Programs: AA (current EXP, occasional PLT, 0MM); UA; US; DL
Posts: 4,135
Exit Row: Extra legroom v Non-reclining seat? (Row 20, MD80)
We are scheduled to fly ~4 hours on an MD80. Exit Row-20 is available and thanks to my FT reflexes I reserved two of those seats. However, at that point my wife got involved with the seatguru/seatexpert map I had opened and discovered that these seats are non-reclining.
Now we have a debate raging - How does this combination compare with normal seats which have less legroom but do recline?
If you have travelled in MD80 Row-20, please share your experience/opinion.
(FWIW, Row-21 has both these features, leg room as well as recline, but is not available.)
As HNL mentioned, 20B, 20D, and 20E all recline -- its just the windows in row twenty that don't recline.
Personally, 20B is my favorite seat in coach on the MD-80, as its an exit-row aisle seat that reclines into another exit row, so there is no guilt about taking up someone's space.
As for whether I'd choose 20A or a non-exit row seat... unless we're talking about a "redeye"-like flight, I'd hands down choose 20A. I had forgotten how claustrophobic non-exit row seats are until I was stuck in one not too long ago. I only recline when I'm napping, otherwise I'm usually in the upright position.
20A does not recline, 20B has "full" recline. 20A/20B have more leg room than 21A/21B (I think about 2 more inches). Also, if, like me, you can't stand people behind you pulling on your seatback, or kids kicking your seatback from row 22, row 20 becomes much more preferrable over row 21 if you can handle the non-reclining 20A. My wife doesn't care to recline, I HAVE to have some recline or I go crazy.
Programs: AA (current EXP, occasional PLT, 0MM); UA; US; DL
Posts: 4,135
Thank you all so much. Mrs. Aktchi decided that 20A,B will serve us fine. BTW, it is SeatExpert that has the entire Row 20 listed as no-recline. Maybe that's why it was still available - Thanks, Randy.
Later edit - These tickets are still on hold. A couple other points:
The two flights are on MD-83 and B-738 respectively. For some reason, online seat selection works for the MD-83, but not for B-738. Even web services rep was unable to understand why, but said she'd file a report.
I couldn't find any practical MR opportunity here other than registering for DBEQM. Going through DFW adds only 300 miles; BOS etc too many dollars.
Mrs_E drew the short straw and sat in the non-reclining seat a few trips back, she was a bit grumpy about it, but she survived and apprciated the legroom.
We are scheduled to fly ~4 hours on an MD80. Exit Row-20 is available and thanks to my FT reflexes I reserved two of those seats. However, at that point my wife got involved with the seatguru/seatexpert map I had opened and discovered that these seats are non-reclining.
Now we have a debate raging - How does this combination compare with normal seats which have less legroom but do recline?
If you have travelled in MD80 Row-20, please share your experience/opinion.
(FWIW, Row-21 has both these features, leg room as well as recline, but is not available.)
It depends more on you and your wife than it does on me and my wife. If you are both short, I would suggest regular seats. If either of you is tall, take the exit row. If one is tall and one short, give the short one the non-reclining seat.
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Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then they beat you with experience.
Even web services rep was unable to understand why, but said she'd file a report.
