Upstairs or Downstairs on 747 ?

[mosanator]

A question for all you more experienced travelers.

I have an Award booking for December this year going SYD - HKG on QF127, and then onwards with CX to AMS. I have selected seats 17J and K (16's not available to me a lowly SG) upstairs for the QF leg and again upstairs on the CX leg.

I have read NM's seat guide but it contains seats both up and down, is there a preference, if lucky enough to be able to choose?

For our return from Frankfurt on QF006 I have selected 3A and B, downstairs on what I understand to be a 2 class flight, that occasionally gets a 3 or 4 class config aircraft substituted.

That is all being well and that we get as selected of course.

Thanks in Advance.

 

[Sprucegoose]

dont discount 23 D lots of space, if yoou cant get 11 A/K. 16 i have never really enjoyed it, too open

hope that helps.

SPRUCE

 

[harvyk]

I love 16A (can't comment on 16K), but that is just me. The advantages of having a window to look out of, and the advantages of not needing to climb over another pax to get out of the seat at 2am.

As a preference I do prefer the upstairs cabin. It has the exclusive feel about it... Don't get me wrong, if (and when, especially when they where originally booked as whY flight's ) someone just gives me a seat in downstairs J I certain jump at the chance. That said I don't like during boarding when your sitting in the J seat and the rest of the pax basically walks past.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I too love 16A and K. I much prefer the upstairs cabin. Less likely to get prowlers from whY at the toilets.

 

[straitman]

I love 16A (can't comment on 16K), but that is just me. The advantages of having a window to look out of, and the advantages of not needing to climb over another pax to get out of the seat at 2am.

As a preference I do prefer the upstairs cabin. It has the exclusive feel about it... Don't get me wrong, if (and when, especially when they where originally booked as whY flight's ) someone just gives me a seat in downstairs J I certain jump at the chance. That said I don't like during boarding when your sitting in the J seat and the rest of the pax basically walks past.

I too love 16A and K. I much prefer the upstairs cabin. Less likely to get prowlers from whY at the toilets.

mosanator,

I agree with both these sentiments.

 

[mosanator]

Thanks as always Gents.

That's as I thought, I have flown upstairs before in whY on a BA LHR - LAX many years ago, 1990-91, I think.

So what we have done is upstairs for SYD - HKG with QF and the same again with CX (hanging out to try their J product) to AMS.

Then when we come home from FRA we have downstairs in row 3.

Never had the pleasure of turning left before !!!! Pity it is not for First.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Thanks as always Gents.

And Ladies ( or ogres)!!

 

[mosanator]

A thousand humble apologies Ma Lady.

 

[NM]

My preference is downstairs. On a 4-class 744 my first choice is 23F followed by 23D. Reasons include:

• Amongst the first passengers off the aircraft at destination.
• An aisle seat with reduced probability of neighbour passenger climbing over me during the flight. There is a good chance the E seat will be empty or E passenger is travelling with the other aisle passenger. Upper deck aisle is nearly always going to have an occupied window seat.
• Deeper overhead lockers.
• More open feel in the lower deck cabin due to higher ceiling and wider cabin.
• Stable floor - upper deck floor often moves as passengers walk up and down the aisle.

However, I know many people prefer the upper deck, which I appreciate as it means I can regularly select 23F or 23D. Note that if the E seat is not occupied, the F seat passenger can easily swing up the E seat's IFE screen and set it to the Flight Path map to keep track of progress while watching another program on their own screen. Hence my preference for F over D.

 

[Flying Fox]

Personally I like upstairs and row 11.

 

[taswegian77]

Personally I like upstairs and row 11.

Upstairs for me. Only ever flown downstairs once LAX-SYD about 10 yrs ago with the old dreamtime seats when I was a nobody, sure appreciated that op-up!!!

 

[serfty]

My preference is downstairs. On a 4-class 744 my first choice is 23F followed by 23D. Reasons include:

• Amongst the first passengers off the aircraft at destination.
• An aisle seat with reduced probability of neighbour passenger climbing over me during the flight. There is a good chance the E seat will be empty or E passenger is travelling with the other aisle passenger. Upper deck aisle is nearly always going to have an occupied window seat.
• Deeper overhead lockers.
• More open feel in the lower deck cabin due to higher ceiling and wider cabin.
• Stable floor - upper deck floor often moves as passengers walk up and down the aisle.

