What the best seat(s) to choose in First class on A380?

[SeatBackForward]

2A or 3A or 4A? This is the question.

I'm going with 4A for SYD-DFW in a few weeks time. First time I'll be in F.

 

[Princess Fiona]

2A or 3A or 4A? This is the question.

They are all much the same IMO. Anything on the A side is better than K. 3A is probably at mid-cabin distant from both the toilets and galley. The thing that most bothers me about these seats is that light from open blinds or overhead lights affects me and I don't notice any of this in 1A.

As has been said a million times before here though, there are no truly bad seats in F. Enjoy

 

[serfty]

QF10, seats 1-4A taken. What's the next best seat, is it 5A or anything on the other side?

I had 5A on QF93 last week (Involuntarily upgraded upon boarding ). I have flown there before with no issues but this time there was significant galley noise through the flight - at times it sounded like an impromptu social club.

I have heard this before, but from 50C on QF10.

I have now moved from 3A to 1A for an upcoming June flight.

 

[kermatu]

Certainly no bad seats! But from just a few personal experiences and comments from friends/colleagues - the A seats are best, followed by Ks and the middle ones as a last resort.

Light from other pax seats doesn't bother me (it's their reading light or screen and their window shade if they want a view or prefer natural light) - no big deal. Except in the very rare scenario of direct sunlight in your eyes. I actually don't like it when the crew instruct shades to be down - always feels like we're being treated like boarding school kids with lights-out time!

I've been more disturbed in 1A than 2A or 3A (the only ones I've sat in personally) - so my vote would be 2 or 3 for mid-cabin balance.

 

[Pushka]

About to try out 2A and 3A.

 

[Flying mermaid]

About to try out 2A and 3A.

Enjoy it! 2A is my favourite - I used to put Mr FM in 3A, as I think that is the best pair, but he has developed a fondness for 1A.

 

[Mr_Orange]

I actually don't like it when the crew instruct shades to be down - always feels like we're being treated like boarding school kids with lights-out time!

This. In any cabin, it ticks me off. Especially on a day flight, or a flight that I am treating as a day flight in order to counter the effects of jet lag.

 

[Princess Fiona]

This. In any cabin, it ticks me off. Especially on a day flight, or a flight that I am treating as a day flight in order to counter the effects of jet lag.

IME the cabin crew put the shades down for the entire F cabin after the main service on most sectors I've flown.
IIRC this did not happen on the second sector of QF9 on two of my flights but I don't recall any other flight in F where the cabin hasn't been dimmed.

 

[TheRealTMA]

This. In any cabin, it ticks me off. Especially on a day flight, or a flight that I am treating as a day flight in order to counter the effects of jet lag.

Completely disagree. Nothing worse than ONE recalcitrant with shades up in otherwise darkened cabin. Won't make any difference to your jet lag but will annoy the rest of the cabin immensely, especially if trying to watch a movie, or sleep.

 

[Mr_Orange]

Won't make any difference to your jet lag

Actually it does, because it is very hard not to fall asleep in a darkened cabin and sometimes I don't want to sleep to help with jet lag.

but will annoy the rest of the cabin immensely, especially if trying to watch a movie, or sleep.

I don't leave the blinds wide open with the sun blasting in, but I do like to have some natural daylight.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I feel a thread split coming on :mrgreen:

FWIW I'm with TheRealMTA here

 

[SQ421]

Flew 3A and 1A a few months apart and I can't say I noticed any excessive foot traffic using the lavatory whilst sat in 1A. I'd picked 3A on the first flight having read here (and elsewhere) about the disturbance form pax using the toilet however I'd be quite happy in 1A henceforth.

 

[kermatu]

In row 1 while you do get more toilet traffic you get far less crew traffic given the galley is behind. That can be a plus, or a negative (if you want a crew member for a wine top-up, to pick a completely hypothetical example, you may be waiting for a while or have to press the call button).

On the issue of cabin light - screen brightness can be easily adjusted, and eye-shades can be used for sleep. When the blinds/shades are automatically lowered in F I have asked the crew if I can raise mine immediately and they've never objected. I am very conscious though when the cabin is completely dark that it can disturb others to suddenly open a shade (in any cabin). I've seen several instances of people asking for shades to be lowered but they are happy to open their own whenever they wake up, with no thought for the rest of the cabin. I* reckon that's worse than having them open from the start.

I don't sleep much on planes and even when I do I have no trouble with light. So I recognize my perspectives are somewhat biased.

 

[boomy]

In row 1 while you do get more toilet traffic you get far less crew traffic given the galley is behind. That can be a plus, or a negative (if you want a crew member for a wine top-up, to pick a completely hypothetical example, you may be waiting for a while or have to press the call button).

The call button should never be used in F
FAs need to know who is drinking what and make sure the glass is constantly refilled, regardless of seat location. Some airlines have more attentive service than others.
So far I had no issues with service on QF F but only sat on the A side of the cabin.

 

[eric2011]

I sat in 1A on a SYD-LAX and I did find it just a tad noisy, mainly cabin crew transiting from the galley at the rear of 1st and going upstairs. They were using the "bar seating area" upstairs for the crew rest station

 

[flychrisfly]

"1A" on the boarding pass does have a certain caché to it

 

[incumbent]

They were using the "bar seating area" upstairs for the crew rest station

I'd be surprised if that were literally true.

Having asked a question upthread, I'd like to say thanks to all for the useful replies, I've ended up going with 2A. I liked 5A a lot when it didn't have Y behind it, and I don't tend to be all that sensitive to "distant" noise, but still, the quieter the better. I will then need to sit in 1A at some stage to complete the royal flush, but for some reason it's the least appealing option to me.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I sat in 1A on a SYD-LAX and I did find it just a tad noisy, mainly cabin crew transiting from the galley at the rear of 1st and going upstairs. They were using the "bar seating area" upstairs for the crew rest station

I have taken many, many flights on the A380 in J and F and never once seen the lounge area used as a QF crew rest area :?:

 

[donovan301]

Re: Best F couple seats A380

Bollinger,
some things you can not argue with...

...unless the debate aggressor Likes Tattinger...

Then you can argue if you wish, but the outcome is inevitable...

...and Bollinger always prevails as an excellent Quaffer
... if u get my trist ;-)

 

[russ]

"1A" on the boarding pass does have a certain caché to it

Not to me - I consider it like Row A in a theatre: too close to the action.