Not sure if this has been discussed.
Flew in a new CX A330 SYD-HKG last week. (Sorry - no pics). At check-in, offered myself as available for an up-grade, "Sorry, full flight", as expected but always worth the try. She also mentioned that it was a brand new plane with the shell seats. That's great I thought, but as I assumed she was talking about J, and she had already declined my upgrade, I didn't think any more of it.
Upon boarding, my initial thoughts were "I didn't realise this was a 3 class service", but they were J seats, all individual little rooms (fully flat) running at 45 degress. I was travelling with a couple in J, and I thought lucky it is a night flight, as you wouldn't be able to speak to your partner unless you stood up and looked backwards over the wall.
Getting to my whY seat (normally forward Aisle for INT, but changed to a forward window for o/night flight) and noticed a very different looking seat. The back of the seat in front is gell-coated reinforced something, all one piece, with a wide screen, AVOD controls (not in the arm rest!), and some pockets/nets for mobiles/mp3's/lollies but no room for a big book.
The biggest difference is it no longer reclines! The shell stays fixed, the head rest is fixed to the shell, the top of the back rest slides vertically in the shell as the bottom of the backrest slides forwards with the base of the seat!
"PERFECT!" I thought, until about 2 hours into the flight when I treid to get some sleep. Between the shell coming up too far on the sides and the recline not "reclining" as such, it is the worst sleep I have had on a plane in a long while. I am normally a good plane sleeper. Only 4 weeks earlier I had slept almost the whole way of a CGK-SYD flight, sitting in Y on an old QF 767, next to a fellow passsenger who used all their seat plus some.
I would reccomend the plane for long haul day flights in Y. J would be great for o/night or day flights if you are travelling alone (or dont want to talk/hold hands with your partner).
Anybody else flown in one and have an opinion?
Flew in a new CX A330 SYD-HKG last week. (Sorry - no pics). At check-in, offered myself as available for an up-grade, "Sorry, full flight", as expected but always worth the try. She also mentioned that it was a brand new plane with the shell seats. That's great I thought, but as I assumed she was talking about J, and she had already declined my upgrade, I didn't think any more of it.
Upon boarding, my initial thoughts were "I didn't realise this was a 3 class service", but they were J seats, all individual little rooms (fully flat) running at 45 degress. I was travelling with a couple in J, and I thought lucky it is a night flight, as you wouldn't be able to speak to your partner unless you stood up and looked backwards over the wall.
Getting to my whY seat (normally forward Aisle for INT, but changed to a forward window for o/night flight) and noticed a very different looking seat. The back of the seat in front is gell-coated reinforced something, all one piece, with a wide screen, AVOD controls (not in the arm rest!), and some pockets/nets for mobiles/mp3's/lollies but no room for a big book.
The biggest difference is it no longer reclines! The shell stays fixed, the head rest is fixed to the shell, the top of the back rest slides vertically in the shell as the bottom of the backrest slides forwards with the base of the seat!
"PERFECT!" I thought, until about 2 hours into the flight when I treid to get some sleep. Between the shell coming up too far on the sides and the recline not "reclining" as such, it is the worst sleep I have had on a plane in a long while. I am normally a good plane sleeper. Only 4 weeks earlier I had slept almost the whole way of a CGK-SYD flight, sitting in Y on an old QF 767, next to a fellow passsenger who used all their seat plus some.
I would reccomend the plane for long haul day flights in Y. J would be great for o/night or day flights if you are travelling alone (or dont want to talk/hold hands with your partner).
Anybody else flown in one and have an opinion?