Seating BA747-400?

[Scottie Dog]

I'm travelling BA85 21Aug and am trying to establish whether the bulkhead between rows 27-28 (exit is at row 28) is actually used for a galley/toilets or is it just a cabin divide/through passage.

Any information gratefully received, as I am hoping that I might be able to grab seat 28B or C - if it becomes available at on-line checkin - but only if I am not going to have people standing around queuing for the loo!

Thanks in advance.

Scottie Dog

[PAXboy]

One of the difficulties will be ... that different a/c have different configs. Also, if the a/c gets swopped due to late arrival/tech fault whatever. On the page there will be a small print reminder that they cannot guarantee which config will operate the route.

One time (another carrier) I was expecting a 747 but the route that day was operated by a 340. It was no sweat to me but you cannot tell.

[Globaliser]

From memory, there is no bulkhead or divider here. The space between the rows (27DEFG and 28DEFG) is a few inches deeper than between normal rows, presumably because access is required to the emergency exit on the opposite side of the aircraft if necessary, and the crew use it when the cross-check the emergency slide settings at the beginning and end of the flight. However, it's not that much deeper than normal and the pax sitting in 28DEFG tend to complain if there is too much traffic through "their legroom".

[Scottie Dog]

PAXboy

Yes, many thanks for that - I do appreciate that configuration changes can happen at short notice due to change of equipment, in fact this flight was originally scheduled as a 777 back in January.

Globaliser

Thanks for your input. Also appreciated your pointer to www.seatmap.com in the request for ANA seat maps.

The seatplan in the Sabre CRS actually shows a bulkhead in front of 27DEFG, so it will be interesting to see what tha actual layout is on the aircraft. I currently have 33D where I will be undisturbed - except by the pax in 33E, but think I will try to move on the day if I can get more leg room.

I normally prefer a window seat - I don't sleep when I'm travelling - but that also means disturbing 2 strangers if I want to get up for a walkabout. The especially true on the return night flight.

Again, my thanks to you both for the input.

Scottie Dog.

[Globaliser]

If what you're after is undisturbed comfort, BA once did me and my companion the favour of 28HJ (same would apply to 28BC) in this configuration. It's almost the best of all worlds, particularly as the absence of galleys and toilets at this location means that you don't get most of the normal disadvantages of exit row seats on a 747 - namely lots and lots of traffic.

Alas, most of the BA 744 routes I fly on use the high yield config.

[Mashie Niblick]

Scottie,
There are 2 types of config on -400's. High J & Low J
High J = 70 seats in Club which occupy U/deck, "B" zone and "C" zone right down to doors "3". WT+ then starts at row 28 with a total of 30 seats and WT starts at, I think, row 33 with a fixed bulkhead divide between.

If it is a Low J config,then there are 38 Club seats occupying U/deck and "B" zone.WT+ starts at row 19 ("C" zone) with a total of 36 seats.There is a fixed bulkhead behind last row of WT+(row 23),then 3 rows of WT 24,25 &26 which brings you to doors "3" (there is also a fixed bulkhead behind row 26 DEFG)

28 BC & 28 HJ are the seats ajacent to the exits at doors 3 left and right with lots of leg room,however,bear in mind there is a tiolet across from 26 D and in front of the door and 28 BC which would incur a few people standing around from time to time.

The high J a/c are generally used on big business routes such as JFK,SIN,JNB,LOS etc,etc and as I haven't been to YVR for some time,would not like to say which a/c are used on that route.....but sticking my neck out,I would say probably "Low J".

So,if I were you,I would try for 28HJ.

Having said that,a/c are often swapped due operational reasons,and 777's do operate the route from time to time,depending on seasons and loads etc.

Hope that made sense to you.It's easy for me to visualise it in my head,but not so easy to put into writing without the aid of diagrams etc.

[Globaliser]

One other (increasingly useful) resource for BA aircraft is http://www.seatexpert.com although it's not official and can't be guaranteed to be 100% accurate. For example on the low yield aircraft that's apparently planned to operate your flight, it's unclear about whether 28AK exists or not, and it suggests that there is no toilet at where 26 ABC would be. The access that http://www.seatmap.com has to the seating chart of the planned configuration suggests that this is correct for your flight.

How many 744 configurations are there in the fleet, anyway? And where's bealine when you need him?

