

Thanks so much for that advice - I hadn't realised they were still flying the old F config - I'll go and change that now. Thank-you for the good wishes - mum is 89, so getting to that age unfortunately when anything can happen.

 

[dede]

On the way there (Sept 10 departure) you're on a 4 class bird. Zone A has the old first class sleeper seats. I would strongly recommend switching to one of the EF combinations in row 2, 3 or 4 - and yes I also suggest 3EF, from personal experience. Otherwise you'll be with the older Skybed J seats, so that seems black and white to me.
.

I've just booked 2E & F for myself and my mum LAX-JFK. What's in front of seats 2E&F? Are 3E&F better?

 

[Joshua]

There is nothing in front of them, so in a way they feel a bit open and less private. Row 3 the aisle seats are the furtherest apart.

Photo: VH-OEC (CN: 24836) Qantas Boeing 747-4H6 by Anthony Jackson - JetPhotos.Net

Looking forward to flying a 4 class to SIN in a fortnight. Alas first time in F cabin without F service.

I've just booked 2E & F for myself and my mum LAX-JFK. What's in front of seats 2E&F? Are 3E&F better?

 

[unggg]

Does anyone know if QF127/128 on 747 days are the new refurbed 747s? Or are they the old ones?

I'll be on both flights in the next month...

 

[Joshua]

Should be old ones if they're selling F. You can always check the seat map. What class are you in?

 

[unggg]

Good point Joshua - looks like old ones as they are selling F. I'm in Y with upgrade request for J

 

[thelittlechef]

I'm a little confused with new vs old cabins. I am on qf64 on 21/10/13, and am trying to choose a j seat for me an my other half. UD row 16 looks good, zone A 4EF also look nice. What would ff'ers recommend?

 

[Willy]

I'm a little confused with new vs old cabins. I am on qf64 on 21/10/13, and am trying to choose a j seat for me an my other half. UD row 16 looks good, zone A 4EF also look nice. What would ff'ers recommend?

Differing preferences regarding UD or LD. The bird scheduled looks like one of the older ones (OJA,OJC, or OJI). UD Row 16 not showing as available at this late stage. Nothing the matter with 4EF - nose cabin gives a secluded feeling.

 

[thelittlechef]

UD 16 is presently held by me

If this is an older plane fit out, will zone A be old style F seats? I would rather a F seat in a J cabin than a J seat upstairs!

(I have flown qf f on a older 747 and j on a380, but never j on a 747. Never flown UD on a 747 either)

Edit: if someone could link to the appropriate seatguru map I would appreciate the help! There are too many 747s for me to get my head around....

 

[serfty]

Having a row 4 means this is not the new configuration.

Is there a 1B?

 

[thelittlechef]

On the Qantas seat selection page it is showing:
1ABJK
2,3JK
4ABEFJK.

UD: 11,12,13 ABJK
16,17,18 AB

Only 4EF available to me at this stage on the nose section, I have 16AB on the UD.

 

[legroom]

It looks like this is the correct seat map.

Exc. there are 2/3 AB JK when you mentioned only "2,3 JK"

It appears to be old-style Mk I with the presence of row 4.

On the Qantas seat selection page it is showing:
1ABJK
2,3JK
4ABEFJK.

UD: 11,12,13 ABJK
16,17,18 AB

Only 4EF available to me at this stage on the nose section, I have 16AB on the UD.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I'm a little confused with new vs old cabins. I am on qf64 on 21/10/13, and am trying to choose a j seat for me an my other half. UD row 16 looks good, zone A 4EF also look nice. What would ff'ers recommend?

If there is a row 4 I think that it is an older one and you would be in the old first class cabin. You get fully flat beds not the sloped J ones that would you get in the J section. The unrefurbished planes are pretty tacky -I have some photos I must put up of the door in the toilet - literally had holes in it. We were on QF 64 on the 10th Sep. Coming back we were in the refurbished planes and had 11A and B in the UD - that was quite good - I found the bed quite comfortable, although missed my nice mattress and doona from F.

 

[thelittlechef]

So rows 1-4 are the old F cabin with F seats, and the UD will be old style not quite flat J seats.

Might be worth changing my selection from row 16 to row 4!

 

[legroom]

My impression is that the old-F seat map is different from the above (post #134).

Window seats are all single (A / K).

So rows 1-4 are the old F cabin with F seats, and the UD will be old style not quite flat J seats.

Might be worth changing my selection from row 16 to row 4!

 

[Flying mermaid]

My impression is that the old-F seat map is different from the above (post #134).

Window seats are all single (A / K).

Yes you are right - definitely not that many seats in F. So now I am lost - which is often the case on this board, as I have only seen the F config, or the J one without row 4........

 

[serfty]

Is there a 1b?

With a row four, that means Skybed mark 1

 

[Willy]

So rows 1-4 are the old F cabin with F seats, and the UD will be old style not quite flat J seats.

Might be worth changing my selection from row 16 to row 4!

As per my earlier post - the bird is showing as one of the older types with J Mk 1 seats in the nose - OJA, OJC or OJI. No F seats for the price of J on this bird. I see that 16A and 16B are now blocked and 4E,F are occupied, so can only assume that you have moved into the nose cabin - nice and quiet, and accessible to both PAX.