It appears you might have been spared the misfortune of flying in QF SkySlope (some only droop but they droop so severely that they are in fact sloped). I am surprised that they are still in service at all. Long haul J in sloped beds, AND having to actually wake your neighbour to get out of your seat unless you are extremely athletic and happily stand on your seat and spring onto the aisle from the window seat, let alone stepping over feet/calves? Not for me.

Then there are the 'twist seats' of SQ. Again, I was shocked when they kept them on their A350 (non-regional). You can't recline without your feet hitting the back of the seat in front of you, unless you twist yourself so much that your back would really suffer (except in the bulkhead seats - which are really lovely seats). It's a bit daft that I have to change flight if I get aircraft change from regional A350 to non-regional, unless I can get the bulkhead seat (I say this even though I like SQ - my spend per year with SQ is probably a bit higher than on BA - and this to me was a horrifically illogical decision that it pretty upset me!)

Now, if you are talking about short haul J seats, obviously, QF ones are superior to CE. However, at c. AUD 760 one-way sale fare for a one-hour flight, I'd indeed expect better than Club Europe.

As for the seat selection fees, I'm quite happy (in an "I'm alright, jack" selfish way!) that they have what in my opinion is a high seat selection fee, because it keeps better seats for me if I book closer to departure. Without it, I dread to think I might end up in a horrid place for a solo traveller like the middle pair in CW