Which airlines offer the best Premium Cabin layout? i got bored and went through the different seating configurations on Seatguru and found some look more appealing then others.

For example:
ANZ offers a 1-2-1 seating, but those seats look super cramped......(reverse herringbone??)
UAL-Polaris is a 1-2-1, private with plenty of storage
AA/CA/AC have very similar seats. 1-2-1

"Best" is subjective, but I'm happy with anything I can both look out a window and get to the bathroom without crawling over anyone.

adamblang - agreed!

can't wait for the Buzzfeed quiz ... "Which premium economy is right for YOU?"

maybe i should of asked which one was most comfortable and passenger friendly.!!

xxcr wrote:

maybe i should have asked which one was most comfortable and passenger friendly.!!

That makes it a more interesting question. While 1-2-1 is the current gold standard in this regard for J, the need for airlines to still put as many people as possible in the cabin means that most of those fly in a (reverse) herringbone-style set-up (example: Delta One A330/744, Zodiac Cirrus) which makes the seats somewhat cramped. So while the forward-facing 2-2-2 seats that some carriers (example: KL WBC, B/EA Diamond) use instead don't have direct aisle-access for all seats, the actual seats themselves are more comfortable because they are more spacious.

Of course, it is possible to have a 2-2-2 set-up with direct aisle-access for each seat by slightly staggering the seats. For example, the B/EA Apex seats that you find in newer JL and KE business cabins. But, the downside to the operator of those is that they require more space.

Also there are outliers like EY that turn their very definite wide-body A380 into a single-aisle 1-1 plane in first class.

CyBeRino wrote:

xxcr wrote:

maybe i should have asked which one was most comfortable and passenger friendly.!!

That makes it a more interesting question. While 1-2-1 is the current gold standard in this regard for J, the need for airlines to still put as many people as possible in the cabin means that most of those fly in a (reverse) herringbone-style set-up (example: Delta One A330/744, Zodiac Cirrus) which makes the seats somewhat cramped. So while the forward-facing 2-2-2 seats that some carriers (example: KL WBC, B/EA Diamond) use instead don't have direct aisle-access for all seats, the actual seats themselves are more comfortable because they are more spacious.

Of course, it is possible to have a 2-2-2 set-up with direct aisle-access for each seat by slightly staggering the seats. For example, the B/EA Apex seats that you find in newer JL and KE business cabins. But, the downside to the operator of those is that they require more space.

Also there are outliers like EY that turn their very definite wide-body A380 into a single-aisle 1-1 plane in first class.

With a lot of airlines choosing the Zodiac seat like AA/CA/AC for their J product, what sets them apart?

I agree with your comment on Delta's Current J seat!, they look extremely cramped, very similiar to ANZ.

Doesn't the current J seat KE use offer Direct aisle access for all the seats even though its a 2-3-2 config on the 77W?

I've tried the following products, and ranked them in order of preference:

1) B/E Apex (KE 787): By far the best. Forward facing and adequate room for feet, excellent privacy if the divider is up. Guaranteed direct aisle access for all seats even if the config is 2-2-2.
2) Zodiac Cirrus/Reverse Herringbone (CX 77W, 333): Overall, an excellent seat with great privacy. Possible to look out the window, but you're not that close to it and it can get a bit uncomfortable and awkward taking videos of your takeoff/landing, if you like to do that. Also, I found that the foot space was a bit restrictive (especially on the 333).
3) Herringbone (AC 763): Awkward looking out the window and feels a bit claustrophobic and cramped. I'm 6ft and I felt ever so slightly too tall for the bed.
4) Conventional forward facing seats (D7 333, KE 744): Beats economy any day, but this type of seat was vogue around 2004. Not so much anymore.

Unless if the B/E Apex counts, I haven't tried a staggered configuration yet (like the Sogerma Solstys).

xxcr wrote:

With a lot of airlines choosing the Zodiac seat like AA/CA/AC for their J product, what sets them apart?

These seats can be rather seriously customised to the customer's (the airline) liking, so the hard product is set apart by styling and perhaps comfort changes such as seat upholstery. And of course the IFE system is unrelated to the seat itself.

Other than that though the only thing that remains for airlines to differentiate themselves is their soft product.

Doesn't the current J seat KE use offer Direct aisle access for all the seats even though its a 2-3-2 config on the 77W?

KE flies three configs in 77W J, the 2-3-2 configs is an older style seat much like the AF NEV3/4 (As found on AF A380s). Their newer config is the B/E Apex I spoke of which staggers forward-facing seats and has aisle-access for each seat in a 2-2-2 config. Those seats are pretty good; I've only flown that product on one three-hour day flight though so I don't know about how comfortable they are for sleeping but they're quite roomy, comfortable to sit in and give excellent privacy due to the divider screen. (Augmented by KE having a mini-cabin on row 7 in their 77W with only one row between F and the rest of J.)

hoons90 wrote:

I've tried the following products, and ranked them in order of preference:

I agree with your list but would insert the B/E Diamond as number 2. No direct aisle access for window seats in 2-2-2 but very comfy seat.

Yeah, the only downside to the B/E diamonds seats is no direct aisle access, but they are really comfortable. anyone been on Qatar and experience the Super BE diamond seats?

TG:
772/77E/A333/744/788
2-2-2
77W/789
1-2-1
(789 is reverse herringbone)
773
2-3-2
A320/734
2-2
*HISTORICAL*
A300/A310
2-2-2
A345/A346
2-2-2

CyBeRino wrote:

That makes it a more interesting question. While 1-2-1 is the current gold standard in this regard for J, the need for airlines to still put as many people as possible in the cabin means that most of those fly in a (reverse) herringbone-style set-up (example: Delta One A330/744, Zodiac Cirrus) which makes the seats somewhat cramped. So while the forward-facing 2-2-2 seats that some carriers (example: KL WBC, B/EA Diamond) use instead don't have direct aisle-access for all seats, the actual seats themselves are more comfortable because they are more spacious.

Of course, it is possible to have a 2-2-2 set-up with direct aisle-access for each seat by slightly staggering the seats. For example, the B/EA Apex seats that you find in newer JL and KE business cabins. But, the downside to the operator of those is that they require more space.

Also there are outliers like EY that turn their very definite wide-body A380 into a single-aisle 1-1 plane in first class.

Don't forget that VS, NZ (on the 787) and AC (on the 767 and 330) all have 1-1-1 seating up front.

I very much like ANA's business class seats that are 1-2-1 and staggered rather than herringbone. I feel like they're pretty much what business class seats *should* be. The seat is wide enough to be comfortable, you've got a huge table and storage area next to you, basically unlimited legroom because your feet go under the table in front of you, and reasonable privacy. When converted to a bed, the length is a little less than I'd like, but I'm 6'4. I don't think any airline has a bed in business class that I would fully fit in. At least on ANA, there is enough width through the length of the bed that I can turn and bend my legs. I couldn't do that when I flew on China Airlines business class, for example, since the bed tapers down to almost nothing near the ankles.

I've seen Delta's J seats in the A350 and they look like a slightly smaller version of ANA's seats. So if this is the style that was called out of fashion, I don't know that that's true.