Is it worth booking seats to fly economy on the upper deck of a British airways a380?

[Overthemoun]

It’s from London to Florida. Afternoon outbound and nighttime on the way home.

it’s £400 each way to book 2 pairs of seats in the 2/4/2 configuration. I’m looking at the exit row and the one behind.

id welcome any reviews or thoughts, please.

We flew in the equivalent 80 J/K in June this year with SIngapore Airlines, Milan to SIngapore, 12 hour flight. All the people to and fro-ing to the toilets and just hanging around because there was a bit of space was really intrusive. I wouldn't book those seats again. Our next leg, Singapore to Sydney we had booked the same seats but the cabin configuration was different to the plan we'd worked on with the travel agent and we had a bulkhead in front of us with lots more extra legroom and the toilets were at the other end of our section, so way better but it just luck that it worked out that way. That flight was way shorter too, at just under eight hours.

@HundredMilesAnHour That’s a bit what if! There will be cheaper bookable seats that are better. We’ve had an issue twice but got huge compensation!

Overbooking is very common and has been for years. If you have BA Exec status (or you’re in First or Club) you’re much less likely to be affected but no status and in World Traveller then you’re much more vulnerable when flights are busy/full.

And for your awareness, a seat reservation (paid or otherwise) is only that….a reservation. If BA need / want to boot you out of your reserved seat, you’ll get the reservation fee back (just claim it online) but they won’t hesitate to boot you. Bit naive to think otherwise and it’s very clear in their T&C.

So what’s the point of reserving a seat and paying for it then? No advantage at all according to you. You just get removed anyway. BA give you seats and we check in with those seats 24 hours before flight. We have occasionally paid extra but it usually depends on whether flights are full of executive club members. BA often give offers to upgrade too. However we don’t go to Florida. In 50 years of flying, we have been booted off once and could not check in once - but it was sorted at the airport. When booted off - got upgraded to business on next flight and home flight too and lots of ££ compensation. So annoying but not a disaster. Any long haul - get to the airport early. Our issue was a blocked motorway!

Absolutely 100% worth it, we do it every time where possible. I cannot even begin to justify premium economy when this is an option - just the two seats alone is a game changer if you’re travelling in a couple.

@CryMyEyesViolet What? Book the red seats (worst) on seat guru or just book seats?

Book the two seats, somewhere in the rows between the red and orange.

But having sat in those red seats I cannot believe they are worse than the three window side seats on the lower deck (which I’ve sat in many times too). I’d choose the red over sitting next to a stranger, but choosing at all I’d pick two seats, upper deck mid cabin.

Thank you - given the flight is a Saturday of a one week half term, I think I’ll go for it on the night flight back. I’ll gamble outbound and save the money for spending there.

I sat in the “red” seat in the diagram above on an overnight flight - I think it had a bad review as it had no window next to it. It was fine & the leg room was great.