Originally Posted by Helena Handbaskets
I suppose most window-seaters (like me) have figured this out already, but I've never seen it mentioned here: There's a generally-presumed enhanced value to exit row seats because of the greater leg room. But if you like the window seat, the exit row is often a particularly uncomfortable place to sit, because the exit door often does not have an arm rest. I avoid exit rows whenever possible.
Too true. Overwing exits on say the 737 are usually free of obstructions but on something like a 757 there is also the evac slide container attached to the base of the door which absorbs quite a bit of the windowseaters legroom (and the tighter the seat pitch the greater the proportion that is lost).
Also the structural framing round the doorway at exit rows can lead to the loss of a window for the "window seat", meaning you have to crane backwards to the window behind you to see anything. Again the 757 is particularly bad in this respect.