However, I know many people prefer the upper deck, which I appreciate as it means I can regularly select 23F or 23D. Note that if the E seat is not occupied, the F seat passenger can easily swing up the E seat's IFE screen and set it to the Flight Path map to keep track of progress while watching another program on their own screen. Hence my preference for F over D.

+1

Downstairs rocks!

It's good that many prefer upstairs as it improves my chances of selecting my preferred seating.

 

[mosanator]

Again thanks everyone (not making that mistake again, Princess Fiona )

I have sat on the lower deck when we were op-up'd last time. I think that was the last row of J and that was great (price was right!).And as I said before been on the upper deck but it was a whY config with BA, so we will try the upper deck with J.

As I am travelling with teenage Son the concerns with occupied seats is not an issue.

So anyone on here that is travelling to HKG on Dec10 and likes the bottom deck --- your welcome !

Off course making a massive assumption that we get what we have selected. With my luck the flights will all be full of WP's and CL and we will get what we are given.

I have read elsewhere about the aircraft out of FRA occasionally being a 3/4 class aircraft for a two class flight. Is that still happening or have they got this sorted out now?

 

[Dave Noble]

As I am travelling with teenage Son the concerns with occupied seats is not an issue.

But if you were to pick 2 aisle seats downstairs ( such as 23D and F ) you could well manage to be able to have the E seat free between you unless flight is v busy

Upstairs you are guaranteed no chance of the extra space

Dave

 

[Matthias Fuchs]

Row 17 is pretty good. Upstairs is particularly good if you don't have a lot or large carry on. This is becuase the overhead locker is not very deep and you can use the wonderful cabinet on the window for smaller bags. This makes life very convenient when you quickly need to grab a pen , book, etc. This is also great to give your leg a stretch.

16A or K on the exit are ok, but if you are on 16B or J you do feel like you are isolated and you have no access to put things.

Down stairs definitely has a more open feeling , particularly if it isn't full. It also has better window viewing access as upstairs you are a little further from the window.

Matthias

 

[plrarm]

Definitely upstairs, and pretty much any seat upstairs. More personal, more attention from the crew, few "visitors" and overall less people which means quieter and more peaceful.

I'd take any seat upstairs !!

 

[pblackm]

I agree with NM. I get an aisle seat in the centre three, and often enough, the middle seat is empty.

Having said that, I got back yesterday from SYD/LAX /SYD in J on an A380. the upstairs J is fantastic - IMHO - better than SQ's offer.

My preference is downstairs. On a 4-class 744 my first choice is 23F followed by 23D. Reasons include:

• Amongst the first passengers off the aircraft at destination.
• An aisle seat with reduced probability of neighbour passenger climbing over me during the flight. There is a good chance the E seat will be empty or E passenger is travelling with the other aisle passenger. Upper deck aisle is nearly always going to have an occupied window seat.
• Deeper overhead lockers.
• More open feel in the lower deck cabin due to higher ceiling and wider cabin.
• Stable floor - upper deck floor often moves as passengers walk up and down the aisle.

However, I know many people prefer the upper deck, which I appreciate as it means I can regularly select 23F or 23D. Note that if the E seat is not occupied, the F seat passenger can easily swing up the E seat's IFE screen and set it to the Flight Path map to keep track of progress while watching another program on their own screen. Hence my preference for F over D.

 

[SammyMeow]

The seats you have chosen are noisy as they are right near the upperdeck meal prep area; you also get a lot of light all night from this area.

I try to avoid upstairs as you generally get a lot of babies (United Airlines) and when the pilots go to the bathrooms you are locked out of the Bathrooms until they are finished.

Stick to downstairs and avoid the toilet and meal prep areas. I am a 1K with United and they always automatically place me upstairs; I always move my seats online.

Hope this helps

 

[Kefci2000]

Thanks as always Gents.

Then when we come home from FRA we have downstairs in row 3.

Never had the pleasure of turning left before !!!! Pity it is not for First.

I would say good chance this flight will be substituted for a 3-4 class aircraft.

I was shown as 4b or something right up until a few weeks out and then switched at last minute to another seat as MEL-FRA plane was changed.

 

[jenib]

I've moved downstairs on my flight tonight (LAX - MLB) after a nightmare trip on QF1 in seat 12K . I didn't mind the babies and their mum in 11JK (earplugs help here), but their dad in 12J, who was much louder than any crying babies, kept jumping up and down to talk to them, and tapping his feet to music the whole way from Bangkok to LHR. Vibrations and shakes every couple of minutes.