We’re increasingly seeing airlines introduce business class seats with doors, which is something that most travelers are happy about. Of course we all have different preferences when it comes to seating arrangements, and there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Some people even prefer older generation business class seats, especially if traveling as a couple or family.
Continue reading: Are Doors On Business Class Seats A Big Deal, Or Just A Silly Gimmick?
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
You're in a shared metal tube. If being close to people makes you feel uncomfortable, for example fear of catching something, then an airplane is not the place for you. Doors are nice but not a deal breaker.
Think of the number of people that use the lav inflight, particularly a long haul of eight hours plus flight time. That's why people with a compromised immune system, like the elderly, really should think twice before flying.
Ben is right on here.
The majority of doors are closed when the majority of people are sleeping which says that there is something secure about being able to close the door and feel more private. some people close them when they are not sleeping but usage is highest during sleep phase.
the analogy to WiFi is correct and should also include AVOD; it is harder to see how many people are connected to WiFi but it isn't hard to see that the majority of people on AVOD equipped aircraft - even on 2 hour domestic aircraft - do use AVOD for part of the flight.
I would prefer curtains to be honest.
While I've never flown business class with doors yet, I'm currently indifferent. Cathay's herringbone configuration already provides a good amount of privacy. The only time a door would be useful is if you need complete privacy when working on your device.
Then again, one could look over your seat(suite).
@ George N Romey -- Nobody denies that we're in a shared metal tube. And nobody is saying they're "uncomfortable" if they don't have a door. The point is that many people are *more* comfortable if they have a door.
I think your logic jump there is along the lines of the extreme example I gave. I prefer a seat with doors if possible, as do (seemingly) most passengers, based on how frequently they're used. And you're somehow suggesting that because we have that preference, we should just stay home?
I always appreciate your contributions, but that seems a bit extreme, no?
There are always weirdos in the comments but I don't think most people who post anti-door notes are actually against them. I think most (rational) people are just tired of constantly reading about them. That's not a comment for you, Ben. Seemingly every outlet constantly screams about how amazing they are. I do get it, though. We're at a point where the seats themselves can only be improved so much, and this is the next big adjustment. I personally think they're a nice feature but I couldn't care less if my seat doesn't have one.
I will say that I was initially a part of the "doors are overrated" crowd until I got around to actually doing a long haul flight in Q-Suites. It's hard to overstate how much better I feel coming off of those flights where the high walls allow me to trick my brain into thinking I'm by myself (especially as I place myself in the lowest traffic part of the cabin).
There's a mental stress and a feeling of being "on" that disappears that I didn't know I had until it was removed.
Doors can be gimmicks, as seen Club Suites where I can see right over the top of everyone's seat anyway, but the better seats such as Q-Suites or the ex Areoflot Air India flights do them in a way that really makes a difference.
"I sort of view business class seats with doors the same as I view high speed Wi-Fi on aircraft"
True, with the main difference being that you usually have to pay to use Wi-Fi (bar Starlink), while the presence of a door is usually there for everyone in the same cabin.
I think this is all about personal space and the perception of it. Back in the old days, seat pitch was all that mattered and there are some old products still out there paying tribute to that, such as Lufthansa‘s and Turkish Airlines‘ old business class.
Then „aisle access“ became the next crucial feature and staggered products had to be invented as you cannot keep the same pitch and still offer aisle access from every seat.
Now this meant that all the sudden a lot of your space was no longer between you and the row in front, but it was UNDERNEATH the row in front.
Some of these new products can disappoint, because they look all flashy and nice and have the oh-so important aisle access feature but nevertheless still feel tight, because the row in front is actually not very far away.
I was not particularly fond of the „new“ Cabin on TK‘s 789s, because they do feel tight.
Now, this issue is exacerbated by the use of doors and you can finally seal your fate of flying in a coffin in a product with a door.
In the end, there will not be more space than in the product without doors, but it will feel even tighter if you close yourself off completely.
What may appear as a „cozy cocoon“ for some, may appear as a stuffy coffin to others.
I really only appreciate those doors in seats which are otherwise a design flaw, due to being too open to the aisle. If the design is right, I don’t need them and I actually feel better without them.
I'm not anti-door but I don't prefer them. If people want the privacy, great, I just find it creepy when the FAs come by In the middle of the night peering over to see how you're doing.
I've been on a few different airline products (including Delta) with doors and my personal experience was most of those airline Flight Attendants closing the door for you after you fall asleep, me opening it, them closing it again, etc.
Frankly, it was also just a little cumbersome in the night trying to find the release handle if you need to use the bathroom.
But as you state, Lucky, I seem to be in the minority.
Yes doors are awesome. However on UA every other seat is beside the window, and those seats are so private realistically you don't need a door.
