Emergency exit/extra legroom seats

[julie60]

Morning all, I would like to pre book exit/extra legroom seats for a trip from Adelaide to UK, however I notice that several airlines state that you have to be 18yrs old. Are they really strict on this? I am well over 18, but my son, who I am travelLing with isn’t. He will be 17 1/2 when we fly. He is 6’ 4” and really needs to have that leg room, but we can’t afford PE or BUS. Advice gratefully received.

 

[milehighclub]

Hi Julie60,

The airlines are very strict on this as these are legal requirements that must be adhered too.

In some countries, the age is 15, and that includes Australia and Singapore, so both Qantas and Singapore Airlines may be more suited to you and your son.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Morning all, I would like to pre book exit/extra legroom seats for a trip from Adelaide to UK, however I notice that several airlines state that you have to be 18yrs old. Are they really strict on this? I am well over 18, but my son, who I am travelLing with isn’t. He will be 17 1/2 when we fly. He is 6’ 4” and really needs to have that leg room, but we can’t afford PE or BUS. Advice gratefully received.

I think the 'norm' is usually 15 years for seating in the emergency exit row. That should open up a fair few choices. Some airlines are really expensive though for these seats, and you may find it cheaper to buy a comfort seat - a third seat, for which you only pay the base fare, no taxes or fuel surcharges - by the time you add the charges for 2 pax for extra legroom seats.

The comfort seat brings many benefits - a guaranteed spare seat between you (no rubbing shoulders), the extra room (and legroom), a spare tray table during meal and drink services to put your empties and used trays on.

 

[julie60]

I think the 'norm' is usually 15 years for seating in the emergency exit row. That should open up a fair few choices. Some airlines are really expensive though for these seats, and you may find it cheaper to buy a comfort seat - a third seat, for which you only pay the base fare, no taxes or fuel surcharges - by the time you add the charges for 2 pax for extra legroom seats.

The comfort seat brings many benefits - a guaranteed spare seat between you (no rubbing shoulders), the extra room (and legroom), a spare tray table during meal and drink services to put your empties and used trays on.

Oh comfort seat sounds amazing, can you book that online? are You able to run through the process for me?

 

[DC3]

Although, a comfort seat in between, won’t provide the leg room of an exit row, if that’s what you were looking into. But the comfort seat is better than not having some space in between.

 

[jb747]

I thought this only applied to emergency exit seats that the passengers might have to open.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Oh comfort seat sounds amazing, can you book that online? are You able to run through the process for me?

Comfort seats must almost always be booked by phone. This links the comfort seat to your booking so that it cannot be separated (or given away to someone else!)

As DC3 points out, you don't get the 'unlimited' legroom of the exit row with a comfort seat, but TBH, I'm 6'3, and a spare seat beside me is just as good as an exit. Not all airlines will offer a comfort seat, but Qantas for example does.

An example of the pricing... choosing November 29 to December 7, Qantas return Sydney to London is $1370 per person. The comfort seat is free of all taxes and fuel surcharges, coming in at $1050 (you can see this on the Qantas site under the 'fare breakdown). Or $525 per person.

On the SYD or MEL-LHR flights, selecting exit row seats would be $360 to $490 per person for the return journey. So it can work out economically for the extra seat. you also earn FF points for the seat!

Note that premium economy has come down in price. Japan Airlines is currently offering premium economy from Sydney to Paris for $2190 return. The big advantage is that business class lounge access is included at all airports as part of the fare!

Post automatically merged: Jun 5, 2020

I thought this only applied to emergency exit seats that the passengers might have to open.

Same rules apply at crewed doors. Pax need to be able to assist crew, if required.

 

[DC3]

I remember a funny post, somewhere, about a comfort seat. The comfort seat that was allocated was several rows away from the pax who booked it.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I remember a funny post, somewhere, about a comfort seat. The comfort seat that was allocated was several rows away from the pax who booked it.

I suspect that makes for a good story An 'exst' should be co-located.

 

[Gremlin]

I'm 6 ft 5 and personally I'd never choose a comfort seat ahead of extra leg room but YMMV.

