corporate-wage-slave

Yes, if 11 and 12 are exit rows. There is perhaps confusion as to where the exit rows actually are (and the correct use of "20A" and which aircraft it relates to), but if you want to keep it simple, always go for the exit row, and if there are 2 exit rows, always go for the rear most row. Avoid the row before the exit row like the plague. Having said that, reclining seats on A320s rarely seems to happen these days (and is in any case doesn't go far back).

snuffi

Essentially, the new ET ex-LHR rule is book row 12 as soon as you can, as no matter whether it's a BA plane or ex-BMI plane, this will always be the rearmost exit row. Is this the same for LGW?

I am just going through all my bookings and swapping them over if I have not already done so.

EDIT: I have found one booking on a generic "320" from Gatwick where the exit rows are 12 & 13. Should I move to 13, or stick with 12? Row 13 is present, i.e. it does not go 12 14, and there are 29 rows of 3x3 on the seat map. Thoughts?

gcuk

That will be one of the 'new' second hand A320s, the G-GAT* registration sequence.
They have seats where the front cupboard is on other 320s so have seats 1ABD but not 1DEF. Their exit rows are 12 and 13. On those planes row 12 probably wouldn't recline but I'd still go for row 12 in case of an aircraft swap to the other 320 configuration based at Gatwick.

botham

My wife and I are booked on a 320 from Ath - LHR. I tried to pay to reserve row 12 but they are unavailable, although not yet taken. When are they likely to be available?

Incidentally, my Marco Polo Gold has faded to green. Might it still work for the Finnair trick?

botham

I think I now have my answers, but is a shock to the system, In recent times I have mostly been able to book reward savers and pre-book seats using Finnair trick, but now seemingly this perk has gone and I again at the back of the queue!

I have to fly ATH-LHR in ET and cannot book exit seats until T-24, so chances are they'll be gone and my 6'4" frame will have to squeeze where it will go!

Now if AMEX were to introduce another perk...................

Deborah Pendleton

I also seem to be on an A320 with 29 rows ( exit rows 12 and 13 ) to Tenerife
I cannot book exit rows as I have a 12 year old with me. I have booked rows 9 ( outbound ) 11 inbound ....are these ok as longish flight and what are these planes like
Thanks

corporate-wage-slave

Welcome to Flyertalk, welcome to the BA Forum Deborah Pendleton, it's good to see you here. I get to work in TFS so I know how good the weather can be over there, I hope you have an enjoyable stay there. Please continue to participate here, I know a lot of lurkers are here to find out about travelling with children so your experiences will be lapped up by others.

I would NOT recommend row 11, that's rock hard, and does not recline, if the emergency exit is in 12. Row 9 is fine. There's no real need to be near the front in these situations, if the flight is not full you may prefer to be at the back where it is quieter, given it is a bit longer than a short hop flight.

Note that the restriction to emergency rows does not apply to children who are "12 years and older". I would actually look at this in common sense terms, is your 12 year old mature and fit enough to help in the very unlikely event of an emergency? Many would be, and indeed probably better able to do it than a sozzled 50 year old who never does exercise!

Deborah Pendleton

Thank you for the advice . I had not realised I could book an exit row but to be honest my son is small and skinny and does not particularly like flying so in fairness would not be great in an emergency.
I have recently flown with BA as part of a group at the back of the plane and our food drinks etc took ages to come. I always feel like we get a bit more space upfront somehow . I will however be only taking hand luggage so am a bit concerned about overhead cabin space !!

Deborah Pendleton

Ok have changed to row 14 , what do you think ? , nothing available further forward

lorcancoyle

I finally get to road test A320 exit row vs. new CE in a few weeks. Given feedback I am confidently scoffing at the POUG for £170 on the outbound! (I will hold you lot responsible for any disappointment )

martyndavid

Based on the advice here, I've selected exit row 12 (C&D) on a 20A for our flight to VIE on Thursday. Report to follow.

martyndavid

Out to VIE on a A320 (20A) in 12 C&D the second of the two exit rows. There is extra leg room in this row, but it's not as generous as on the A319. Nevertheless it's better than row 3 D&F in CE which we had on the return.


By the way, VIE airport (as usual) was a absolute scrum for yesterday afternoon's departure. The flight was delayed by about 40 mins. There was nowhere to sit in the holding pen after gate security. Scores of people were milling around the gate for about 30 mins before departure. Then the rear rows were called before CE and status pax. A real mess that could and should have been handled much better.

mlafqtv

Have recently experienced this aircraft and woud not recommend 1AC. You will be playing footosie with cabin crew during take off and landing. There is no curtain to hide the galley. And there is the potental of knocking your head on the overhead conpartments.

Even cabin crew do not recommend - read 'like' - these seats, and if CE is not full they pro-activley give the occupants the 'opportunity' to move to a spare CE seat.

2DF are fine, but these days if leg room (ie stretching out) is the aim, then non-bulkhead seats may be better, especially as the recline of the seat in front is not great in the new CE.

Hope this helps

PS have got a couple of photos of 1AC, if someone can tell me to how to upload I'm happy to share

madfish

Flying MAN/LHR tomorrow and online checkin opens in just over an hour. MMB shows that this is 20A. We have been pre-allocated 10ABC as travelling with a child. From reading these seats do not recline. This doesn't bother us much as we will hardly even be in the seats that long. However, doesn't mean the person in front wont recline.

What other seats would you recommend, given that we cannot have row 11 and 12?

Was thinking of row 5DEF with the hope that we come in over the city for the view. Although anything from row 19 onwards is completely open, so may be worth heading towards the back as may be less busy.

corporate-wage-slave

For the short flight I wouldn't worry too much, even row 11. Very few people recline their seats on Domestics, and the recline on the A320 is quite modest. Row 5 is better for getting off the aircraft reasonably quickly, if that is a factor, and would also give views too, ahead of the wing. I have a feeling it may not be offered at OLCI - they may well be pushing people down the back if the aircraft is low loaded.

If you are heading to the back, just go for a row about 4 from the back, and you should have plenty of space and quite good service too, due to the crew members based in the rear galley.