Urghh! A downside to the suite

Having just returned from a trip down to Oz, I felt I had to report an interesting observation about the suite design in UC.

Having settled myself into my suite 5a, a lady arrived to sit on the ottoman in the seat behind me 6a, and she could not have been sitting more than 24" from my face - and facing me of course. Talk about having my personal space invaded, it felt like it had been invaded, occupied and violated like I've never experienced before when flying.

It didn't help when she started snogging her other half, with at this point there dewey-eyed faces probably no more than 20" from mine.

They carried on like this for half and hour, it was so distracting and made me feel so uncomfortable that I chose to move to another seat, thank god there were a few free.

Has anyone else experienced this, and is there any way of dealing with what felt like a real intrusion (not to mention the snogging, though next time a bucket of cold water might do the trick). I guess this is precisely why BA have that "fan" partition thing.

Originally posted by vizbiz
Has anyone else experienced this

That's how The Kitten and myself normally sit 'together' in our respective suites and is the only way a couple travelling together can get face time. Agreed it can feel intrusive. Not much to be done about it. Maybe the suite walls should be even higher!

BC

I've never had a situation quite as bad as that in J. Although in SQ Raffles on the window seat you often have to wake up the other passenger if you need to get up which is always a gripe for me.

Best way I find to avoid people in other seats on the suite is to recline my chair as much as possible (its usual position for me) and then I'm pretty much below the top of the wall.

Dean

[ChuckC]

vizbiz,
I recall seeing this discussed here, though the subject dealt more with seats that have the most privacy on the A346 UCS. You are absolutely correct about the adjoining ottomans being closely positioned. I wouldn't call it a design flaw as much as a desire to utilize available space, keeping in mind that VS offers a business class product. If this configuration were presented as a first class product I'd be truly concerned.

I wonder how often our V-Flyers have found anyone sitting on nearby ottomans. Plowing through the various TRs I don't often see a mention of the "dinner for two" seating. More often we're reading about pax using the area for storage of books -- and feet.

Hope that you enjoyed Oz. It's on my list of places to see!

Chuck-

Perhaps this could be the testing of a new enhancement to the V:Port type of IFE, reality TV to the extreme [:w].

I can't see how you can do dinner for two in a suite - presumably the CC have to take the meals off a tray. I still wonder how they can fit two large plates, glasses and silverware (oops - plastic) on one table.

I find the closeness of the next passengers smelly feet rather unpleasant when they have them on their ottoman.

[fozzyo]

Originally posted by csparker
I can't see how you can do dinner for two in a suite - presumably the CC have to take the meals off a tray. I still wonder how they can fit two large plates, glasses and silverware (oops - plastic) on one table.

It does work! We did it quite succesfully. The meal isn't presented on the tray, instead they put it direct on the table.

Mat xxx

[Bazz]

As Mat says it does work quite well, provided at least one of you is slightly built, the ottoman is not very accommodating for us larger types.[:I]

[ChuckC]

Originally posted by Bazz
As Mat says it does work quite well, provided at least one of you is slightly built, the ottoman is not very accommodating for us larger types.[:I]

As a larger man I can easily agree with Bazz's point: the "share" option is for average-sized folks only. For my own proof I offer the fact that I had no luck joining an equally tall friend for a cocktail in his suite, the lack of legroom being the biggest negative factor.

Going back to vizbiz's design comment, candidly I've always thought the ottoman would have been far better designed without any sides, but I imagine that the designers wanted that curved look with "walls" to be unified with the look of the main seat. Without sides the taller folks could have arranged their body and legs a bit easier to avoid those of the pax sitting in the seat. But ... this would likely have degenerated into people positioning themselves in the aisleways, and that wouldn't work.

Chuck-

[Bazz]

When the UCS was first introduced, the ottoman was moveable, within constraints. I mean it was fixed to the floor of the cabin, you couldn't pick it up and walk off with it (otherwise preiffer would have them all by now [}:)]). I don't know if that adjustment facility, had it been retained, would have made the ottoman more inviting for the larger than average pax or not, I didn't fly UCS until after the modification, anyone remember?

Originally posted by vizbiz
It didn't help when she started snogging her other half

Please may I enquire as to the sex of the other half?

MYSELF batting for the other side so to speak would never dream of snogging my partner in close proximity to others, so I would feel equally uncomfortable with over amorous hetties doing it in my personal space too, I would have pointed them to the mile high cottage in the sky[V]

I've always thought the ottoman would have been far better designed without any sides, but I imagine that the designers wanted that curved look with "walls" to be unified with the look of the main seat

I found the sides invaluable when travelling with Baby Cloud: they held him upright and secure and made it very comfortable for both of us to have somewhere to sit. Just goes to prove you can't please everyone!

EC

I didn't fly UCS until after the modification, anyone remember?

Baz, we flew on a JFK service about 2 weeks after UCS was introduced and the ottoman was fixed, so assumed the movable facility had been scraped during initial installation.

Mrs. and I always dine together, think I have managed the ottoman twice; numb bum syndrome does become a problem after a while

I've come across this, but it wasn't too intrusive on my flight.

I think it's worse on the Airbus config than on the Boeings, because the suites are more steeply angled toward the aisle on the Airbus.

I noticed on the B777 suite config on Air New Zealand, the suites seem to be raked a little more toward the front of the plane, giving 4 across and slightly narrower aisles than on the 747 - one effect being an almost "triangular" shaped ottoman, what seemed a slightly longer bed area.

With the "dining for two" - yes it's doable. I've done it more than once.

You don't get a tray setup, and you get one cruet set for the table (or sachets of salt if it's been another catering screw up).

The person sat in the suite must sit fully upright for two reasons:

1) To provide leg room for the person on the ottoman

2) The person on the ottoman often can't help leaning on the "switch to bed" touch sensor. If the seat is reclined at all, it will immediately move to fully-upright, but then stop and say "remove obstruction". While the person sat in the seat doesn't get squashed into a bed, they do get a bit of a surprise!

Cheers!
Mike

[Bazz]

Originally posted by mike-smashing
...2) The person on the ottoman often can't help leaning on the "switch to bed" touch sensor. If the seat is reclined at all, it will immediately move to fully-upright, but then stop and say "remove obstruction". While the person sat in the seat doesn't get squashed into a bed, they do get a bit of a surprise!

Cheers!
Mike

Had that happen to me two or three times during our last flight when Birkin kept leaning on the switch, she thought it quite amusing [}:)] quite startling the first time it happened I must admit.

I would politely excuse myself, offer to give them privacy by permanently exchanging seats with the person who is sitting on the ottoman and only pointing out my discomfort if they decline. This way, it is not coming over as a complaint but an offer.

If the person sitting on the ottoman is from PE or Y, I would complain to the cabin crew as this should not be allowed.

Um, I think the person on the ottoman being referred to would in fact be your guest Ken.

I can appreciate your concerns to the desgn fault and glad there were some spare seats... normally most pepole only sit onthe ottoman during meals, which incidently Im sure the crew found it awkward waking past the couple trying to carry trays etc...

The unfortunetly making the dividers higher I would expect would have safty implications on visibility of exits etc...and not permitted by the CAA.

As for the seat converting when someone leans on the button...I understand that there is a mod being developed where it is a more microswitch system as opposed to touch sensitive

Hope this helps a little with the subject... but please if you notice things like this please tell the crew so we can write it up... Its the only way we can improve the experience is with your feedback, after all youre the ones who know best what does and doesnt work