As someone else mentioned I think High Speed free WiFi is actually more important! That's a game changer.
How Delta expects to fly to Asia with slow wifi till 2029 will be an issue
Damn, all my plebeian privacy is obtained from my eye mask.
Knowing how airlines are more about efficiency than cleaning, these doored cabin concepts just seem to provide more surface area for the promotion of the aircraft germ factory that it is.
Side note if one is so obsessed with germs, flying or flying public is not the way to go, doors or no doors.
Howardly Hughesly
Doors are probably number 5 or 6 on my list when selecting a flight. Price, schedule and route, seat comfort, IFE, food, service all come ahead.
The more introverted , the more the desire for doors . the smaller and more flexible the person , like a small gymnast girl , the more comfortable are the twisted cramped business seats .
I can understand the point and maybe can offer a valid argument for NO doors? Open spaces feel way better for me than closed ones, therefore an upgrade in a suite often feels like a downgrade for me if I get two small rooms instead of one (bigger) room...
feel free to provide data to support that statement.
It is not much different than some people prefer to sleep in tents when outdoors while others are find sleeping directly under the stars. even if rain is not forecast.
A tent might provide some protection but it isn't really that big of a factor compared to a house.
Doors are part of the "elvation" of the business class product which justifies higher and higher fares. Doors take up little space.
and, as Ben notes, the majority of people do use them at some point in the flight no matter how much people want to anecdotally argue that they don't
I probably couldn't care less about the door.. I'd rather have a more comfortable lie flat seat with a roomy footwell. Looking at you ANA The Room and its narrow footwell.
So.. just a difference in priorities for people
Almost every airline has every other seat by the window? Delta was also second (JetBlue) to introduce free WiFi which forced the hands of every other airline into doing the same, so you should be thanking them for that.
While not necessarily "obsessed", this blog is certainly more than just "appreciative" of doors. While its nice to have a door, this blog does tend to value them disproportionately higher than other amenities.
“ Germs ? Street food in Karachi , Pakistan ?”
Are you drilling holes into your own head? Is that why you are…the way you are? Don’t get me wrong, you’re my favorite commenter, and never ever change!
since DL has had suites with doors for the better part of a decade and has them on about half of its widebody fleet while AA and UA are just now rolling out planes with suites and doors.
Of course you have had to be on DL planes to get suites with doors if you fly US carriers.
and you aren't the norm - to precisely no one's surprise. The majority of people use doors at some point in the flight
Apparently others don't have the issues including with claustrophobia that trouble you
Tim ... Alert's statement is supported by the following : Introverted people also like to go into closets during parties . A small flexible gymnast girl would be able to curl up or roll about in a confined space . A normal male with a lawn mower would not be comfortable .
However Tim's statement discloses that the "justification" is "higher and higher fares" . Why would any rational person want to pay "higher and higher fares" to be twisted and cramped , and then locked in with no means of escape ?
And referring to doors as an "elevation" , is like saying that an elevator is a door , or an escalator is a sidewalk , or a basement is a penthouse , or a vast jungle is a garden . There is nothing "elevating" about a trap-door .
How about a 747 First Class seat with lots of room , no doors , lower fares , and attractive stewardesses with good moves ?
We have Regressed .
Neither. Not a gimmick, not a great deal. They provide a bit more privacy, I don't need to look at someone else's feet, and I don't feel like someone might see what I'm watching. They're a nice addition that's not a game changer, but it provides a nice little benefit vs seats without doors.
I'm not bothered about whether my seat includes a door, I'm far more interested in a nice glass of single malt and a breakfast that doesn't include a sausage whose meat content is under 50%.
I think some of the backlash has to do with airlines marketing the hell out of the product. 'It's not just a flat seat, it's a suite!!!!! with a door!!!11'. Most people aren't happy when they see others trying to insult their intelligence with that pointless sort of hype.
I prefer seats with doors. I need a flatbed but most of all i want a matrass pad. This combination guarantees the option to sleep on a 9+ hour transatlantic flight. I do not mind paying a premium for a good business class seat but without a door and matrass it is not worth it imo.
It depends on the door. In F on many airlines they are usually adding significant privacy which is great (EK as an example). In Qatar J they do add to privacy given the dimensions and are quite nice. In BA Club at the other side of the spectrum I find them fairly absurd other than, maybe, for sleeping. They are just too low and really offer no additional privacy, just annoyance in opening and closing.
Overall I do like them, but if you are going to go to the trouble of installing them at least do so in a way that delivers the intention: more privacy.
But don’t they take away from personal space in terms of elbow room? The wall thickness could be used for the seat.
They don’t really help with privacy, when I stand up I see everyone over the doors.