[Mashie Niblick]

Globaliser,
Just looked at "seatexpert" and as you said,is not 100%.
Couple of mis-placed loos and strangely claiming that row 39HJK are "non-viewing".Not sure where they got that info from.In the time before seat back t.v's I would guess.
As you say,no mention of 28AK,this is because they do not exist.There are only 2 seats at these exits 28BC & 28HJ.

Scottie, other seats you may want to consider are 29A & 29K.As there is no "A" or "K" seat in front of you due to the door,they also have lots of leg room,with the added benefit that you can move easily in and out of your seat without diturbing your 2 seat mates.They are also window seats and I believe you can prebook these online as they are not the exit row.I would be surprised if you could book 28BC & 28HJ on-line as the check-in staff would need to "see" that you fit the required criteria to be able to sit at the emergency exit.
Hope this helps.
P.S. The seat maps talked about are incorrect for these seats,they actually show 28ABC and 28 HJK.There is no "A" or "K" you will have to trust me on this as I work on them,they are definately NOT there.

[Scottie Dog]

Thanks

Mashie Niblick

Thanks for your advice.

You are correct in saying that it is the Low-J version (according to the CRS) and so I will go with your suggestion - and that already given to me by Globaliser - that I try at checkin for 28BCHJ and see what happens.

Fortunately (or not as the case may be) I am travelling down from Manchester on a seperate ticket and so will be checking in early and will try to get through checked.

Thanks again for all the help.

Scottie Dog

[cossack]

Scottie Dog needs extra legroom? Surely not!!!

Mrs C did the online check-in last night and hopefully will still get 29A when we manage to struggle down to Pearson in an hour or so to catch BA98.

Its still a mess here with the aftermath of the power outage actually worse than the outage! Our power came back on at 0500 this morning (13 hours off), but there is still the threat of rolling blackouts as capacity is only at 50% of normal. AC have cancelled all of their flights from YYZ until 1600 local today.

Enjoy your trip!

[Scottie Dog]

Hi Cossack

You must have thought you were at Liverpool rather than Toronto for the last 48 hours!!

Not so much the leg room but the chance to avoid being disturbed x number of times!

Hope all goes well with you and Mrs C and the puddy cats.

I'll be in touch after the big trek.

Scottie Dog

[cossack]

Fortunately I've been away from work for a couple of weeks and so didn't get involved in the mayhem. It was surreally quiet as we drove to the airport yesterday afternoon. Everybody had taken the day off. Back to work Monday though!

Mrs C did get 29A and said it was probably the best seat in economy! There's basically no 28A, but there is a 28B and C so you get exit row leg room without the hassles. There's enough room for you to get out in front rather than climbing over your neighbours and you don't have people standing in front of you queueing for the lavs. It and 29K are bookable online because they're not exit rows.

The weather out west has been pretty hot too and the forest fires are dreadful. Take care and have a great time!

[Alvin]

Last time went out to YVR it was Hi-J and on the return was Lo-J, guess it depends on the load factor??? But we had pretty nice seats - can recommend 60A/B and J/K

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Off topic question:

BA operate the 747-400 (Lite) variant. What is the difference between the "Lite" and the normal 744?

Thanks
BAe 146-100

[Wot No Engines]

Even better when a low-J booked load is given a high-J aircraft = WT+ get a free upgrade if WT was almost fully booked. Happened last few times I flew BA.

[MarkD]

looked at Seatexpert, you do NOT want 777 39AB, take it from me!

Had 39K back from YUL once...

[PAXboy]

I was in 27A today EWR~LHR in a BA 772. By accident, not design this was my first ever in a 777. I had heard that they are quieter than 74s but I did not notice much diff.

The flight was not busy, so the loos were not too busy but on a full flight, not sure.

I was close to Emergency exit (one back) which has no window, I see but I had two windows. Close to loo but also close to baby bulkhead and there were three within a twelve foot range.

[Scottie Dog]

Thank You

Thanks to everybody for their input and help.

Unfortunately none of the seats discussed were available when I tried to checkin onlibe, or at Manchester when I went for the domestic flight at 0920.

BA Manchester suggested that I try to have my seat changed at LHR, which I did, and again Customer Services were unable to help - but they did very kindly upgrade me to World Traveller Plus!!

Obviously the flight was very heavily booked in the lower classes and I am sure that a lot of upgrades had been done from WTP to Club World etc to avoid denied booking compensation in the back end. All that I can say is that I am glad I checked in really early!

Thanks again.

Scottie Dog

[robmac]

Why not get a seat in Business or First and then there is no worry about the legroom

[BahrainLad]

Life is not what you deserve, it's what you can negotiate.