So, we've got 4 sectors booked early next year UK-HK-Australia on the A350s all the way. Because we bought during the sale, we knew we wouldn't get to choose our seats until check in. Last time we bought seats in a sale a couple of years ago, when we booked we could see the seat allocation straight away. We couldn't move it, but we could see where we had seats.

This time however there is no pre-allocation seat showing. Is this because we now have the option to "buy" our seats in advance? Even when I load the option to do so, we're only given in most cases the front half of the 2nd, main Y cabin only. In one case all that is left is exit row seating.

Has anyone on the board here had any experience of buying these types of seats and if so, does the allocation show early or only when the online check in opens? Please tell me that CX isn't like Ryanair here in Europe that will happily spit up groups (of 2 or more)on the cheap tickets and give them the centre seats! We're not overly fussy for our seats, but ideally all we want is a centre and aisle seat, neither of us want a window seat. I don't mind paying, but not from the selection they are offering me. I've done a dummy full fare booking and seen the cabin in most cases is wide open. In a worst case scenario, we could take seats opposite each other on the aisle, but the A350 has staggered seat rows doesn't it?

Also, what are the exit row seats like on the A350? Do people tend to find that other passengers tend to stand in that space while they queue for the loos? Is it worth the spend for the leg room, but lose a little width for the seat back? (Assuming the personal tv is in the armrest, not the wall).