Jetstar front row A320 1DEF is it better than standard seats behind ?

[mx838383]

Hi everyone, I’ve got a 4hr flight from NZ back to Aus and have picked the front row 1E and 1F. Then I saw some of the seat maps from the likes of seatguru and others not really rating it and saying it’s not great due to no floor storage, limited legroom and armrest immovable. So question is, is it worth me moving back a row to standard seats in row 2 (currently available). Or should I stay in front row ? I don’t care about the floor storage or the immovable armrest, just more the legroom and space. I know there’s a bulkhead which restricts the legroom according to seatguru. Anyone sat in these seats before ? I can’t move to 1ABC because currently taken. I’ve never sat in first row 1DEF side before so thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[aikman]

Row 1 does have more space in front of you. You have already identified the disadvantages with the armrests, floor storage and bulkhead wall.

Of all the Jetstar flights I've flown in recent years, 1ABC has been the same as 1DEF in that both have walls in front of the seat.

 

[dylarr]

There are two configurations of A320 that Jetstar operate.

On the older config, 1ABC has no bulkhead so no problems with legroom unless you're in seat 1A where the emergency slide might take up some of your legroom. 1DEF has a bulkhead in front of it and it's quite tight on this config, so can still be uncomfortable if you like to stretch the legs out.

On the newer config, 1ABC and 1DEF both have bulkheads that are identical and provide more legroom than the older config. Personally I prefer this config.

 

[henrus]

There are two configurations of A320 that Jetstar operate.

This drives me up the wall and I'd call it false advertising...

On all Jetstar A320's including JQ/JQ/3K/GK aircraft seats 1DEF are sold as upfront seats, they all have some extra leg room compared to behind and are my pick of the bunch. As you said the newer config with 1ABC at a bulkhead exists but is terrible because they sell these as "exit row" seats with is really false advertising. On these newer configs both 1C and 1D end up with the same room but often 1C is double the price.

I typically find that the older aircraft only operate AU domestic meaning they don't appear to be regularly sprayed to meet AU bio security requirements/have an NZ liquor license (about 51% of the A320 fleet). Edit - on further inspection this appears to just be my luck.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

No the older config appears on jq nz domestic flights too.

Row 2 has more legroom in the newer config than other non exit row seats, but thus doesn't apply to the older config.

 

[CorporateFlyerMEL]

the fact that in row 1 no one is putting their seat back into your space is enough for me to choose it... On the neo they are selling 1ABC as extra legroom and 1DEF as upfront (so cheaper). As noted above the new configs have the bulkhead on both sides, so sitting in DEF is the same as ABC - but cheaper.

 

[mx838383]

Hi Everyone, an update on my flight. So the plane I was on was the new config. 1ABC and 1DEF both had bulkhead but agree 1DEF is sold as upfront rather than extra legroom. To me they both had the same leg room so definitely cheaper going with 1DEF. I also checked out row 2. Agreed also that row 2 actually has more leg room than non exit row. So next time for my own reference and also for others, I would aim for 1DEF (cos cheaper than 1ABC) then if already taken and 1ABC not available, go row 2.

 

[Hampton Mike]

When I fly JQ I always get a MAX bundle, so have choice of any seat. I always go for 1DEF followed by 1ABC (I’m not sophisticated enough to know which configuration plane will appear on the tarmac, but some I have experienced have no bulkhead and every person boarding walks right in front of you if you’re in 1ABC).

 

[Albert Hoffman]

How much bulkhead leg room do these new config seats really have actually? I usually sit in emergency row or the old config 1A-C and the idea of not being able to fully stretch ones legs out seems a worse idea than a normal seat.