Mr. Bob

Hi,

Wife and I will be flying JAL next year from Bangkok to Tokyo, then Tokyo to Chicago. Each flight is a 747, we will be in business class (JAL Executive Class).

It appears that JAL offers Executive Class seating on both the main deck and the upper deck.

Does one deck have an advantage over the other, or are they the same?

Thanks,
Bob

sipples

Actually, it depends on the aircraft configuration whether there's business class seating on both decks. I'm assuming you've checked your flights and determined that, indeed, there is.

The NRT/ORD segments will have the "shell flat" seats. I'm sitting in one right now, as a matter of fact. An upper deck with business class will have a 2 and 2 configuration (2 seats on each side, one aisle). The main deck will have a 2-3-2 configuration. For the BKK/NRT segments you'll probably have the older Skyluxe seats, although that varies. It'll still be 2-2 and 2-3-2.

The differences between the two decks are not great, IMHO. I like the upper deck because it's smaller, but some people prefer more open air space in the cabin. Overhead bin space is more copious on the main deck, but the upper deck has side bins (next to the window seats) which are sometimes useful. If you have a big, overstuffed sort of carry-on, I'd choose the main deck. Restroom availability seems similar, although upper deck people can walk downstairs to use those restrooms. (Actually the reverse is true, but are you really going to march upstairs, as a "strange" face?) Similarly, the stairs are a nice way to stretch your legs on a long flight.

The middle three seats can be very useful for a couple. You may be able to arrive at the airport and ask for a group of three seats with the middle open, assuming the flight isn't too full. That gives you and your partner some extra space to keep pillows, blankets, carry-on bags (cruising flight), etc. That also works for single travelers: the middle seats are the last to fill up since everybody prefers a window or aisle seat. One strategy is to choose two seats together (on either deck) then migrate to a middle 3 on the main deck once you arrive at the airport and determine, with check-in personnel, that the flight isn't too full.

Disembarking is a touch faster if you're on the main deck and near the door, a touch slower if you're on the main deck far away from the door.

The main video screens are bigger on the main deck, but the individual in-seat screens are the same. This cuts both ways: sleeping might be slightly easier with a smaller screen, depending on where you are in the cabin.

If you want an "unusual" service item then there might be a tiny delay obtaining that item and delivering it to you on the upper deck. JAL flight attendants don't keep you waiting much, though.

The views out the window are comparable, although upper deck seating has a tiny bit less wing blockage for an equivalent (same distance from nose/tail) seat due to the difference in perspective.

In terms of safety, it's hard to say. I think I'd give a slight edge to the main deck. The most likely safety issue is simply falling down the stairs. The upper deck only has two emergency exit doors, while in most parts of the main deck you're going to have four doors near you. It's also a bigger vertical drop to the ground from the upper deck, although obviously there are slides from that level, too. The center, overwing section of the cabin is the most structurally strong, and that's most likely in the rear business class section on the main deck. Smoke could rise to the upper deck first.

The pilot crew sits in front of the upper deck, so there might be a minor amount of additional foot traffic with flight attendants servicing their meal needs, especially if you're in the front of the upper deck. I prefer the rear seats (closest to the stairs) in that cabin, especially the rearmost seats on the left side since they've got a lot of "secret" storage space in back of them. The exit row seats (any cabin) are obviously preferred by many, but people sometimes congregate in that space so it's a mixed blessing, especially in business class where you've already got room.

All in all, the differences are extremely minor, and it's really a wash. Either way, enjoy your flight.

BostonFlyer

I'm not the OP, but want to thank you for your extremely detailed survey, which will be helpful to me and many others too! Enjoy your trip.

Mr. Bob

Thank you so much for all the valuable information! It is answers like yours that make me truly appreciate the wonderful resource that FT can be!

Have a great and safe flight!

Bob

sipples

Thanks, both of you -- that's very kind to say.

One more thing that occurs to me is that the upper deck seating is aligned across the row: the 2 seats on the left are exactly the same distance to the nose as the two seats on the right.

That's not always true on the main deck. In many variations of JAL's seating layouts the 3 seats in the middle don't line up with the 2 seats on left and right.

Now, whether that matters depends on your preferences. For example, if you're a couple and decide to sit in aisle seats across from each other (perhaps because the flight isn't too full), and you love each other (!), then the upper deck might work better for you since the upper deck is reliably "aligned." If you're a single traveler and don't like other passengers looking at you, try sitting in the last row in one of the 2-seat sides. (Those usually go back farther than the middle 3s.) In fact, that works really well for couples who want some more privacy: sit in the last row in a 2-seat. Anyone who wants to see your faces will have to turn around. (It is possible you'll also be closer to the galley in those seats, but there are pros and cons to everything.) If you're a group of 4, and you get along with each other, try the upper deck (2+2). If you're a group of 3, and the flight is full (or will be), try to grab a whole middle set of seats on the main deck. And so on. Everybody is going to be different here, so setting a hard rule is difficult.

The differences really are marginal, as I mentioned. You're sitting in business class on a world class airline, so it could be a lot worse.

sipples

I just thought of another thing (for single travelers, mainly). I recommend a main deck/middle 3/aisle seat if you want to minimize your chances of getting "stepped over" on a full or near full flight, assuming you like aisle seats. (If you like window seats this rule doesn't apply.)

