Question For The British Airway Experts

Our only experience on British Airways long haul international flights has been on the 787.

 

In Business Class, the seats have one set facing forward and the other seat facing towards the main cabin. I am assuming this is done so that those traveling together can easily see each other when speaking and for those who want privacy there is an electronic divider.

 

My wife and I have flown a particular flights a few times and we usually have her in the last row of the first of the two business class section next to the window so no one would climb over her. I take the seat at the aisle.

 

On our most recent flight when I had the seat flat and the foot rest or whatever you call it down that meant that the person in the row in front of me had to climb over my legs. Personally, I don't really care for this because I worry that someone will step on me but this guy clearly was having difficulty dong this. He basically couldn't so when I saw him standing up I pulled up my legs and he would have to put his feet on the foot rest.

 

Since this was a flight where we left LHR around noon and were getting back to the USA early evening I didn't need to sleep but still enjoyed having my legs extended and using the foot rest. If it was in the other direction then I wouldn't have been too happy worrying that this guy would step on my leg or ankle.

 

OK, so to catch to the chase, is this configuration pretty much unique to BA and do they do this mainly for the reason I speculated which is for people traveling together to easily speak with one another?

 

Just wondering. :)

I'm no expert, but I can only assume they do it this way so they can fit more lie flat seats across the plane (and thus more seats overall on the plane). The space for feet is narrower than the space for head and shoulders so they can fit two lie flat seats in a smaller space where they could not do so if they were shoulder to shoulder.

Yes, it's a BA patent.

OK, so to catch to the chase, is this configuration pretty much unique to BA and do they do this mainly for the reason I speculated which is for people traveling together to easily speak with one another?

No, that's simply a useful by-product.

 

The primary reason is as pjs678 says: to increase the seating density in the cabin while still providing a flat and horizontal bed. The market at which this product is primarily aimed largely wants to get on board, have a drink, turn off the lights and go to sleep.

Thanks for clarifying this one.

 

I think it is dangerous for people to have to climb over one another to get out of their seats but obviously those who approved this configuration are not concerned that someone will get injured.

 

Keith

Thanks for clarifying this one.

 

I think it is dangerous for people to have to climb over one another to get out of their seats but obviously those who approved this configuration are not concerned that someone will get injured.

 

Keith

 

How is it any different from climbing over anyone else's feet in economy/premium economy or those in other business class configurations with no direct aisle access from every seat? :confused:

 

The feet of the aisle seat dweller are maybe 12" above the ground and you can hold onto the seat's shell to help get out without disturbing the person. It's such an over rated issue in my mind.

fbgd, I just never have seen it as awkward it was with this configuration.

 

While I found it bothersome other times we have flown on BA with this configuration, this guy could barely walk and had to lift his legs with his hands and looked unstable was not a pretty thought should he have fell over or stepped onto my ankle or legs.

 

Thankfully we have another option the next time as they are going with a different plane and we opted to go first class.

 

In the meantime, on the positive side the airport I use has very few direct flights outside the USA so having a direct flight that goes to LHR is wonderful for us.

 

Keith

fbgd, I just never have seen it as awkward it was with this configuration.

IME, it's a good deal less awkward than on other airlines where people are sitting side-by-side and someone has to step over someone else's legs to get to the aisle. If the window seat passenger lifts their own footrest they've got somewhere to stand, and they have the hard shell of a seat to hold on to whilst they step over.

 

In the conventional side-by-side arrangement, you often don't have nearly as much manoeuvring space as you step out. Just imagine how difficult that passenger would have found it trying to step over in a conventional configuration.

 

Any risk of similar injury is (as fbgd says) much greater if you're trying to step over to get out in premium economy or economy.

 

This supposed difficulty is probably as psychological as the difficulty that some people say they have with the idea of flying whilst facing aft, which is frequently cited as a complaint about this configuration. Once in the cruise, you absolutely cannot tell whether you're facing forward or aft.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Globaliser.

 

Maybe in my situation now that I no longer travel a lot for business having been retired for many years, I am used to my wife being next to me in configurations where we are faced forward so I am not concerned about her stepping over me whereas in this type of configuration the person stepping over me is someone who I don't know.

 

Good to hear everyone's input.

 

Thanks again.

 

Keith

Having never flown Business class on BA before, I was wondering also about what seating arrangement is best for couples.... window/aisle or the 2 seats together in the center 4 figuration? We won't be choosing our seats until check-in so have no idea what will be available.

Having never flown Business class on BA before, I was wondering also about what seating arrangement is best for couples.... window/aisle or the 2 seats together in the center 4 figuration? We won't be choosing our seats until check-in so have no idea what will be available.

 

I've done a few trips LHr to Hou, and .have been in both configurations, travelling with my dad. I would say that the two in the middle feels more together somehow, you are sitting/lying side by side and it's easy to chat quietly. it does feel a bit like a little private oasis in the middle.

 

The face to face combo also works well, especially if one of you likes the window or the aisle, or if you prefer to look at each other and chat! My dad got a bit hard of hearing later in his life, so the face to face became much easier for him.

 

access in and out I found to be fairly easy, but again my dad preferred an aisle more as he got older, no worries about stumbling or disturbing anybody in the low lights at night etc.

 

I think you will enjoy any of them really, especially once you are sitting down with a lovely glass of champagne waiting for everyone else to board and settle down. No waiting till after take off for a drink in business class, happy days!

 

Well done on your flights, I was just reading about your story on the other thread

 

scarlet

thanks, Scarlett... Looking forward to it now that it's finally booked! Business class for less than economy prices was a great snag! Now have to work our way up the Executive Club to be able to pre-assign seats!