New QF A380 reconfiguration!!!

[serfty]

You convinced me - back to 80A - I prefer a window anyway!

32A is a window seat!

 

[FlyboyAl]

Mixing threads here!!!!
I was in 48B and have gone to 80A - someone else was in 32A - its getting crowded on this flight!

 

[Kangol]

Mixing threas here!!!!
I was in 48B and have gone to 80A - someone else was in 32A - its getting crowded on this flight!

Did you ask for a refund of your exit row seat request fee?
Although I'm guessing you paid because your profile says you are SG...

How does the exit row charge work anyway - make the booking, then select your seat online and does it go to a payment page in order to confirm the request?

 

[FlyboyAl]

Never got charged for it in the first place, and I think I read on here that it is not considered an exit row. Certainly on the QF seatmap, it is not shwn as an exit row.

 

[defurax]

I have a question regarding row 48 in the new config A380.
Is it possible that Qantas is not charging the Exit row fee for row 48 at the moment while there are still too many last minute change in A380 configuration? I'm asking because I'm flying MEL-LAX late March 2013 and the QF rep on the phone assured me that I had to pay exit row fees for 48B or 48C but that 48A is free!?! So maybe the fact that by end of March all 12 A380 will be reconfigured means that row 48 will become a standard exit row like row 66?

 

[geordieladinoz]

I have a question regarding row 48 in the new config A380.
Is it possible that Qantas is not charging the Exit row fee for row 48 at the moment while there are still too many last minute change in A380 configuration? I'm asking because I'm flying MEL-LAX late March 2013 and the QF rep on the phone assured me that I had to pay exit row fees for 48B or 48C but that 48A is free!?! So maybe the fact that by end of March all 12 A380 will be reconfigured means that row 48 will become a standard exit row like row 66?

Sounds plausible as the updated A380 seat maps show Row 48 as an exit row. However, I do not envisage that all A380's will be done by March 2013. VH-OQL has been in Manila for 4 weeks now so using that as a minimum for the refurbishment programme will not see the remaining 8 planes completed until at least June 2013 but it may be taking more than 4 weeks a plane thus pushing it out further.

 

[serfty]

Last month I had a booking on the new configuration - I could select 48A/B/C but was asked to pay when I selected one of them. (Since subbed for an old configuration, not I did not pat for 48, but lost a seat in row 32 with the sub)

 

[defurax]

Last month I had a booking on the new configuration - I could select 48A/B/C but was asked to pay when I selected one of them. (Since subbed for an old configuration, not I did not pat for 48, but lost a seat in row 32 with the sub)

I decided to play it safe with a "configuration-independent seat" and keep 71D even though I guess the small economy cabin on the upper deck must feel nicer/quieter than the main deck

 

[Kangol]

I decided to play it safe with a "configuration-independent seat" and keep 71D even though I guess the small economy cabin on the upper deck must feel nicer/quieter than the main deck

I'd do that and possibly change to UD if you get an reconfig at OLCI or even at the terminal/in the lounge.
I have a booking early next year and have 80A/K but would happily switch to a good UD seat last minute if possible.
You can always track the travel patterns and "probability" of getting a reconfig here:

The QANTAS Source - QANTAS Flight Tracker.

 

[mannej]

Considering that you really have a 1 in 3 chance currently getting the new config, I wouldn't go tracking any patterns as anything can happen. One delayed plane can throw a spanner in the works!

 

[anabolism]

Upper deck is a world apart from the cramped and noisy nature of lower deck Y. And very quick to get on/off given you are able to use the upper deck bridge with J & Y+ pax. I would not hesitate to sit up there again.

In terms of toilets, I didnt find it to be an issue. There is one toilet at the rear for upper deck Y. Note, however, that the load was only about 60% so not sure if this would be different if there was a full load.

Nice to know that for Y pax the upper deck is great and there is no issue with the lavatories, but my understanding is that J is the most disadvantaged by the reconfiguration.

In my wandering around the aircraft, I'm not noticing any difference in the length of toilet queues. Quite often, I find that people are waiting in one part of the aircraft, whilst there are empty toilets not far away. Habits I guess.

Are there different places for upper deck J pax to find lavs? I suppose they could do downstairs, but that seems quite a trek without knowing for sure if any are free. Also, what times were your wanderings? I suspect there are times when the queues for the lavatories are likely to be much longer, such as after take-off, after supper, after breakfast, before landing.

Mrs GPH is in LHR as we speak. She has tried or an upgrade but it's not looking good.
Apparently the biz class toilet was not much fun either and long queues ( this was on he flight on the way over).
So maybe F is the only way to go ?

That's certainly my concern.

 

[MH_fan]

There was pretty much a queue for the toilets in J most of the time except when everyone was sleeping on my recent flight from SYD to LAX on QF11. I was in the front cabin though and one of the crew told me that a lot of the passengers in the main J cabin forget about the toilets in the rear of the J cabin and head straight for the 2 front ones. It also looks to me that those 2 toliets in the rear of the J cabin are not shared with Y+ passengers.

 

[under the radar]

..."in the event of an emergency..your nearest toilet may be behind you!!..."

 

[mannej]

Well if the pax forget about the toilets at the rear of the cabin, isn't that the reason for the queues and not the number of toilets in the business cabin?

 

[Awesom Andy]

Well if the pax forget about the toilets at the rear of the cabin, isn't that the reason for the queues and not the number of toilets in the business cabin?

Or they are just too snobbish and refuse to head towards the Y+ cabin.

 

[anabolism]

Well if the pax forget about the toilets at the rear of the cabin, isn't that the reason for the queues and not the number of toilets in the business cabin?

Depends if there are queues for those as well.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Depends if there are queues for those as well.

Reports suggest that the queues for these toilets outside of peak hours are minimal, if any at all.

 

[anabolism]

Reports suggest that the queues for these toilets outside of peak hours are minimal, if any at all.

That's great unless you need to use it during peak hours, say to change into or out of PJs, or take care of anything.

 

[ferni]

Damn my flight LAX-MEL QF94 on 15 Nov has been switched back to the old config so I've lost my 32AB and the good seats in row 80/71 are taken... and it won't let me select a seat now, QF website keeps giving me an error when i try to save my seat selection...

 

[mannej]

Damn my flight LAX-MEL QF94 on 15 Nov has been switched back to the old config so I've lost my 32AB and the good seats in row 80/71 are taken... and it won't let me select a seat now, QF website keeps giving me an error when i try to save my seat selection...

Still plenty of time for a swap considering there are a few 380 flights that have been delayed of late.