If you think about it, with every aisle seat except the middle 3s on the main deck, window seat passengers are forced to ask you for egress (or step over you) to get out of their seats. If you're seated in one of the two aisle seats in a middle 3 then, if the center seat is occupied, you only have a 50-50 chance of that passenger disturbing you for egress because he/she has two options to get to the aisle. The center seat is the last to fill up, though, so even the 50-50 chance is not likely.

In fact I recommend the aisle seat on the right side of the center 3s, not the left. It's just a guess, but I think most people are subconsciously programmed to use the aisle closest to the exit door, on the left side of the airplane. Thus if you happen to get a middle seat passenger he/she might be more likely to go left instead of right. But that's just a guess, not science.

KIR@GCM

Thanks for the great info, sipples. I am on JL1 later this week and it's my first ever trip on JAL. I changed my seat assignment from 21H to 27E based on your posts. Will keep checking to see if anything better may open up, unless 27E is considered one of the better main deck seats?

sipples

I really couldn't say since it depends on the aircraft configuration, and it can vary. But I expect you'll get the shell flat seats on that flight.

Unimatrix One

Um, 27E is a middle seat. Did you really intend to switch to a middle seat from 21H (an aisle seat)?

Not only is 27E a middle seat, but it is a middle seat in the bulkhead row with the dreaded baby bassinet, so there is a slight chance you could end up right next to an infant.

The upper deck (where 21H is), by the way, does not have baby bassinets, so if you want to minimize your chance of being near a baby, the upper deck is probably your best bet.

I personally go for main deck seating because I always max out my carry-on allowance and like the bigger overhead bins. But if it weren't for the carry-on issue I would go for the upper deck every time.

Bonehead

I just returned from SFO-BKK outbound and BKK-LAX inbound. Sat in the shell flat seats (upper deck) on the three legs that had that configuration (SFO-NRT and BKK-NRT-LAX). The NRT-BKK leg had the old seats, and the upper deck was coach.

1) My 22" Travelpro fit in the overhead SFO-NRT; they FA intercepted me on the BKK-NRT leg and pointed to a very nice-sized closet near the top of the stairs, where I stashed the carryon. On NRT-LAX I simply put it in there myself.

2) The bins next to the window seats are really useful.

3) I could not get comfortable in the shell flat seat for sleeping (I am 6'3", and the seat does not become flat, so I kept sliding down toward the footrest).

Service was fantastic, and all flights were on time. I would fly JAL again in a heartbeat.

If anyone has any more questions, please ask (or feel free to PM me).

sipples

I forgot about the closet trick for the upper deck. Yes, that'll usually work, as long as there aren't too many people with the same idea. Worst case they might find a main deck bin or closet for your large carry-on.

The only downside is that it's a little more awkward if you want access to your carry-on during the flight. That's really the only difference.

The largest bins are on the window sides of the main deck, and they truly are huge. The center bins on the main deck are very roughly the same size as the upper deck bins.

As a rule, Japanese airline passengers are smart: they don't often bring aboard elephantine carry-on bags. Maybe more duty free shopping bags, though.

rourkem

I just booked two upper deck business class seats on JAL via the AA EXP desk. I just wanted to confirm that A and C seats are in fact next to each other and that 16 isn't the last row on the upper deck.

Thanks,
Rourke

kboo

After studying and clicking all over the JAL site I have not been able to find any seat maps of the 747-400. Maybe sipples will be able to point me in the right direction? Do I need to do a "pretend" booking on JL site to see the appropriate seat map? I seem to remember that last time I flew JL about 18 months ago there were seat maps somewhere online...

If not - does anyone have any insight on the following? (I booked on AA site because I'm AA plat (oneworld sapphire), and it just assigned me the following seats. The AA site says these aircraft are all "747-400" - are all the 747-400 the same?) I ask because I will be traveling with a co-worker, at least on the outbound, and he is booking through a travel agent so we will try to get seats reassigned together.)

JFK-NRT - JL 5 (747-400) Seat 29D
NRT-ICN - JL 959 (747-400) Seat 5H

ICN-NRT - JL 952(747-400) Seat 1H
NRT-JFK - JL 48 (747-400) Seat 26C

From what I can put together on JL site and here, I guess I'm in the upperdeck for ICN-NRT legs and main deck on NRT-JFK legs? Also, it looks like I'll only get the shell sleeper seat on the JFK-NRT legs? If sipples or anyone else has any advice, I'd gladly hear it. Thanks!

kojiro

As far as I know, the upperdeck business class seats start from the row 15 and ends with 21 for 747-400s. Well, not all 747s are the same, but they seem to number upperdeck business seats the same way. (Please, someone correct me if I am wrong.)

So you seem to have been pre-assigened on the main deck all the way from JFK to ICN and back.

Regards.

kboo

Thanks, kojiro. But the plot thickens! AA's site and JL's site both say that all of these flights are 747-400s. But I did a dummy booking on JL's site to see the seatmaps on each of these flights on my dates of travel. The JFK/NRT seatmaps look different from the NRT-ICN maps. The NRT-ICN maps give you a choice of upperdeck or lowerdeck while the JFK/NRT do not. Also on both there are odd gaps in the row numbers while the seats look like they are all together - do these gaps reflect walkways/galleys/lavs? I am confused...


JFK-NRT - JL 5 (747-400) Seat 29D
NRT-ICN - JL 959 (747-400) Seat 5H

ICN-NRT - JL 952(747-400) Seat 1H
NRT-JFK - JL 48 (747-400) Seat 26C