To me, privacy is not a fact but a feeling. If it feels private then good enough for me, so I like doors
It's one of those don't knock till you try it things. My single experience was on JL 12 on their A35K in J. Loved it! It's perception and the door closing makes you feel like you have the space to yourself even when your neighbor is like right there.
I kept it closed for sleeping but honestly preferred it open when awake just so I can get better service from the FA's (lots of refills on drinks and food)
I guess the doors are nice, but I don't miss them at all when I fly on planes without them. Definitely not something that would drive me to pay more or take a less convenient routing. Now that I think about it, my last r/t to Europe was on planes without doors (United & KLM 787s) and I didn't even notice.
I'm indifferent. Also in a related note Lucky, did you see the report from Executive Traveller today that JAL is going to install a similar version of their A35K J suites on their 789s? Eleven of their current 789s will be retrofitted, and the ten new deliveries for 2028-2031 will have them.
doors were cool when they first launched now they feel like a gimmick, honestly shocked airlines arent removing them all to save weight at this point.
While not a game changer on par with flat bed, it is still super important feature for me. I would always choose seat with door over standard one and I actively select this product despite connection/worse schedule, worse internet.
I love doors, especially cause they reduce noise and light. And I laugh at the anti-door crowd, especially those who say they are not necessary, which is a very ULCC point of view.
I find them claustrophobic and stuffy. Especially on planes without overhead air vents. I am not a big screen person so what would I look at if I couldn't see the rest of the cabin? Business class suites already provide a level of privacy I previously could only have dreamed about. I am not a celebrity or an eccentric mysterious millionaire recluse, so I don't really care about privacy that much.
When I have had a suite with a door, I didn't use it.
Team Door here. They can make a space feel cozy, private and protected. Nothing rolls or sticks out when you just want to cocoon yourself for a looong flight. I just feel more relaxed and settled in. Cuts down on screen glare too. Less distractions from crew and other passengers walking by.
The Doors are awesome… ‘baby won’t you light my fire…’ (oh, in business class? Yeah, sure!)
My last experience with a "door" was on BA Club, where the FA needed several minutes to get it to operate because apparently the previous passenger had managed to jam it. Calling that feature a "door" is like calling the panel between urinals a "wall." Perhaps the next post on the subject can include a variety of photos so those of us who don't travel as often will know what you are talking about. As we were told in high school English class, write an essay to "contrast and compare."
I won't go out of my way to book a door, but when I have one I use/appreciate it. 10 years ago I woke up to a man (not a seatmate) stroking my arm in lay flat biz and having a bit more of a barrier makes me feel safer & sleep better.
Anecdotally, I'd say this blog gives farrrrrrrrrrr more credence to the use/desire for doors than any actual flyer does.
However, the fact that airlines are not only maintaining, but adding them, gives me pause. I'd think they would want to be rid of doors, to decrease weight and complexity. But they aren't.
So maybe they have data that shows people do tangible appreciate them, to the point of being value-added.
Too bad you've probably missed the infamous Braniff "Air Strip" of the 1960's !! ... Talk about great F/A 'moves' ... lol
It's sometimes been said that, "business class is all about the seat", and having the added privacy of a closed door while one sleeps or works is a bonus to me. It's not a deal-breaker, but it's much appreciated.
That's one of the reasons why biz is costly. Weight and space are expensive commodities on a commercial airliner.
They're dumb. I'm surprised any airline has installed these. They add weight and do nothing for the passenger.
Remember that airlines exist to sell transportation to the public. If you want privacy so desperately then fly private.
They are like the shower on board EK - 100% a gimmick.
I suspect the people who rave about them like them because they want to play with themselves...
I much prefer the type of business class seat that is shielded and staggered in such a way that you cannot see of be seen by the person across the aisle. I appreciate the arguments people make about preferring doors. I tend to leave mine open. Just my preference.
Surely the seats were certified WITH doors. Remove them from existing seats and you’ll have to re-certify again.
The point is exactly space vs. privacy. All seats with doors that I have flown have materially compromised space, especially around the feet. This is a real deal killer for me.
I flew Cathay’s aria last month. Fantastic in every way except I couldn’t sleep because my feet hit one thing or another with the slightest movement. Please give me the current gen 777 business seat any day over aria for this reason alone.
I looked at a QSuite the other day on a route I'm taking, and it was more points but doable, frankly I looked at photos and read a review and said "who cares?" For the same price or a little more, sure. But what is truly important to me is to be able to lie flat. I don't need bragging rights.
Personally I value a door very much. It's a great benefit that is not generally not obvious. If you are awake for your entire flight then the door is superfluous.
