First Time on the ATR - Front or Back?

[Noob]

Hey everyone, I am just about to book my first ATR flight with Virgin Australia and wanted to know what the general consensus is regarding sitting at the front or the back (as the current ATR-72 only has a rear passenger door)?

Hopefully this will be a good resource for other new ATR flyers as well.

Thank you,
Noob

[samh004]

Front row, but if you can’t get it then probably as close to the back as you can get.

[markis10]

Front row, but if you can’t get it then probably as close to the back as you can get.

Front Row is no longer available for allocation AFAIK, it shows as occupied on all my bookings at T-14 days

atr.jpg

[RBC]

Row 17 for first off the plane and first for inflight service. Rows forward of 9 tend to have most engine noise. Seats further forward also have 1 inch less legroom.
Auto platinum seat assignment is row 17.

[RBC]

Front Row is no longer available for allocation AFAIK, it shows as occupied on all my bookings at T-14 days

atr.jpg

Correct. row 1 can be purchased as an exit row. Although for gold and above this can usually be allocated free of charge at time of checkin by the lounge angels.

[MarkD]

Best seat on an ATR is on the next flight on an Embraer or 737
Seriously though, I prefer row 9, its under the wing, the ATR tends to YAW a LOT in any crosswind, and this obviously is extreme at the rear. Front row has great legroom, plus the spare seat, but as stated above row 17 is first served, and first one off the sauna, once the engines stop

[BAM1748]

What about neither, I'm not wanting to fly a Virgin ATR?

Matt

[samh004]

What about neither, I'm not wanting to fly a Virgin ATR?

Matt

You don't have to, the OP is seeking guidance for their flight, not yours.




[Boris spatsky]

Row 17. But don't expect to get a shadow as WP. Weight and balance seems to dictate that row 17 gets filled even if spare seats elsewhere.

[swanning_it]

You don't have to, the OP is seeking guidance for their flight, not yours.

Yes and no Sam! Noob also said the thread might be good info for others new to the ATR as well and he also set up a poll. What the poll could have also optioned is "Neither, Choose another aircraft"......which is the one I would have chosen if it was there.

DJ angels tell me opinion on the ATR runs about 50/50 so comment that the plane sucks is also opinion that can't be ignored or written off as "bias from a few disenters" and it may help others in their decision as well.