Economy X Row 3 - what is so good about it?

[kyle]

Now that I have been upgraded to platinum, I can selected Economy X seats for my upcoming flights.

I see that nearly all of you prefer to pick row 3. Why is that? I would imagine the leg room for all three rows to be the same?

When I travel for more than 1 night, I usually have a backpack plus checked in luggage. The backpack would just go under the seat in front of me. If I pick row 3, I have to store the bag in the overhead locker.

 

[hossein_au]

My casual observation is that legroom in row 3 'feels' more, also there is no one reclining into your space (this is not very likely on short flights, but nevertheless...).

 

[Pleb Status]

You can avoid the 'cancer' of air travel... Recliners.

 

[jase05]

As others have said, no reclining. Added bonus of disembarking quicker and I don’t know if it’s coincidence or not but several times in row 3 we have been offered a glass or two of bubbly as a WP.

 

[ozjuice]

You can stretch the legs fully and put your sweaty bare feet on the bulkhead.

 

[kyle]

hmmm, so it's a matter of no recline from the person in front vs inability to store luggage under the seat in front of you...

 

[Ausbt]

When I travel for more than 1 night, I usually have a backpack plus checked in luggage

What are you carrying? I've done three-nighters with just a laptop bag and that's including gym gear. I'm more than happy for you to stick to rows 4 & 5, in fact please do!

 

[kyle]

What are you carrying? I've done three-nighters with just a laptop bag and that's including gym gear. I'm more than happy for you to stick to rows 4 & 5, in fact please do!

I actually don't mind rows 4 and 5 as I want ready access to my stuff.

As for packing, clothing is usually 1.5x to 2x the number of nights, except footwear which is usually one pair of thongs + one of pair sneakers including the pair going onboard. Plus electric toothbrush, electric shaver, toiletries from past trips (so I can bring some new ones back). Then leave some space in the checked baggage for shopping, claw machine plush toys (love playing claw machines) and prizes from amusement arcades.

 

[Bagpuss]

Now that I have been upgraded to platinum, I can selected Economy X seats for my upcoming flights.

I see that nearly all of you prefer to pick row 3. Why is that? I would imagine the leg room for all three rows to be the same?

When I travel for more than 1 night, I usually have a backpack plus checked in luggage. The backpack would just go under the seat in front of me. If I pick row 3, I have to store the bag in the overhead locker.

Row 3 tends to have more leg room than row 4 or 5. It's also the first row of economy so first to get off.

As it's has paneling in front so no one will recline into you and sometimes you may put your feet on it.

Never had an issue with the overhead bins with this row.

The only downside is that has tables in the non-movable arms which means it can feel a bit closed in on a long flight or early morning /red eyes when you maybe able to lift up the arm rest if the next seat is empty. (Long flight PER <> BNE / SYD / MEL). In these instances you may want rows 4 or 5.

The issue with emergency exits again is the arm rests AND you are half way down the plane for that hasty dash at the end.

PLUS in row 3, you are one of the first to be served so your desired food / beverage choices are available for the weird muffin you wouldn't ever think of buying or make at home.

 

[ozjuice]

Also on longer flights the FA's tend to allow you to use the Business toilets without an issue.

 

[jasecao]

I prefer row 3 due to the extra leg room and also closer to the front in my mind quicker to get off

though these days its also the most likely row to to be full.

 

[Marty_]

This is a phenomenon I like, because I always go for row 4 or 5. They tend to be free

My reasons are:

- I can put my bag under the seat in front. I usually work on planes, so this is handy.

- I am over 6'7" and can testify that the legroom is far superior in rows 4 and 5. I can stretch out under the seat in front without the bulkhead getting in the way.

 

[Harthagan]

This is a phenomenon I like, because I always go for row 4 or 5. They tend to be free

My reasons are:

- I can put my bag under the seat in front. I usually work on planes, so this is handy.

- I am over 6'7" and can testify that the legroom is far superior in rows 4 and 5. I can stretch out under the seat in front without the bulkhead getting in the way.

Bit like row 2 being better than row 1 in business. Unless your mission is to be guaranteed getting off the plane in 1st place lol

 

[Mattg]

inability to store luggage under the seat in front of you...

I see this as a benefit!

Seriously, I prefer to have my bag in the overhead locker, rather than taking up my legroom under the seat in front. Sitting in row 3 or an exit row means guaranteed overhead locker space.

 

[Blinky]

What others have said. My last five or so sectors have been row 3, either C or D (aisle seats are far better in my view) and only one had a middle seat pax. You will find that VA tries to treat WPs with elbow room as well as leg room. When you get 3C with an empty middle seat, it’s not far off VA J.

 

[Lemon_Party]

For me row 4 or 5 unless flight is heavily loaded. More likely to have a middle seat free and heaps of personal space. Middle seat being free in 3 is useless due to the fixed armrests.
For the trans-con hops the best seats are the exit rows for legroom as they are substantially better than 3/4/5. Downside as others note is it takes forever to get off the plane so I tend to fluctuate between front and middle.
I find the front few rows are a lot less likely to recline - perhaps being more frequent travellers and sharing that hatred of recliners themselves?!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I now take (prefer) row 4/5, and sometimes have had shadows in row 4, so I can lift up the handrest, and have space between person in row 3, and an empty in B or E, I always take row A or F.
Row 3 is good, if you don't mind the fact that you can't raise the armrest, as the tray tables are there.
Row 3 also has a bit more windows.
If your flight is cancelled, and you are provided with a replacement flight, sometimes your replacement flight puts you elsewhere, apart from Y(x), which happened to me first time, on 04 Jan.
Row 3 does have one advantage in that no reclines into you, but you will get some movement from feet behind if some decides to rest soles of the their feet on the back of your seat, some people seem to like to rest their feet on where the rear of seat magazine storage is, so you will feel feet, not as bad as further down the plane though.

 

[Lord_Lenny]

I tend to prefer row 4 usually, I find the fixed armrests slightly annoying, we primarily do short east coast hops so reclining isn't usually an issue, like mentioned above I find pax in row 3 are less likely to recline, I've had a bad run recently of people reclining on SYD - BNE legs down in regular Economy or towards the rear of Economy X.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I must try to see about if I will have success phoning up, for Comfort Seating seat buying in Y(x).
Several hundred $ less than discJ.
And can now buy VA's the Lounge for $65 or OzB for $40.

 

[JohnK]

I used to be obsessed about row 3 on VA and row 4 on Qantas.

Now only VA Gold and more than happy with row 7 and with Qantas row 6. Greater chance of shadow in my experience and no need to worry about overhead space above VA row 3 as used to be the case on almost every flight.