Premium Economy - main deck or upper deck??

Hi everyone,

I'm sure this topic would have been discussed many times before but I'm still undecided on whether I should go for the main deck or upper deck.

We are a group of 4 adults and travelling in Sept from LGW to MCO. Both flights are scheduled to be on the newly re-fitted B747-400.

We were initially very keen on grabbing the seats on the upper deck (if they are still available on the 90days before) but the thought of a delay in getting off the plane upon arrival at MCO is making me to think twice now about choosing a seat on the upper deck. Should I really forget about the upper deck and just stay on main deck for both flights?

My partner has suggested to try the upper deck one way and main deck the other. If so, should I try the upper deck on the way out to MCO or on the way back to LGW?

[Neil]

Both offer the same service and both have their better points. Personally I would stick with the main deck on the way out, for the very reason you have stated, it means you will be in the first few pax off the a/c.

On the way back, maybe try the upper deck so you can experience both and then it will help you decide for any future flights. Plus with limited numbers up there it will be nice and quiet to help if you want to sleep.

Neil is correct, you would want to get some sleep on the way back. My experience in the upper deck in PE is that you're one of the first on as well as off the aircraft unless its changed but the upper deck for me is much quieter and less traffic too. My luggage was also priority which made it even better. You wouldn't go wrong on the upper deck in my opinion.

I would go with Neil's suggestion of the lower deck on the way out and upper on the return. This is what we did in February when we flew LGW to MBJ. We chose to do this because PE on the lower deck is first to disembark (even before Upper)so we were first in the queue at immigration. We have always loved the old PE upper deck and so wanted to try the new format on the way back. Even with additional passengers it is still very quiet, so is better for a night flight than downstairs IMHO.

We did the same as Mysandytoes for our flight in April to MBJ and we were 2nd and 3rd through immigration (as there was no-one else in the hall when we arrived). We had seats 19A/C going out which were great and seats 24H/K coming back in the bubble. I would do the same for future flights - lower deck going out and upper coming home.

Facing a similar dilemma. Seat requests open on Thursday for my flight to Vegas.

As long as the rest of economy are held back before the upper deck disembark there shouldn't be too many people in front of you at immigration. If they're not then it could be a bit of a scrum coming down the stairs! Might just try for upper deck both ways.

Flight on the way out is totally sold out in economy too. Must have been a large group booking. Still showing spaces in PE and upper though.

After experiencing both the upper(Seats 24A&C ) and main PE downstairs (seats 19A&C ). I would choose the upper deck every time over downstairs.

After experiencing both the upper(Seats 24A&C ) and main PE downstairs (seats 19A&C ). I would choose the upper deck every time over downstairs.

No problems with running out of meals in either of those rows?

We still prefer the upper deck for a quieter flight and it wasn't too bad disembarking as the crew blocked the economy passengers aisles allowing economy & PE from upstairs to leave after the downstairs PE & Upper.

Katie

Sounds like its quite variable. When we travelled in the bubble, disembarking was the only problem as they were letting off the economy passengers downstairs at the same time and you just had to try and merge in as you came downstairs.

Nikolic wrote:
Daffodil wrote:After experiencing both the upper(Seats 24A&C ) and main PE downstairs (seats 19A&C ). I would choose the upper deck every time over downstairs.


No problems with running out of meals in either of those rows?

Yes they can run out of your first choice of meals in those rows particularly downstairs. However a would choose extra comfort over food choice on a 9+ hour flight.

Having recently flown to MCO and back we tried the lower deck on the outbound so we could be one of the first off and ideally be through immigration quickly (just as long as you dont end up landing after the MAN flight and the BA LGW flight as was the case for our flight due to a delay v( ).

On the way back we tried the upper deck but the constant procession of people from the Y section to the toilets throughout the flight was the only inconvenience and also on disemabarking the Y cabin downstairs was been let off while Y and PE upstairs were also trying to disembark.

So, in conclusion, for me and MrsAmex it will be lower deck out and back from now on.

My advice would be to stick with Neil's suggestions:

Personally I would stick with the main deck on the way out. On the way back, maybe try the upper deck so you can experience both and then it will help you decide for any future flights.

We had a first try at 19A-C on our recent return from MCO (outbound was a 333) and found the seats to be a trifle draughty each time the curtain was 'whooshed' open and closed - that is when the transitting crew remembered to shut it. As for getting off from the upper deck, is there any real rush to get back on UK soil unless you need to make a connecting flight?

