Over the last few months I have had the pleasure of a number of flights on the VA A330's - all on the new layout. Because of the half points promotion I haven't had to venture down the back (yet). In the interest of AFF members I have been trying different seats in the cabin and can now give my summary. No photos sorry.
Just to point out, I am 195cm tall so legroom is important to me - I won't go into the details of food etc, it has always been great! I think I will cry when they take the ocean trout off the menu.
Front row
1D/1G (My pick for best seats)
Because of the positioning of the bulkhead, these seats have the most leg room of any in the J cabin. They are in the centre of the plane so an added advantage is that if you need to get up to the toilet (which are at the front and the back of the J cabin) you won't be clambering over someone if their seat is down (or vice versa).
I have always found the overhead bins to have plenty of room, but there are two negatives with this seat - it doesn't have as many pockets / storage bins for your bits and pieces. Apart from the small centre seat ones the only one that you have is on the bulkhead - believe me, you are not reaching that with your seatbelt on to get something. The second negative is that in terms of the IFE the screen is close enough, but far enough away that for someone slightly short sighted (such as myself) it can be difficult to read the text on the screen.
Being row 1, you also get your drink / dinner order taken first which is a bonus, and they also "seem" to have more room because there is nothing in front of you apart from the bulkhead.
1A/1C and 1H/1K
If you are a window person I think these would be the best seats. Again there is slightly more legroom because of the bulkhead, but it is cut in so the screen where the seat folds down so the IFE screen sits actually closer to you than in the centre seats.
It suffers from the same issue in terms of pockets / storage bins - if you are on XFE avoid 1A like the plague as the audio on the IFE has been broken for some time now. One trip I had the seat next to me empty so rather than swap I synchronised both screens and was listening to the audio from 1C while watching 1A - obviously couldn't do that if there was someone there (unless I asked very nicely)
The inside of the walls curve in for those on the window but nothing that interferes with you, there is slightly less legroom than the centre seats. If you are in the window you would have difficulty getting out if your seat partner folds their seats down.
Rows 2-4
There are no bad seats on this plane, so if you can't or don't want Row 1 (maybe for the reasons of seat storage) you won't be disappointed. As to what is better between 2-4 maybe 2 or 3 as it is away from the toilets, but if you are in Row 4 and disembarking via the middle doors like you do in Melbourne you will be getting off first.
These seats have more storage pockets which are great, but noticeably less leg room - for example my feet can touch the wall which I have no hope of in Row 1. Because of the less room it also feels a little more claustrophobic and you feel closer to your seat partner (which I know you are not).
One issue I noticed is that when folded down fully, if I was on my side I couldn't fit my feet with them lying on top of each other, they had to be "split". I was also wedged in so my feet were flush against the end wall. I actually don't mind this because it stops you sliding down when sleeping due to the angle of the seat, but if you are taller than me you might be uncomfortable.
it would come down to preference, but I would go with centre aisle seats for ease of axis unless you like looking out the window.
Happy flying in the new J cabin - even with a 2 hour delay on the tarmac once I have always enjoyed these flights.
Just to point out, I am 195cm tall so legroom is important to me - I won't go into the details of food etc, it has always been great! I think I will cry when they take the ocean trout off the menu.
Front row
1D/1G (My pick for best seats)
Because of the positioning of the bulkhead, these seats have the most leg room of any in the J cabin. They are in the centre of the plane so an added advantage is that if you need to get up to the toilet (which are at the front and the back of the J cabin) you won't be clambering over someone if their seat is down (or vice versa).
I have always found the overhead bins to have plenty of room, but there are two negatives with this seat - it doesn't have as many pockets / storage bins for your bits and pieces. Apart from the small centre seat ones the only one that you have is on the bulkhead - believe me, you are not reaching that with your seatbelt on to get something. The second negative is that in terms of the IFE the screen is close enough, but far enough away that for someone slightly short sighted (such as myself) it can be difficult to read the text on the screen.
Being row 1, you also get your drink / dinner order taken first which is a bonus, and they also "seem" to have more room because there is nothing in front of you apart from the bulkhead.
1A/1C and 1H/1K
If you are a window person I think these would be the best seats. Again there is slightly more legroom because of the bulkhead, but it is cut in so the screen where the seat folds down so the IFE screen sits actually closer to you than in the centre seats.
It suffers from the same issue in terms of pockets / storage bins - if you are on XFE avoid 1A like the plague as the audio on the IFE has been broken for some time now. One trip I had the seat next to me empty so rather than swap I synchronised both screens and was listening to the audio from 1C while watching 1A - obviously couldn't do that if there was someone there (unless I asked very nicely)
The inside of the walls curve in for those on the window but nothing that interferes with you, there is slightly less legroom than the centre seats. If you are in the window you would have difficulty getting out if your seat partner folds their seats down.
Rows 2-4
There are no bad seats on this plane, so if you can't or don't want Row 1 (maybe for the reasons of seat storage) you won't be disappointed. As to what is better between 2-4 maybe 2 or 3 as it is away from the toilets, but if you are in Row 4 and disembarking via the middle doors like you do in Melbourne you will be getting off first.
These seats have more storage pockets which are great, but noticeably less leg room - for example my feet can touch the wall which I have no hope of in Row 1. Because of the less room it also feels a little more claustrophobic and you feel closer to your seat partner (which I know you are not).
One issue I noticed is that when folded down fully, if I was on my side I couldn't fit my feet with them lying on top of each other, they had to be "split". I was also wedged in so my feet were flush against the end wall. I actually don't mind this because it stops you sliding down when sleeping due to the angle of the seat, but if you are taller than me you might be uncomfortable.
it would come down to preference, but I would go with centre aisle seats for ease of axis unless you like looking out the window.
Happy flying in the new J cabin - even with a 2 hour delay on the tarmac once I have always enjoyed these flights.
