I know seat selection on flights comes down to personal preference, but can anyone shed some light on VA Inernational PE to Abu Dhabi?

6 replies

SaltyJ

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 06 Dec 2012

Total posts 157

I know seat selection on flights comes down to personal preference, but can anyone shed some light on VA Inernational PE to Abu Dhabi? I have read some reviews that indicate seats in front when in recline can make it difficult to get out into the aisle and have also read that in row10 because of the bulk head the leg room (stretched out) isn't the best. Anyone experienced both and had a preference for one?

chrisjrn

Member since 09 May 2011

Total posts 177

Howdy! I've flown in row 10, row 14 and row 12.

Firstly, knee room hasn't been an issue in any of these rows, but I like to be able to stretch my legs out as much as possible, and you can't really do this in row 10 if you're tall – the bulkhead doesn't have any cutaways. It is the easiest out of the three rows I've used to get out of.

Row 14 is not great because the recline is restricted, and it's right in front of the bassinet seats in economy – definitely not somewhere you want to be if you want to sleep.

Row 12 was good – but you're right, if the seat in front is reclined and you're in a window seat, you'll still need to get your seatmate to move out of the way. That said, normally your seatmate will only need to spin around in their seat – not completely move out of the way to let you out.

aero-seat

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 23 May 2012

Total posts 178

Hi justin, I rarely fly Virgin Australia's premium economy product, but last time I did I flew on Row 10C, I think. I recommend you have a read at AusBT's best seats article for its B777-300ER  Its best seats guides are really good and reliable and every time I fly I always check to see if they have a guide and follow what they say. Good luck and have a safe and happy trip!

alexo-baby

Air Berlin - topbonus

Member since 24 Jul 2012

Total posts 3

Check out the following website: http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Virgin_Australia/Virgin_Australia_Boeing_777-300ER.php

I usually inform myself about the seating and find this one very helpful. After seeing hte aircraft i can say that the comments are so far correct.

still it remains the personal feeling and the trade-off. first rows in Eco usually have fixed armrests and make the seat slightly smaller. though you have more space ahead and nobody will put the seat back. So thats a plus, but left and right could be a bit narrow, and if you travel with family, its a bit complicated for kids to sleep. Then rather take the row behind and the armrests can be lifted so the kids can put their head on our laps.

hope this helps.

John Walton

Member since 03 Jan 2011

Total posts 86

Alexander, a word of caution about SeatGuru: it's riddled with errors, especially down our end of the world. That's why we created and maintain our series of Best Seats articles, including the one that aero-seat linked to above.

An example: just in the case of the Virgin Australia 777 premium economy, SeatGuru says that the front row's tables are in the armrest. All rows' tables are in the armrests.

SeatGuru also says the personal TVs are in the armrests. They're not: they swing up from beside your seat, and the mechanism is completely outside the armrest.

All of which is blatantly visible from the numerous pictures of the cabin, including the 777 microsite. And it totally fails to mark bassinet crib positions — and I don't know about you, but sitting as far as feasible away from babies is a fairly large consideration for me.

alexo-baby

Air Berlin - topbonus

Member since 24 Jul 2012

Total posts 3

John, i guess then we will never travel together. ;-) As a father of three kids, i do have an interest of providing my kids a comfortable atmosphere as much as possible, and of course financially achievable. Travelling in anything other than eco from Germany to Sydney is not really a bargain.

But in my work life I am travelling a lot throughout Europe. For those purposes I feel that the information provided by setaguru are totally sufficient. They do give me a very good overview and first impression how its like and once i check it out on the plane in real life it is actually confirmed. I have not noticed any errors so far, but maybe I just havent caught one of those planes. I guess even seatguru lives from feedback and in case there is a discrepancy people just need to report this.

But ok, as mentioned, I guess for a first impression the information are good but not perfect as you say. But i have to mention that I find their pages very well structured. its easy to find the respective aircraft and the vanigation on the aircraft layout is easy and provides instant information.

Re the baby bassinet, which are usually in the front rows, i agree. Nothing worse than having a crying baby on a 14 hrs trip in front of you. And i did experience this on a trip to SYD once.  But I should not complain, I have a 3 weeks old baby at home. So let me know when you are on EK412.... ;-)

John Walton

Member since 03 Jan 2011

Total posts 86

Mate, I wouldn't be so sure of that — I, too, fly economy when I'm on my own dime, unless I am upgrading with miles or there is a premium economy sale on.

Just looking at the British Airways and Lufthansa A320 family seatmaps, I see an inability to display the "Eurobusiness" information accurately and a number of unfortunate errors that we pick up in our Best Seats guides.

Now, you might say that of course I would be the first to claim that our guides are better — I write the vast majority of them! But you would be better served by ignoring SeatGuru completely and checking the airlines' own seat maps themselves. Friends don't let friends be misled by SeatGuru. ;)

(I am so sympathetic to the majority of parents travelling with kids — poor folks are off their game because they're exhausted at the very time the anklebiters are at their most fractious. No babybashing from me here.)

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