But what I notice is that on flights where I really want to fall asleep to adjust to jetlag for example, I rarely sleep that deeply without the use of pharmacuticals. But sleeping with a door is a big help. Ellen I'm asleep on a plane I can tell I'm not in rem sleep because subconsciously I am aware of movements pass my seat. Yes even with my eyes closed and sleeping lightly. Enough that it interfere with my sleep. I rarely sense movements on flights with a door. It's one reason I rarely feel beat up after a jetblue flight. Though they have done away work doors on a lot of flights now.
For me the doors are claustrophobic. It's not just the doors though, it's the other three walls around you as well. The walls also keep you from being able to look out an open window on the side if you're in the middle section. Last month I was on a Virgin Atlantic flight and asked the flight attendant to please keep my door open the entire flight. Every time I woke up my door had been closed.
no, the justification for higher fares is a better product.
your statement about introverts is stupid and baseless
WTF @George?? Does my being elderly disturb you somehow? Better close your door for the whole flight maybe.
Yes gimmick as all the others have said.
I like an audience when I sleep with my legs wide open.
I don’t need no silly privacy doors. I need more space to spread them wide.
Most of KLM’s long-haul fleet has now been retrofitted with business class in a 1-2-1 configuration, all with doors. The doors are actually a sort-of stiff PVC, presumably to save weight. The whole set-up is rather nice — and much better than the doorless 2-2-2 configuration it has replaced.
But then, I’m Team Door. If you don’t like the doors, don’t use them.
I personally enjoy seeing doors in business class, but unfortunately, I often find myself unable to sleep with the door closed because I feel extremely warm. This is particularly problematic on planes without individual air nozzles. I’m not sure if this is a common experience or if it’s just me.
According to this blog it's fine for a gay person to fly with an extremely anti-gay airline of a country that criminalizes same-sex sexual activity, carrying penalties of up to seven years in prison because they have 'Suites'. I mean what to expect then...
Lucky may not have had an obsession with doors (I don’t think they existed back then) but, come on Ben, you have an unnatural obsession with privacy on airplanes. And this carries over to doors in F and C.
I thought it was unusual for the level of privacy you wished for the first few times I read those posts on OMAAT. But it’s continued over the years. And each time thereafter, I’d think “there he goes again.”
You may not pick flights or airlines based on doors, but whether intentional or not, often there is a not-so-subtle bias for a higher need for privacy in many of your posts.
It’s neither right nor wrong. You have your preferences. And that’s ok. I have my preferences - I ask the FAs not to close my door.
I suspect the complainers don't fly front cabin, or they're the obnoxious babbling extroverts that everybody else tries to avoid.
I mean cmon, you need personal space or sleeping in private explained? Welcome to Planet Earth, if so.
Ben clearly explains many, many reasons doors are a good thing. No obsession here either, but it's super useful for the stated reasons.
You’re making the case for doors here. If I want privacy, I now don’t have to fly private. On many routes, I can look for an airline / aircraft that offers doors in J.
So far, I’d say Q-Suites is the only J product that’s managed to do doors right. All the others are gimmicks.
Doors are just as Ben has said in his post here! They provide a variety of benefits, whether you appreciate them or not!!
Thanks Ben
I’m not against doors, but I would much prefer to have the extra inch or two of seat/bed width instead of the seclusion. I’m usually too tall to put the seat all the way flat (since I can’t bend my knees without running into the top of the foot box) and my shoulders are wider than most of the seats, so giving up any length or width is a poor trade for me.
I value seat width as the highest. Door configuration business class takes away a lot of the cabin spaciousness feel on a wide body aircraft.
Just put on a face mask and ear plugs for "privacy". So, low value for me on doors.
BTW, it's ridiculous the arguments by US airlines FA unions on the "additional workload" when preparing for landing.... why is this no an issue with rest of the Global airline industry?
"incremental product improvement that makes the passenger experience a bit better. To be clear, "
AA has told us that removing tvs is good for fuel economy. So it's messed up when they turn around and add weight for something much less useful
I'm agnostic, I'm more one who looks at the package as a whole and whether there's a door is just one aspect. I'm no jet-setter but I've seen enough to be able to have formed opinions. My three most recent CX trips have each had one Aria sector and the other in the older seats, and my impressions differed from one trip to another, so clearly other factors had come into play. I've settled on the view that Aria is better, the door is nice, but I would prioritise fare and schedule over which seat there was, and choose Aria all else being equal. Sixteen hours in one of the older seats was fine, but the flight on to Sydney in Aria was a definite step up.
I've flown TPAC on other door-less J products, one I would try not to repeat but that wasn't about the seat. Good afternoon, AA.
A door that isn't used does harm the seat, though, by removing otherwise usable width. It's not like one can just choose not to use the door and get the width back. As far as I've experienced, only Q Suites has a door tall enough to actually feel more private than without it; every other door I've experienced has just been a gimmicky piece of short sliding plastic that adds nothing to the experience but wastes precious real estate.