Gig103

I ended up in Row 1 once (at T-72 b/c I've never been OWE) and honestly, I'd go back to Row 2 in the future. I prefer, as bhbloke said, the "stretch your legs out" option, plus not having the tray table in the arm, plus having space for a small bag at my feet to easily reach during flight.

Gastrocnemius

They are probably doing the same to you when they reach row three.......

T8191

We used to be dedicated Row 2, with our petite carry-ons under the seat in front (ideally under the non-existent 1B. I fully understand those who prefer that row, especially with the Row 1 overhead locker issue.

Yet, somehow, we have migrated to 1A/C. I could cite a few reasons:

• Quicker service, especially on short, multi-row flights such as JER-LGW
• Leg-room, and the open space on some s/h airframes doesn’t bother us.
• Less enclosed compared with a ‘normal row’.
• Snob value

The negatives remain:

• Overhead locker space, alleviated by being nimble Group 1 boarders.
• Back-pack battering in 1C, although I have started retaliating verbally.
• The ‘Queue for the Loo’.

AnaTravel

My preference in CE is for row two. As I'm 5 4" leg room isn't an issue. My husband is 6' and fine on short flights with row two. I don't choose being on the row in front of the curtain or beyond row four. Row one seems to be more exposed and 'gawped at' in as people board. Also the hassles others have mentioned above.

simon stingray

We prefer row 1 because we seem to get looked after better.

On a Athens-Heathrow flight a couple of years ago our glasses were never empty. Even after meal service was complete and the crew had retreated to the forward galley with the curtain closed, the wonderful crew member popped her head around the curtain every 10 mins or so to look if our glasses needed topping up with fizz.

She even convinced us to have another quick one well after the cabin had been prepared for landing.

subject2load

Tocsin

Agree about 1C - but as Mrs T likes the window seat... My policy now is to get on early to grab some overhead, then I'll lean against the bulkhead (luckily haven't been on the 'open plan' model) until boarding is complete - no bag/ arm-banging and no eye contact

bisonrav

1C gives a bit of extra legroom as you can stretch into the galley slightly and the bulkhead is slightly offset. You learn to dodge the backpacks after a while.

PETER01

I used to like row 2-3 but now much prefer row 1 as I find it nice having no passengers in front of you. I might be in the minority of liking 1C as once everyone has boarded, and avoiding the bag swingers boarding which is quite easy I think, you can stretch your legs out given the bulkhead is a little shorter than the 1 A/C side. It was easy to get locker space as it was G1, 2-3 and 4-5 in separate lanes both at EDI and LHR, strictly enforced too.

Of course your served first and if folks think I'm a kn0b then that's their issue and I honestly couldn't really care less what others may think because I'm in that row. It's not always Golds in there and it's it's just a nice perk for those who like it to have it as an option to choose at the time of booking.

I couldn't get row 1 on the inbound last weekend due to it being a very last minute booking, as in the day before, and ended up in row 5. I still enjoyed it though including putting my feet under the seat in front but other than that I'd still go for row 1 which was surprisingly still free on the outbound.

Service was excellent on both but a tad slicker on the way down to LHR. The 7 rows and 23 passengers of the CE cabin were done and dusted in about 25 minutes from wheels up as I timed it.

A lovely chicken salad on the way down and a Parma Ham one on the way back. Both were excellent in the presentation, taste and quality. CE food has very much improved from in my experiences.

PUCCI GALORE

I am a Row 1 girl. I like the fact that no one can lower their wretched seat on to me. I have another reason. You get asked your meal choice first and your drinks are the first out. On the bulkhead-less aircraft, I tale 1C when I am with HI, and 1A when alone as HI enjoys looking out of the window. When there is a bulkhead I find the space perfectly adequate. As for the looks - I've never had any because they know by looking Who I Am - as for the toilets I don't care. If however I people are queuing then I call for a crew member to please sort it out. It has only happened a couple of times in six years, and only is a bother when there is no bulkhead.

Have any of you noticed that Flightdeck seem to have bladders the size of grapes the amount of times that they go to the toilet? I noticed that from a long way back.

PUCCI GALORE

Quite right too! When they pay my fares, then their opinion matters. I will do nothing to cause offense (my shoes stay on as does the rest of my apparel.) I do not put my feet on bulkheads any more than I would put my feet on bulkheads or the seat in front to name but two charming habits that need stamping on - but what people think as I am in CE is their problem and not mine. If they think that they are crazy paying more than they did, then they could be wrong. Sometimes it dearer in WT then CE which is a phenomenon that I fail to comprehend.

I agree about the food as well I might add.

eefor jfp

If you're at all claustrophobic, avoid row 1 (1C is doable). Since I am, I much prefer row 2. My main routes are fairly touristy and so even though there are a lot of passengers in biz, there aren't very many golds. So the service is good in row 2, you get your choice of meals, and you don't have to look straight at the bulkhead for hours at a time.

PETER01

I wholeheartedly agree and I also tend to ignore what's going on in the cabin unless it's affecting me or going to affect me directly. How we'd have a good old chat if you were seated next to me, but I digress there

T8191

I’m frankly surprised that 1A/C aren’t permanently allocated to PUCCI ... unless she decides she doesn’t need them at T-24h.

Travelling Inspector

I'm now inclined to 2C rather than 1A - I'm fairly tall but find there's sufficient legroom, and I prefer to be able to put my smaller bag for easy access under the seat in front (in front of 2B, to be precise, because if Theoretical Seating is doing its job there's no one in 2A). I've also taken to checking my larger bag in most circumstances - no worries about liquids, no fretting about whether the crew will have left any space in the forward overhead lockers - except if I'm keen to be near the front of the queue at the car hire counter (flashing the Avis Preferred card to get priority engenders far more dirty looks than sitting in 1A! - and doesn't always work). For me the main problems in rows with a seat in front are the dreaded recliners, and - how can I put this? - the table usually presses uncomfortably into my embonpoint... It's sometimes a difficult choice between the food and drink in the front and the spaciousness of the exit row further back.