We had the same issue as some in that when coming down from upstairs economy were disembarking too so we too had to "feed in" when we could. Despite being in the last row of PE on both legs we got our first meal choice (however I did pack some emergency rations just in case but they came back to the UK with us a week later uneaten! Very well travelled crisps!)

My last few trips travelling bubble PE I too found that the crew didnt hold back EC pax down stairs and us coming down from up top just had to jump in the line heading for the door.

Unfortunate but I think this must be the way VS operate now in order to get us off the plane v(

Perhaps this will become the new POSH - LOUH (lower out upstairs home) .........
For those of you who don't remember it used to be Port Out Starboard Home - i.e. always on the sunny side .

I've plucked for the upper deck in the end. Only 6 out of the 20 seats were available to select upstairs. Bagged 22&23HK.

I've plucked for the upper deck in the end. Only 6 out of the 20 seats were available to select upstairs. Bagged 22&23HK.

There were only six available for our August flights when I requested them recently, even at a couple of hours before the 90 day mark. All six were at the back right of the bubble cabin. I assume those not available are a mixture of Virgin Holidays seats and some kept back.
Interestingly, we had requested seats through Virgin Holidays at the time of booking but when checking at T-90 we didn't seem to have been allocated any. Managed to get the back two rows of the bubble though, which is what we wanted.

I've plucked for the upper deck in the end. Only 6 out of the 20 seats were available to select upstairs. Bagged 22&23HK.

There were only six available for our August flights when I requested them recently, even at a couple of hours before the 90 day mark. All six were at the back right of the bubble cabin. I assume those not available are a mixture of Virgin Holidays seats and some kept back.
Interestingly, we had requested seats through Virgin Holidays at the time of booking but when checking at T-90 we didn't seem to have been allocated any. Managed to get the back two rows of the bubble though, which is what we wanted.

I also requested bubble seats at the time of booking with Virgin Holidays. I tried to find out at the time when these are allocated but didn't manage to get an answer from either Virgin Holidays or Virgin Atlantic. Both said it was each others responsibility.

I would presume it must be done at T-24hours?

Thanks for all your suggestions.
I will take the main deck to MCO and upper deck on the way back (if good seats are still available on the upper deck).

Hopefully I can get row 15 or 16 on the main deck. The first row (14) seems to close to the lavatories.
On the upper deck, I assume row 21/22 would be best?

[Neil]

Thanks for all your suggestions.
I will take the main deck to MCO and upper deck on the way back (if good seats are still available on the upper deck).

Hopefully I can get row 15 or 16 on the main deck. The first row (14) seems to close to the lavatories.
On the upper deck, I assume row 21/22 would be best?

Row 14 is a bulkhead so their is the galley before before the front toilets.
I would personally go for something like 17/18 AC on the main deck.

On the return I would try for the last row in the PE cabin, no issues with reclining on another pax and no chance that you might have a 'stabber' using the IFE while you are trying to sleep.

Row 14 is a bulkhead so their is the galley before before the front toilets.
I would personally go for something like 17/18 AC on the main deck.

On the return I would try for the last row in the PE cabin, no issues with reclining on another pax and no chance that you might have a 'stabber' using the IFE while you are

The reason I have decided to go for the second/third row in PE is that I have heard that the food choices often run out if you are seated on the last two rows.

I did initially consider row 14 as I assume the two toilets in front of 14AC and 14HK would be reserved for upper class passengers only so I thought there should be no/less people queueing for the toilets. Am I correct? or do the folks from the premium economy will also try to use these two toilets?

Having read the various comments on this posting there seems to be no set rule with the disembarkation sequence. Why doesn't the crew follow a set policy on each flight (which, one would expect would be UC/PR followed by EC.)? With immigration at U.S. airports being as bad as I can ever recall pax paying a premium fare should not be further disadvantaged. Similar inconsitancy with the toilets (particularly those between PR/EC on the 330) - some crew use the curtain to section off one or two PR toilets - other crew just allow a free for all. Any crew member thoughts on this?

I've just requested seats 23 and 24. If my food choice runs out that's fine as I'll be bringing my own food. I would much prefer to have the seat of my choice for a long haul flight. I find it much nicer and quieter in the bubble so I'll always try and get seats there if I can. As for having to wait to disembark, I'll be doing a fast track service through immigration anyway so it doesn't really bother me.