What is the best ecomony seat for international flights

[Maca44]

A friend and her mother are travelling this Sunday (2.10.05) on QF5 from Sydney to Singapore and then to London. They have the two seats in row 70 pre-allocated, but are concerned that QF staff advised them that pax in these seats tend to experience more turbulance than pax seated towards the centre of the plane. They have the option of changing these seats and intend getting to the airport 4 hrs before scheduled departure.

I assume these seats are good for two passengers travelling together and avoid other passengers stepping over them etc, but do the seats in the rear four rows of the plane experience more turbulance etc as advised by QF booking office.

 

[M@rcoPolo]

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Qantas_Airways/Qantas_Airways_Boeing_747-400.php

 

[Maca44]

Thanks M@rcoPolo
I looked at seatguru and seatexpert prior to posting the question, but I was looking more for traveller's personal experience with long haul economy seats and whether they could suggest what might be the best for two pax.

 

[Mal]

That flight is almost full in economy.

I can see they're seated in seats AB (well assume that's them!). Those seats aren't too bad, but I don't normally choose them because they are too far back in the plane. FF's love them because they have a little more stretch room, and being a couple seat, you don't have to worry about strangers climbing over you.

There are only a few spare seats further to the front. Row 51 has a couple of seats free in the middle (DE). Those would be pretty good and being in the middle seat block has the advantage of not having a stranger jumping over you again.

Row 53/56/64/66/69 have three seats each spare on the LHS or RHS.

I'd stay in those seats pre-assigned or maybe move to 51. If you talked to the Qantas res. staff nicely (and preferably had status) you could ask for one of the 3 seat blocks and ask for the middle seat to be blocked off...

Personally I don't have too much of an issue with turbulance. It can happen at any time on any part of the plane... As for whether it happens more at the back or not, not entirely sure!

 

[serfty]

... As for whether it happens more at the back or not, not entirely sure!

Consider the aircraft as it travels through turbulance. Where the wings join the fuselage is the centre of weight.

With pitching and yawing through turbulance a 1 cm sway at the wing is going to be fare more pronounced 40 meters to the rear.

The above it a bit simplistic; there are other factors to consider. However, generally, this is why more movement is perceived at the tail of the aircraft than towards the front.

 

[JohnK]

Not sure what the scientific explanation is but I find that the closer I am to the centre/front of the plane then the much better I feel.

I have travelled down the back of the plane on a few occassions and these have not been good experiences. I remember many years ago sitting in the last economy row seat on a flight SYD-MEL and it was one of the worst flights I ever had.

These days I have been quite lucky in that most of the time I book early enough and I get an aisle seat in the first couple of seats of economy. For me this is a pretty comfortable flight. Occassionally I venture down the back for a stretch and I am not very comfortable at all so quickly return to my forward aisle seat. I have met many people that find sitting in the back is a little more uncomfortable.

 

[Maca44]

Thank you for your advice, and my friend now intend to get to the airport in plenty of time to change their seats, should other seats, such as DE or FG in about row 50, be available at this late time. If not, they will keep the two seats at the rear.

 

[clifford]

Maca,

I would have them keep the seats they have been assigned.

Nice Y class seats and there reallty isn't that much difference in the "turbulence" feel.

If the plane hits real turbulence, then everyone feels it pretty much the same.

 

[infoworks]

There is no good economy seat for international flying!!! But if you must, find an exit row for the leg room.

 

[Guest]

There is no good economy seat for international flying!!! But if you must, find an exit row for the leg room.

I'm 6'5 and quite the opposite, exit rows are impossible to sleep in and nowhere to put your feet up

I find it's best/better to have 3 seats to yourself that are NOT an exit row

 

[NM]

When confined to the economy cabin on long-haul flights, I always go for a D or G seat (F on 767) as close to the front as possible. That way there is less possibility of someone sitting next to me needing to climb out over me during the flight.

Exit rows give lots of legroom, but that leg room is often consumed by people standing waiting to use the lavs that are generally located very nearby. And I can't sleep when people are hovering above me and bumping into my outstretched legs.

For a day flight, exit row is great.

I am not concerned about the tail of the aircraft bouncing around more. I don't suffer from any form of motion sickness. My concern with rows 70+ on the 747 is that it takes a long time to get off the aircraft and by the time those passengers get off there are a long queues at immigration. But there are lots of people who like to be down there.

 

[Maca44]

After reading through the posts my friends now intend to stay in seats 70A/B to Singapore, and they are not too concerned about immigration as they will most likely remain in transit. For the connecting flight from Singapore to Frankfurt they are booked in seats D and E, about row 50, so at least they will benefit from the experience of the being seated in the centre of the aircraft and the rear and can make their own choice when they return in a couple of weeks where they prefer to sit. This is about the third question I have posted on this board and have received nothing but great help. Thanks again.

 

[Maca44]

Just as a short update to my original question seeing that I received so many replies. My friends have now arrived back from Europe and were so impressed with two seat configuration in rows 70 that on the transit stop in SIN they managed to get their row 50 seats changed to same seats at the back of the ac for the second leg of their trip, and also one of the two legs on their return trip. They did not notice any additional noise or turbulance, and thoroughly enjoyed being up the back.

 

[NM]

Just as a short update to my original question seeing that I received so many replies. My friends have now arrived back from Europe and were so impressed with two seat configuration in rows 70 that on the transit stop in SIN they managed to get their row 50 seats changed to same seats at the back of the ac for the second leg of their trip, and also one of the two legs on their return trip. They did not notice any additional noise or turbulance, and thoroughly enjoyed being up the back.

Very happy to hear that they enjoyed their 2 abreast seating down the back. People much prefer the travel experience when they get what the want and feel comfortable.

 

[N860CR]

Personally i prefer the first block of economy seats on the 747. I find that whenever I walk towards the tail of the aircraft it looks like a warzone on a night flight . People legs everywhere, pillows and blankets thrown around... That said I'm usually alone so wouldn't get the benefit of the 2 seats towards the back. My next flight on a 747 will be with someone though, so maybe we'll give the back a try

 

[JohnK]

If anyone is ever travelling on an MD-11 then the best cattle class seat is definately 21C.

 

[NM]

If anyone is ever travelling on an MD-11 then the best cattle class seat is definately 21C.

Whose MD11 are you referring to? Each airline has their own way of numbering seats and configuring the cabin. Now there are few MD11 operators now, so my guess is AY.

 

[JohnK]

If anyone is ever travelling on an MD-11 then the best cattle class seat is definately 21C.

Whose MD11 are you referring to? Each airline has their own way of numbering seats and configuring the cabin. Now there are few MD11 operators now, so my guess is AY.

Correct, it is AY.

Didn't know there was that many configurations of MD11.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Not only variations in aircraft and seating layout, but even with the same layout different airlines number the seats differently.

 

[JohnK]

Not only variations in aircraft and seating layout, but even with the same layout different airlines number the seats differently.

Sorry.

Here's a seat map for the aircraft: FINNAIR - MD-11, you can see where the fabled 21C is!

Taken from serfty's post on another thread.