MSYtristar From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 6242 posts, RR: 51 Reply 2, posted (5 years 2 months 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 11349 times:
Quoting ANCFlyer (Reply 1): try 16AB or 17AB . . . they reportedly have more leg room. . .
Thanks. I'll try to get one of those.
How is it up there anyway? Seems like a pretty neat experience.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38485 posts, RR: 80 Reply 3, posted (5 years 2 months 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 11349 times:
I sat in that very seat on a San Francisco - Tokyo flight in summer 2006.
It is an exit row. There is a flight attendant jump seat on the opposite side.
Here is that exact seat.
Every seat in the upper-deck is a good seat in my opinion. I do like the more personalized attention but I prefer the higher ceiling on the lower deck business class.
Any way you can get bumped up to first class?
First class in a 747 is simply incredible!
Transpac787 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 3139 posts, RR: 14 Reply 4, posted (5 years 2 months 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 11348 times:
Quoting MSYtristar (Thread starter): Also, I'm guessing there's a F/A jumpseat up there....would that be located at the front or the back?
There are two jumpseats on the top deck of the UA 744's, unless you get N105UA, by some off-chance, which will have 3 top deck jumpseats. Anyhow, on the standard UA 744's there is one jumpseat immediately at the top of the stairs, and the second jumpseat at the exit-row on the GH side.
MSYtristar From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 6242 posts, RR: 51 Reply 5, posted (5 years 2 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 11346 times:
Quoting Transpac787 (Reply 4): Are you leaning more toward window view or legroom, as far as "best" is concerned??
Probably window view in the grand scheme of things.
Quoting Superfly (Reply 3): Any way you can get bumped up to first class?
I don't think I have any connections with UA that could pull that one off! That'd be nice, though.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38485 posts, RR: 80 Reply 6, posted (5 years 2 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 11341 times:
Keep in mind, United is in the process of changing their interiors. Not sure if you will be on the new layout or the old one.
Leg room really isn't an issue in business class on United Airlines 747s.
MSYtristar From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 6242 posts, RR: 51 Reply 7, posted (5 years 2 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 11334 times:
Quoting Superfly (Reply 6): Not sure if you will be on the new layout or the old one.
The day I'm looking at still shows the old layout, but I guess there could always be an aircraft swap.
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21460 posts, RR: 24 Reply 10, posted (5 years 2 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 11320 times:
Quoting ANCFlyer (Reply 9): Quoting MSYtristar (Reply 2):
How is it up there anyway? Seems like a pretty neat experience.
You'll never want to sit downstairs again. Quiet. Very quiet.
It's quiet if you mean there is less traffic up and down the aisle, but many people including myself find the 747 upper deck noisier due to aerodynamic noise over that part of the fuselage. Similarly, I understand the 747 cockpit which is of course at the front of the upper deck has always had a reputation as being noiser than many other aircraft.
The upper deck has the advantage of privacy, but on carriers that use both the nose cabin (A zone) and upper deck for business class, I generally prefer the A zone as it feels more spacious. If it's a carrier that uses 2-3-2 (or 2-4-2, e.g. BA Club World) in the B or C zones zones for business class (carriers that still have first class in the A zone) then I prefer the upper deck.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38485 posts, RR: 80 Reply 11, posted (5 years 2 months 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 11298 times:
Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 10): but many people including myself find the 747 upper deck noisier due to aerodynamic noise over that part of the fuselage.
Same here.
United Airlines still has First Class and it is totally quite.
I found the upper-deck having more wind noise, that is why I prefer the lower deck on United business 747s.
My favorite row in business is row 8.
It's right behind first class and far from the business class galley. The worse seat in business is row 24.
DeltAirlines From United States of America, joined May 1999, 8770 posts, RR: 13 Reply 12, posted (5 years 2 months 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 11287 times:
Keep in mind with Row 15 that it is only accessible to Global Services/1K/Premier Executive level FFers of Mileage Plus - UA limits all exit rows on all planes to these passengers only until check-in opens up. You might want to take a look on Day of Departure to see if Row 15 opened up - although many times those FFers that have the status will grab snatch those seats up real quick.
Transpac787 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 3139 posts, RR: 14 Reply 13, posted (5 years 2 months 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 11283 times:
Quoting Superfly (Reply 6): Keep in mind, United is in the process of changing their interiors. Not sure if you will be on the new layout or the old one.
UA is converting the widebody fleet at an extremely slow rate. The first 744 is getting the reconfiguration now and should be out in a week or two. That's what UA says at least.... if it's actually released at that time is anyone's guess.
Quoting MSYtristar (Reply 7): The day I'm looking at still shows the old layout, but I guess there could always be an aircraft swap.
I can almost guarantee you'll be on the old-layout. UA has been having nightmare maintenance issues with the new seats, so they are trying to keep the reconfigured planes to flights out of IAD and IAD alone for now. Currently the 763's fly IAD-FRA, IAD-ZRH, and an occasional IAD-SFO for heavy mx work. When the first reconfigured 744 appears in the fleet it will exclusively fly IAD-FRA for some time.
Quoting PHLstudent (Reply 8): I don't think any of the 747's have had the new business class installed yet. I could be wrong..
The first one is due to make it's first revenue service on 30MAR, IAD-FRA.
Quoting ANCFlyer (Reply 9): Nor do I . . . according to SeatExpert.com the 767s come first . . .
This is correct. Ship# 6447 has been in service for some time now, and ship# 6453 should be joining the mix fairly soon. I'm not sure as to which 744 is the first to be getting the new interior though. As for the 777's, I don't think the first one has yet to even go into the hangar for reconfiguration.
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38485 posts, RR: 80 Reply 14, posted (5 years 2 months 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 11279 times:
Quoting Transpac787 (Reply 13): UA is converting the widebody fleet at an extremely slow rate.
I think it's a rather swift rate.
They announced this switch less than a year ago.
United Airlines has one of the largest fleets in the world so you can't expect a drastic change like this over night.
Ambanmba From Australia, joined Jan 2008, 48 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (5 years 2 months 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 11254 times:
One thing to keep in mind with the upper deck is that you have to carry your carry-on up the stairs and the overhead bins are much smaller. Yes, you get a side-bin as well, but if you have something "fat" then they'll make you keep it at the back of the upper deck across from the lavatory. Also, at the end of a long flight - you'll have more congestion trying to get off the a/c as compared with business class seats on the main deck.
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21460 posts, RR: 24 Reply 16, posted (5 years 2 months 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 11197 times:
Quoting Ambanmba (Reply 15): One thing to keep in mind with the upper deck is that you have to carry your carry-on up the stairs and the overhead bins are much smaller.
I've been on the upper deck a few times at airports where they board from buses. It's a long climb from ground level to the upper deck especially if you have one or two fairly heavy carry-on bags.
Another minor issue for anyone who likes window seats for the view is that it's harder to see out the upper deck windows since they're on a slant due to the tapering fuselage near the top, which is also why the overhead bins are small. You're also further from the windows than on the main deck due to the sidewall bins.
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