Look at different airlines and configs. Sometimes you can find an extra leg room seat next to a regular seat if you're wanting to only pay for one extra leg room seat. Eg Row 48 in the seat map below.

Singapore A350 Seat Map

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm 6 ft 5 and personally I'd never choose a comfort seat ahead of extra leg room but YMMV.

Look at different airlines and configs. Sometimes you can find an extra leg room seat next to a regular seat if you're wanting to only pay for one extra leg room seat. Eg Row 48 in the seat map below.

Singapore A350 Seat Map

It is a trade-off - here's the seat guru review of the same seat, opposite side of the cabin:

Don't make the mistake of booking this seat. SQ charges the outrageous price of $88.50AUD but I booked it thinking it was as described, an extra legroom seat. After I read the other comments on Seat Guru I realised with a fixed armrest, two people to your left, slightly narrower seat, 47K legs intruding onto you on an overnight flight, a bulkhead above which restricts mobility, no power charging in the seat, tv arm digging in to your thigh why are Singapore airlines even charging for this seat, let alone the price of $88.50AUD. I am going to try and get my money refunded for this seat, I think it is wrong to describe the seat in such a way without also mentioning its deficiencies.​

​

Narrow seats and the entertainment unit are highlighted for row 41, which is the same sort of set up with the fixed armrests:

41 A & B are already narrow due to dinner table in the armrest, however they are even narrower due to the entertainment handset being located inside o of the seat, and therefore protrudes out into the seat width making an already narrow seat, super narrow - VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. This configuration follows seats 41 A & B. This is a big design fail.​

​

The advantage of the comfort seat is that with ~25.5 inches of seat width per person you can move around, get comfortable, use the space of the middle seat for legroom.

 

[Gremlin]

It is a trade-off - here's the seat guru review of the same seat, opposite side of the cabin:

Don't make the mistake of booking this seat. SQ charges the outrageous price of $88.50AUD but I booked it thinking it was as described, an extra legroom seat. After I read the other comments on Seat Guru I realised with a fixed armrest, two people to your left, slightly narrower seat, 47K legs intruding onto you on an overnight flight, a bulkhead above which restricts mobility, no power charging in the seat, tv arm digging in to your thigh why are Singapore airlines even charging for this seat, let alone the price of $88.50AUD. I am going to try and get my money refunded for this seat, I think it is wrong to describe the seat in such a way without also mentioning its deficiencies.​

​

Narrow seats and the entertainment unit are highlighted for row 41, which is the same sort of set up with the fixed armrests:

41 A & B are already narrow due to dinner table in the armrest, however they are even narrower due to the entertainment handset being located inside o of the seat, and therefore protrudes out into the seat width making an already narrow seat, super narrow - VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. This configuration follows seats 41 A & B. This is a big design fail.​

​

The advantage of the comfort seat is that with ~25.5 inches of seat width per person you can move around, get comfortable, use the space of the middle seat for legroom.

Yeah, YMMV. I've travelled in these seats on SQ with my (then) 14 and my 12 year old in the two seats next to me. Yes the seat is slightly narrower, but I didn't have any complaints. In comparison, I find with a comfort seat I still can't get my legs into a position that feels comfortable for any long period of time (whilst I'm 6 ft 5, I have disproportionately long legs and a more "normal" sized torso which does impact this for me). Would definitely choose these ahead of a comfort seat at any point in the future.

 

[itchy feet]

There's a useful thread on AFF re Comfort seats. I liked the idea (and price) of a comfort seat and tried booking such with Emirates. Yes they'd take my money. No they wouldn't guarantee I'd get that extra seat on the flight I'd booked. 2 options if the extra seat was unavailable on check in - take a later flight where there was an extra seat available or take my booked flight with no extra seat and no refund of the comfort seat purchase price.

