The aisle seat - is it really that good?

[joyvee]

If the plane has 3:3:3 seating in Y, I always choose an aisle seat in centre three seats.
If I have a couple next to me, it is more likely that they will ask their partner to move than me when they need to go to the loo.
If there is only one other person sitting on the other aisle seat we can both enjoy "Fake" business class. Way to go! JoyV

 

[Warks]

If the plane has 3:3:3 seating in Y, I always choose an aisle seat in centre three seats.
If I have a couple next to me, it is more likely that they will ask their partner to move than me when they need to go to the loo.
If there is only one other person sitting on the other aisle seat we can both enjoy "Fake" business class. Way to go! JoyV

Yes good call! Also nice when there's four seats in the middle and the two middle ones are empty, - F class! (ha!)

 

[Awesom Andy]

Yes good call! Also nice when there's four seats in the middle and the two middle ones are empty, - F class! (ha!)

Or when there's nobody in all of the 3 seats... economy flat bed.

 

[abstraction]

Or when there's nobody in all of the 3 seats... economy flat bed.

About two weeks ago on the last 14 hour leg of an exhausting 5 continents in 4 weeks itinerary that ended in Joberg, I couldn't upgrade any of my flights because they were all discount. I even wrote to Q customer service and asked if there was any special consideration, mentioning (cheekily) that my manager, a mere gold in Emirates, is upgraded to business on nearly half his flights. They responded with the 'Qantas doesn't offer upgrades' policy and the Emirates phone number should I want to know more about their policy.

But on the flight the crew shifted me down the back to 4 empty seats. I slept for more than 10 hours. Qantas flight crews are one of their greatest assets in my experience.

 

[a330j]

Short haul prefer window, never get sick of the view. I can never sleep on long haul so aisle preferred there. Can get up and move around at will.

 

[boomy]

For me always aisle. On domestic Y:
737-400 11/12 exit row any aisle seat
737-800 4C/4D
767-300 24D/24F
A330-300 24D/24G
Qantas usually blocks the middle seat for WP1's unless the flight is really full.
On int' J: 1E/1F to avoid waking up when your neighbor is going to toilet in the middle of the night.

 

[legroom]

I am just curious here seeing this seat map.

Why would someone like to sit in 12J and not in 12F, assuming he/she likes an aisle seat ?

Are they banking on the possibility that 12K would not be occupied ?

Would you do that, and why - considering that 12F is still available ?

Some tea leaf reading here, perhaps, into the psychology of booking yourself in an aisle seat knowing that there is at least (I'd guess) 50% + of being filled with a neighbour in 12K

 

[Hvr]

Maybe they're travelling with a work colleague who has taken 12E and they don't want to sit beside them?

 

[drewbles]

I am just curious here seeing this seat map.

Why would someone like to sit in 12J and not in 12F, assuming he/she likes an aisle seat ?

Are they banking on the possibility that 12K would not be occupied ?

Would you do that, and why - considering that 12F is still available ?

Some tea leaf reading here, perhaps, into the psychology of booking yourself in an aisle seat knowing that there is at least (I'd guess) 50% + of being filled with a neighbour in 12K

If it were me, I'd be taking 12J over 12F. Depends on the length of the flight though. I'd risk the empty window over not having someone climb over me if it was under 3 hours. If over, i'd probably be 13E or F though.

 

[SeatBackForward]

If it were me, I'd be taking 12J over 12F. Depends on the length of the flight though. I'd risk the empty window over not having someone climb over me if it was under 3 hours. If over, i'd probably be 13E or F though.

I'd take 12F, noone climbing over or around..especially if its a night flight and there's nothing to see anyway.

 

[serfty]

As that looks like a 388 seat map, I'd take 12A or 12K over the other options.

The availability of side storage and the relatively easy access to the aisle that skybed Mk 2 provides is a winner for me.

 

[legroom]

If it were me, I'd be taking 12J over 12F. Depends on the length of the flight though. I'd risk the empty window over not having someone climb over me if it was under 3 hours. If over, i'd probably be 13E or F though.

Drewbles,

No one climbs over you in 12E/F

It is a 13 hrs flight

Strange isn't it, selecting 12J and not 12EF

Hvr, you might be right !

