V-Flyer

I have posted this question on BA-Flyer but thought I would also post it on here, as I know someone will probably come back with the answer a bit quicker. I keep reading about people having to climb over the seat next to them in BA Club World, can someone explain this to me please? I have looked at the various pictures and can't for the life of me see how you get into and out of a window seat by 'climbing over' other than via the drop down divider - surely not? What if your asleep, do you have to wake the person next to you up? Am starting to think we were better off sticking with WT+ ! (VS don't fly into Montreal - yet!)

This picture might explain it https://s3.amazonaws.com/ba.com/cms/glo ... 175175.jpg

If you can imagine the person in the outside (not the center two seats) has the seat in bed mode and the passenger in the center seat wants to get out they have to climb over the persons legs in the outside seat

You don't have to jump through the divider like some gymnast!

You access the aisle via the space in front of the seat facing you where the foot rest is.

Hard to explain but will be obvious when you are on board !

On MJJ's photo link. Imagine being the person at the bottom middle of your screen (head on pillow, dark hair, back to us). The woman talking to her husband would have to climb over your legs, if you were laid flat and the woman's husband would have to do the same to the pax on the other side of him, who is out of shot to the right of the lady in the pink....

You could always go with what I had and basically have the passenger on the inside fall on you :-(

My avatar is a CW seat. The little gap to the top and right of my red wine is the pax sitting 'opposite'. Sat like I did, he had to climb over my legs.

Actually it's between my wine and my water....

Imagine 'you' as I described above but this is the side view. The CC is coming in from the husband/wife direction. See 'your' legs? How's anyone getting over those!



In relation to my avatar, the CC is in my wine/water gap.

Oh that pic got a good slagging off on flyer talk due to it being totally unrealistic!

The CC would never be able approach the passenger from that direction - and even if it were possible her rear end would be in the face of the passenger behind her !

That is a funny picture!

The stepping over in Club World, while not ideal, really isn't that bad.

I'm 5ft 8 and I find it difficult ! !

Hamster wrote:That is a funny picture!

The stepping over in Club World, while not ideal, really isn't that bad.

Depends on the size and agility of the passenger stepping over

Ooh la la!

From a window seat, yes, you HAVE to climb over the aisle person's legs when they're sleeping.

You'll also find the crew passing your food and drink through the divider (if you leave it open) across the person on the aisle, which can be very annoying for them.

I cannot understand why, for even a second, BA thought this was a *good* design to carry through to the new aircraft (A380's are generally the same). Hideous business class product, and not one I look forward to using each time...

I don't think I could trust myself to step over someone safely...not after being on the "juice"!
And it would depend on the person if I fell on them intentionally or unintentionally...I'd let Simon watch of course!

ultreen1 wrote:I don't think I could trust myself to step over someone safely...not after being on the "juice"!
And it would depend on the person if I fell on them intentionally or unintentionally...I'd let Simon watch of course!

Oh Darren what loose morals you have

I must admit I find the seating configuration and this climbing over other PAX business off-putting. I'm not saying I wouldn't travel BA CW, but I'm not keen to try it

ultreen1 wrote:I don't think I could trust myself to step over someone safely...not after being on the "juice"!
And it would depend on the person if I fell on them intentionally or unintentionally...I'd let Simon watch of course!

Well if you were to read my TR on my flight to Buenos Aires, you will read that, on my first visit to the loo, the person over whose legs I had to clamber, was so ungracious that I worked myself up into such a state that I tripped over him on every visit thereafter. And what is more, my nervousness meant I needed to go more often!

Paul, if there's a stranger on the seat the other side of the divider, you will find it goes up pretty damn sharpish and only comes down to hand over food.

preiffer wrote:I cannot understand why, for even a second, BA thought this was a *good* design to carry through to the new aircraft (A380's are generally the same). Hideous business class product, and not one I look forward to using each time...

The problem is BA fill their CW seats, they have so many on the A380 and can fill them. And with the ying yang config they can fit more in than any other config, it's here to stay with BA...

They are also planning on adding more to some 747's to put on certain routes.

Apparently between AA and BA on the LON-NYC routes they don't have enough business seats.

It's not just BA where this happens - on the real "workhorse" of Emirates fleet, the B777, Business Class passengers have to step over one another to reach the aisle - especially if the "aisle person" is in bed mode. Ditto the crew serving the window / middle seat passenger in the way of the aisle passengers.

Whilst Virgins' Upper Class layout may not suit everyone, there is a lot to be said for direct aisle access for all in business class.

Personal choice it's like marmite . However the higher density keeps the price competitive and means better prices especially on B & S routes. For example there can be as many as 20 bottom price CW tickets as opposed to only 8 on the VS LGW 747 aircraft. Also silver and golds get first choice at the window seats where you don't have to step over 4 on LGW 777 and a further 4 central pairs. For me I love the club world as it works so well for families.

Well I don't know if this has put me off or not as we have 2 x Club flights coming up. I suppose if its a family member it would not be so bad, but a stranger well. (being of a certain age) I would probably need the loo more frequently.

Have managed to request the two seats configuration, and I will sit on the aisle one, if we keep them Hillary ( after reading of your experiences). Linda

mallin wrote:Well I don't know if this has put me off or not as we have 2 x Club flights coming up. I suppose if its a family member it would not be so bad, but a stranger well. (being of a certain age) I would probably need the loo more frequently.

Have managed to request the two seats configuration, and I will sit on the aisle one, if we keep them Hillary ( after reading of your experiences). Linda

I must admit, it didn't bother me as much as the thought of it bothering me did

The pair of seats is excellent. My son and I had the pair and I was in the aisle, his was the last seat in the cabin, so his little area was really very private, but we had the screen to chat through.

mallin wrote:Well I don't know if this has put me off or not as we have 2 x Club flights coming up. I suppose if its a family member it would not be so bad, but a stranger well. (being of a certain age) I would probably need the loo more frequently.

Have managed to request the two seats configuration, and I will sit on the aisle one, if we keep them Hillary ( after reading of your experiences). Linda

Good Luck , Linda !
On my last flight the "stranger" put the pillow on top of their foot rest and then their feet so it was even more difficult to negotiate my way over !

Thank you all so much for your replies, I get it now, so first its never wear a skirt if booked in CW, just in case, second put dear husband in the window seat as he sleeps like a log and will never be climbing over until morning, and third if having to climb over a stranger, introduce myself first, explain about bladder problem and put divider up except for food transfer.
I shall report back on return.
Thanks again everyone.