Direct Aisle Access

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Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 67 total)

  • BeckyBoop
    Participant

    Direct aisles access is one of the biggest differences that separates F and J on BA. If BA did take the approach of giving every Club seat a direct access, this will significantly alter the amount of J seats on board and on on the most busiest of routes it would be a disaster as it would cause the cost of ticket prices to soar as well as having to redefine the F cabin with lower density seats. However none of this will change unless the amount of hub capacity at UK airports increases and they give equal allocation of slots to all the airlines. Alternatively people just stop flying BA all together.


    Bullfrog
    Participant

    VK’s comments often nail himself, so better ‘to read between the lines’.

    Being able to leave one’s seat without disturbing an adjacent passenger is a great benefit. Likewise, an adjacent passenger being able to leave their seat without disturbing me, is very preferable.

    I would love to see BA do away with their ‘sardine, head to toe’ CW seating.


    FormerlyDoS
    Participant

    But Bullfrog, you only don’t have direct aisle access on BA whilst people put down their footrest.

    Every time I fly BA, the whole business cabin sits upright and leaves the footrest up.

    And everyone enjoys nirvana.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    Though my preference is for direct aisle access, I accept if flying business on a wide body this is unlikely to happen. From my perspective I prefer a window seat but I do not like BA’s sardine (as Bulldog cleverly phrases it) seating which makes the cabin very claustrophobic I think.

    What makes we wonder though, is if so many dislike the CW config, then why not vote with your bums and put them on other carriers till BA cave in?


    Flyboy18
    Participant

    FDoS….glass always half empty?


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    The reality is that there is direct aisle access in Club World when upstairs (window). The problem is invariably, you wake up the passenger sleeping whom you have to clamber over.

    This is a design problem with the Ying Yang and whilst I always apologize if I wake the passenger up, if he/she “barks” – I suggest he writes into BA to complain.

    Not much else I can do…

    Yes direct aisle access is important…

    Not looking forward to travelling backwards to BKK…


    FormerlyDoS
    Participant

    “FDoS….glass always half empty?”

    It is when sitting in CW. See MS comments above and others.

    CW was a world beater in 2000. it isn’t anymore, expectations change and competitive products develop.

    You may not like it, but a lot of people now regard CW as an ageing product.

    Me, I think the bed is great (one of the best), but the lack of direct aisle access is not.

    I have 16A going to NRT next month. It is a great seat and I am looking forward to the flight. I had a middle seat recently, lady in the aisle on the other side to me had a real go at the pax next to me stepping over and wakening her. It isn’t good.


    Senator
    Participant

    I can see the direct aisle being a preference for many. I for one, try to select 10B on B777s with the drawback of the galley/lavatory nearby and 64A on the upper deck when I travel BA.

    When I fly the more conventional 2-2-2 offers like LH and SK, I aim for an aisle seat in the middle section to avoid the climb over.

    The 2-2-1, 1-2-2 staggered approach that Swiss, Finnair, Austrian and Brussels offer (to name a few) leaves 4 of 5 seats with direct aisle access. When travelling alone, I aim for a single seat. If I am with a companion, I go for the two seats in the middle.

    Despite the lack of aisle access, I find the BA CW seat preferable to many of the above alternatives for one simple reason; the openness around me. The Contour seats, as they slide down into the seat in front, have a coffin like experience. I sense more of the “sardine-like” feeling from this, then the eight seats across on BA.


    FormerlyDoS
    Participant

    Senator

    Out of interest (I may make use of the time left, before BT remove my profile), have you tried the middle seats in CW, when both are occupied.

    You have screens on both sides, pretty claustrophobic.


    Senator
    Participant

    FormerlyDoS, no I haven’t. The only time I travelled with a companion on BA I elected upper deck 64A and 64B. I would prefer that whoever sat next to me in this configuration was someone I know 🙂 so I see a point with this. One could argue, that the newish LH offer where you seem to play footsie with your neighbour offer a similar challenge.

    On a side note; I wish you plan to stay in the forum as a contributor. Would be sad to see you go.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    As confirmed to me by a senior cabin crew member yesterday, BA are in no hurry to update Club World – its a “market leader, always full, so need need to put further investment into the product”.

    There are so many parts of C W that are dated – I dont think passengers will vote with their feet…….

    **No direct aisle access for all

    **Ying Yang

    **Putting a Premium Economy section between First and Club

    **A new flat seat without the flip up chair

    **updated IFE

    Wonder whether a positive or negative thread would be longer about the product…. However, this is about direct aisle access….


    Henryp1
    Participant

    Direct aisle access is very important to me and probably other passengers if I have to clamber over them when prone.

    I rarely fly club unless there is no first cabin, one particular reason being the 8 across and lack of direct aisle access. Even if I am seated in an aisle seat, I will be disturbed by another passenger at some point in my journey. Also the face to face aspect I find very unpleasant.


    sparkyflier
    Participant

    BA have to find a balance between what is a competitive product for all its markets, and enough seats to make sufficient dough.
    The current product is now being over taken by many carriers, and even the American carriers now.
    Like Senator I think the LX, SN, DL product etc is a good one and provides something for everyone.
    The VS product I am not a fan of – I do like to look out the window on day flights. Re the upcoming A80 and 787 products, I would be less inclined to choose any Business Class product where there is a risk of a middle seat. The JL produce looks awesome!


    JordanD
    Participant

    A sidebar point, and I speak as a user of BA Future Labs (whether or not others like it as a resource/forum, I’m enjoying the opportunity to be asked about my views and to contribute to what is going on); Binman – I’m not sure why you are sharing the stats of the poll on here? If memory serves me right (and I may be wrong), the forum there is meant to be confidential and poll data not shared outwith; I’ve answered a number of questions of late on another topic they are polling on, and purposefully not shared that on here.

    In response to points on Direct Aisle Access – we all know there are pros and cons of it – fewer seats, higher prices, and that’s not to say that layouts which allow it (e.g. CX Herringbone) are universally loved either.


    TimFitzgeraldTC
    Participant

    A slightly different perspective on this and just a thought. The carriers that offer a 1-2-2 configuration (so approx 80% direct aisle acces) that are not in a staggered formation is actually quite clever as you cater for many people. You get those that want privacy and direct access (and a window), you cater for those that want to sit together but both have aisle access, and you cater for those travelling together who want to sit together, want a window and don’t mind climbing over there partner/colleague etc.

    The 2 in the middle also work for 2 individuals travelling who don’t have to disturb each other to use the facilities. BA obviously fails in this regard as there is no way you can both face the same direction and get aisle access (ignoring all the seat up or down debate – to me the point of business class is to be able to lie flat??). The Airlines that offer the herring bone formations also aren’t great as you can’t sit “next” to your partner in the traditional sense. Also airlines like Emirates you can only sit together in the middle seats (and yesterday 2 of my clients got moved as on separate reservations with different itineraries to make space for a couple – they weren’t to chuffed). I shall be trying Etihad on Thursday and I want to sit with a colleague so it’ll be interesting how this pans out (not got seats allocated yet as we havn’t been given reservation details by Etihad).

    So maybe Swiss, Finnair etc using 1-2-2 is the ideal layout for maixmum permutations of seating for passengers? Just a thought. You don’t have to agree with me!!

    If it was just me travelling then in an ideal world I’d like a window with direct aisle access. If with a partner or in a group then to be sat with my partner facing forward with a window and the seat next to it also facing forward – if that wasn’t available then 2 middle seats with aisle access each side also facing forward.

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