 

[OATEK]

At 186cms I prefer the aisle for Y flights, short or long haul. I tend to make sure my elbow is available as a disincentive for people to nudge me with their bags. But in J on the long haul happy to have a bit of a view from the window and step over my companion. When Mrs OATEK and I have flown international Y on a 380 we either take a two seater in the upstairs Y, or two sets in the centre section with one on the aisle (especially if the one on the aisle is 71D). On the 747s in Y we have usually taken a two seater at the rear on the outside where the window seat has some extra space up the side of the seat in front.

 

[boomy]

I am just curious here seeing this seat map.

Why would someone like to sit in 12J and not in 12F, assuming he/she likes an aisle seat ?

Are they banking on the possibility that 12K would not be occupied ?

Would you do that, and why - considering that 12F is still available ?

Some tea leaf reading here, perhaps, into the psychology of booking yourself in an aisle seat knowing that there is at least (I'd guess) 50% + of being filled with a neighbour in 12K

Just wondering, why not 11B or 11F?
Isn't it better then 12 or I'm missing something?

 

[Hvr]

Just wondering, why not 11B or 11F?
Isn't it better then 12 or I'm missing something?

There can be traffic across the front row, I prefer row 12 and would take it over row 11.

Expecting an empty seat in emerald city is pretty futile as people will move up front at T-80 if they don't have status to get there before hand.

 

[mushez]

Just wondering, why not 11B or 11F?
Isn't it better then 12 or I'm missing something?

Personally when I fly I cannot handle the jandal sitting in any A-C seat, and prefer window seats, so "K" it always is, however second would be isle seat in the middle. So I will always pick any "K" seat left, even if that is 66K even if 13A is available. I just simply get off the flight in a different mind set if I am not on the right hand side of an aircraft. So maybe 12J is the same.

Also in Business, often the IFE is on the wall, at a higher height, than in the back of the seat in front, so not only higher, but also further away. Combined with the greater chance in your feet getting bumped if in an isle seat with anyone half asleep going to the WC, or trolly dolly combined with turbulence - I actually avoid front row seats, even for extra leg room in Y.

So my guess is they like isle seats, and like the right hand side of the aircraft and/or don't want to sit in the front row.


Also to address the original theme of the thread, I do choose window seats over isle.
1- I don't get crawled over for the WC and woken up 5 minutes after I finally got to sleep - cause that is my duty sitting in K. If someone is sleeping, I will try to jump/step over them aka walking on the arm rests which often works 80% of the time without walking them. A little difficult if you are on a 3 -3/4-3 configuration and you have your row full - but hey you wake them on your schedule, not theirs, and free to sleep as you please without being bothered when you want to.
2- I do mainly medium haul, 3-4 hour, trans-Tasman flights, where you can hold it for most flights - so isn't a big issue, and often the urge to go is just after meal time, not in the middle of the flight
3- In long haul, you have something to lean on and it isn't your neighbor.

However I have got over being precious about personal space in Y, and a few times when my neghbour has make contact while trying to sleep, I no longer pull back/away, creating that awkward lets both try to do that again without touching each other situation - but just go with the flow, lean back with like, relax and enjoy the flight.

 

[Jleno]

Having said that, a bulkhead window in Y is the best of both world - easy to get up if you do need to and still ensconced in my own little world.

I used to like bulkhead seats - but nowadays, they're very hard to get access to if you have no status and don't want to prepay (or pay extra). But even more so, it's the question of leg-room and freedom + sitting next to babies vs crammed but away from babies. I opt for crammed.

 

[boomy]

I used to like bulkhead seats - but nowadays, they're very hard to get access to if you have no status and don't want to prepay (or pay extra). But even more so, it's the question of leg-room and freedom + sitting next to babies vs crammed but away from babies. I opt for crammed.

A few weeks ago SYD-MEL sitting 24F next to baby and mom. Baby started crying after takeoff and didn't stop until we landed, mom couldn't do much about it, I felt sorry for her..
The longest 1 hour flight ever...

 

[Foreigner]

Part of the pre-nuptial agreement is I do not do middle seats. And a few other things to be advised later on.

Hope you hadn't missed 'the mother-in-law not to tag along on holidays' clause.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Hope you hadn't missed 'the mother-in-law not to tag along on holidays' clause.

Now that you've mentioned this... as a warning, do not fly on QF128 on 13 Jul, and QF127 on 21 Jul, unless you are willing to watch some domestic issues as part of your IFE. :-|