What's different about Seat 5A on the A332 (layout 1)?

mad_atta

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We're on QF43 SYD-DPS tomorrow - booked in Y, upgrades haven't cleared unfortunately so I've been keeping an eye on the seat map.

Just at around T-24 my ExpertFlyer aircraft change notification pinged, and though the aircraft is still the A332 configuration 1, I notice that 5A has vanished off the seatmap on Expertflyer (not blocked, it's like it doesn't exist).

I notice that the LOPA for this configuration seems to show 5A as having some kind of curtain around it. I also note that 5A and 7K have a crimson triangle on them which according to the legend means 'these seats are not allocated on long range domestic and international flights' - yet although 5A has vanished, 7K is showing up as normal.

What's usually the deal with these? Is 5A used as a pilot rest seat or something similar? And is it usual for it to vanish off the seatmap like that rather than just show as blocked? Here's what EF is currently showing:
Screenshot 2026-03-30 at 6.01.08 pm.png

Meanwhile, the flight's now showing as J0 so in the absence of a convenient no-show or two I guess we're in WHY.
 
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We're on QF43 SYD-DPS tomorrow - booked in Y, upgrades haven't cleared unfortunately so I've been keeping an eye on the seat map.

Just at around T-24 my ExpertFlyer aircraft change notification pinged, and though the aircraft is still the A332 configuration 1, I notice that 5A has vanished off the seatmap on Expertflyer (not blocked, it's like it doesn't exist).

I notice that the LOPA for this configuration seems to show 5A as having some kind of curtain around it. I also note that 5A and 7K have a crimson triangle on them which according to the legend means 'these seats are not allocated on long range domestic and international flights' - yet although 5A has vanished, 7K is showing up as normal.

What's usually the deal with these? Is 5A used as a pilot rest seat or something similar? And is it usual for it to vanish off the seatmap like that rather than just show as blocked? Here's what EF is currently showing:
View attachment 502052

Meanwhile, the flight's now showing as J0 so in the absence of a convenient no-show or two I guess we're in WHY.


It may be that 5A is kept for crew rest but they don’t need 7K on a flight of this length.
 

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