Which airlines have upper deck economy class on the Airbus A380?

on the upper deck of airbus a380Your height is about eight feet above the lower deck. At an altitude of 40,000 feet, this shows a 0.02 percent difference. But for an economy class passenger, being on the top floor of a superjumbo rather than on the “main deck” provides a much better experience.

You might have read Ted Thornhill’s description of business class in the British Airways A380But some economical passengers can enjoy the elevated experience on the desired upper deck.

The seats are only eight abreast, compared to 10 seats on the lower deck. The 2-4-2 configuration means three out of four passengers have either a window or aisle seat – compared to only 60 percent in the cheaper seats below, which have a 3-4-3 arrangement.

While the seats are exactly the same, you have more space. Width per seat on the main deck is 26 inches; Those at the top get two extra inches.

However, more for aesthetics than arithmetic, the upper cabin gives a more intimate experience than the ocean of humanity below. In a world of four-class planes – First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy – it feels like an extra cabin between the last two. With fewer people to feed, food service seems more expedited.

But Rhys Jones, author of frequent flyer website Head for Points, says the chances of upgrading are diminishing: “While in years past many airlines had economy cabins on the upper deck of the A380, recent upgrades at many airlines mean this is less and less common.

For example, Qantas has refurbished its A380s over the past five years, in the process replacing the small 30-seat economy cabin behind the top deck with a larger premium economy cabin.

,British AirwaysIt, meanwhile, keeps a smaller economy cabin in the back of its A380s, but it may also be consigned to the history books as it begins its own top-to-bottom overhaul, with plans for the cabin layout yet to be confirmed.

Currently, the last 14 rows behind the top deck of BA’s A380 are economy.

“Getting a seat isn’t as hard as it looks,” says Mr. Jones, “although you may have to dig deep into your wallet for the experience.”

“Seat selection is free for Gold and Silver members only [of the BA Club] At the time of booking, or seven days in advance if you are a Bronze member. All seats become available for free if you check-in 24 hours in advance, so you may still be able to get a seat if you try early. So if you want to be guaranteed that coveted upper deck, you’ll have to pay a seat reservation fee.

On the London-Miami journey, each of the four middle seats costs £42. Pairs are £77 each way. And four emergency exit seats with extra legroom cost £100.

Independent Other airlines with economy on the upper deck have been identified:

Global Airlines Experience between Glasgow and New York