As SLF, I flew from LHR to IAD on a BA 744 with an inop APU. It was not comfortable on the upper deck until they got the engines going. Took two huffers to blow start the thing. Had to divert from IAD to PHL and spent an hour at the gate at PHL, again with no APU before they got customs spun up and let us off. For being loyal BA passengers, we all received a complimentary hour's worth of sauna at each end of the flight.
I vote for the APU working even on the 744.
-Old Ag