 

[Auski]

I am 6 ft 4 and have only ever flown to Europe in a standard economy seat once, never again. I usually book an exit row, don't care how much it costs. However we were due to be in Europe now and after much research had booked premium economy with JAL as discussed above. It was $1000 cheaper than any other PE and only a few hundred more than QF in an exit row. Also could have a free stopover in Tokyo. Benefits include Lounge access and the width of the seats, JAL are one of the few that have lower number of seats across in their planes. Only thing to consider is that some flights fly Narita and some Hanada. If having a stopover not a problem but if connecting can be a pain. Europe flights depart different airports depending on destination. Make sure you research this. As an aside beginning of the year flew to US with Virgin, had booked Economy X over and Exit row back (in case Economy X was not good), after arrival changed to Economy X back. Great legroom and like JAL have less seats across. Most comfortable US flight ever for not a lot extra, $190 each way. Hope these flights will be available in the future. I think Delta may also have a similar config. 787's seem to all be a lot narrower seats.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There's a useful thread on AFF re Comfort seats. I liked the idea (and price) of a comfort seat and tried booking such with Emirates. Yes they'd take my money. No they wouldn't guarantee I'd get that extra seat on the flight I'd booked. 2 options if the extra seat was unavailable on check in - take a later flight where there was an extra seat available or take my booked flight with no extra seat and no refund of the comfort seat purchase price.

Thankfully for Qantas this isn't the case. The 'exst' (extra seat) is linked with the primary booking and can't be 'broken'. This also complies, I suspect, with a passenger of size who may require two seats to travel. QF refusing travel to a passenger of size may get them into hot water with various pieces of legislation. The 'exst' also covers things like bulky cabin baggage, or musical instruments. It's bizarre that Emirates would refuse travel to a passenger of size or other medical need, or someone with a musical instrument

 

[Beano]

I flew to Europe last year on Emirates and thought about the extra legroom seats but none available. I'm glad I didn't. I was in the next row back at the front of Y on a 380. The plane gets narrower, being the pointy end, so the room for 3 seats gets less. I the extra legroom seats there is only a pull up screen, nowhere to put your stuf and very limited overhead luggage space. Perhaps further back the extra legroom seats fair better. For a long haul flight it's nice to have your own "nest" with the screen in front. I'm only 6 foot and I had plenty room. A spare seat beside seems a better option for me.

 

[camperdown9]

I remember a funny post, somewhere, about a comfort seat. The comfort seat that was allocated was several rows away from the pax who booked it.

Years ago I booked some passengers with TG from LHR via BKK down to SYD. They asked to pay for an extra seat. In those days this wasn't something that couldn't be done via the CRS so I called TG and asked what I needed to do. They advised how to book it and that I could just use the standard fare without tax. They also advised that their was no baggage allowance for the extra seat. Which I thought was just down right mean! They also said, and I had to tell the passengers this without laughing, that they couldn't guarantee that the seats would be together.

A friend worked for a company who main business was arrange travel for orchestras. I told her about this and she said yes she had had the same advice from various airlines. She said that when they needed to book an extra seat for a musical instrument they often were told by the airline that they couldn't guarantee the seats would be together.

All seams crazy but I guess its happened were the extra seat hasn't been allocated in the same row, but when has the airline industry ever seamed to make much sense!

Alex

 

[Forg]

A mate & I requested an exit-row seat at check-in with SG in 2001; we lucked-out & got it, however the 747 door poked a foot into the legroom. We took turns being the person in the middle-seat vs the person with half a door in their way.
No idea whether current door designs eat up occupant leg room? I only raise it ‘cos I’d be doing some research before choosing a window exit-row seat.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

A mate & I requested an exit-row seat at check-in with SG in 2001; we lucked-out & got it, however the 747 door poked a foot into the legroom. We took turns being the person in the middle-seat vs the person with half a door in their way.
No idea whether current door designs eat up occupant leg room? I only raise it ‘cos I’d be doing some research before choosing a window exit-row seat.

It really depends on the aircraft, and position of the door in the cabin.

Some aircraft like the 747 have (protruding) slide bustles at every door on the main deck. Others only have them on certain doors, with the slide located elsewhere, such as within the fuselage, so there's no need to have the slide inside.

There are various ways in which airlines deal with the seat right by the slide. Some airlines remove it entirely. Others have a greater pitch so all seats can be used. Others don't sell it as an extra leg-room seat, or indeed will make it as being one of the last to be allocated.