EmailKid

Get over your anger, they did you a favor Seriously @:-)

I never found a problem with lav traffic, YMMV. The only downside, and only if this bird has DirecTV and you choose to pay for it, is that it's on the divider in front of you instead of seatback.

FlyerGirl77

What are the best seats for a domestic red-eye on the UA 737-900 First or Premium Economy? I'm flying UA355 and thought of row 21, but not sure if the exit row's short armrest at the window allows for a comfortable sleep?
Thanks a mil!

johnden

Whether you can sleep or not is an individual trait. The seats are definitely not designed with a focus on rest or comfort.

Most of the 737-900s are slimlined and the exit row seat pans are a little bit firmer than other seats. I've been told this allows passengers to stand on the seats during an evacuation. On non-slimlined planes, the exit row seat pans are also a bit shorter. The legroom is generous and you will be able to stretch out. Row 21 does recline and it does help a little, but the amount is pretty small. The armrest is a bit small and low for my taste, I prefer leaning against the wall. Depending on the 900 model, the armrests vary from a short/low slimline armrest to a small bump out on the door.

I prefer the bulkhead window seats in row 7, but you have to be OK with the sulfury odors from the lavatory.

If you can swing an upgrade to F, it will help, but the seats there are only relatively "more" comfortable than economy and do not recline that much. I think it makes a difference, but isn't always worth the cost.

For me, the amount of sleep I get depends more on the size of my neighbor and the behavior of the person behind me than the seat.

Kacee

I don't think any of the seats on a 739 allow for comfortable sleep. It is a horribly uncomfortable aircraft, even in F.

For the reasons johnden outlined, a normal E+ seat (non-exit row, away from the lavs) may depending on your preferences be better for a redeye than either row 21 or the bulkhead.

miasmal

Exit Row 20 has limited or no recline, if that matters to you. E+ Row in front of 20 (12?) also has limited or no recline. Exit Row 21 has recline

itsme

seatguru.com for an initial assessment?

If you are so fortunate to have an unoccupied seat next to you, or still better two unoccupied seats, then it is hugely better to have armrests that lift up.

mazzaglobal

Good luck with unoccupied seats. I rarely if ever see them. I wouldn't count on that.

As other have said the 739 seats are overall bad... even in first. Although I was able to sleep slightly there.

Boeing needs to make the plane ever so slightly wider, just enough so that everyone gets a bit of extra width, but not enough so the airlines can shove an extra seat in somehow.

Warning for those with carry-ons on a full flight. If you are in the latter boarding groups, say goodbye to anything that has to go into an overhead bin. I saw so many bags have to go under.

itsme

A couple of months ago, I had three seats abreast with the armrests going up when flying EWR-DEL, allowing me to sleep for 10+ hours. No such luck on the way back.

Anyone know why they do or don't allow the armrests to up, especially in non-exit rows?

FlyerBeek

How do the bulkhead F seats on the 739 compare to those on the 738? Any additional foot cutouts? Generally, I prefer the bulkheads on 737s to eliminate someone reclining their seat into me, but I cannot recall the last time I flew the UA 739 in F.

-FlyerBeek

Kacee

They are tighter than the 738. I prefer bulkheads generally but to me it's now a close call on the 739, particularly for a longer flight where the ability to fully stretch your legs matters more.

mfullmer

I perused this threat for a while and didn't see this question. Does anyone know what the little white tabs at the top of the windows in the 73-9 are for? The little opaque area is interesting too!

PsiFighter37

I learned something new today about this craft - we are being held for deplaning because all the bags are in the back, but because we burned enough fuel during the flight, we have to wait for the bags to get offloaded or the plane would tip.

zoegksf

Yep, they pop a wheelie if they don't unload bags from back first. There is a video on youtube with a Delta 739 doing such. Hate that plane and it seems all my flights are on them.

FlyHighInTheSky

Hah, that's amazing!

Here is the video for those that are interested:

LarryJ

They can, but it's not usually an issue. The problem is that when the passengers exit you end up with an empty front cabin (just a couple of passengers walking down the aisle, and a still-full back cabin.

They'll normally plan the load such that it is not an issue. Sometimes they have too much cargo, or the actual load differs significantly from the plan, and the possibility of a tail-tip exists. We'll get an ACARS message advising us of the issue and ensure that the passengers don't exit until enough bags have been unloaded from the aft cargo compartment. It doesn't happen very often, though. I've only had it once in the past year (>230 flights). They're getting tail-stands which will eliminate the need to delay passenger deplaning.