PUCCI GALORE

That, my Dear, I would enjoy greatly!

Uncle T - I would clearly let you sit in Row 1. I was always taught to give up my seat for elderly gentlemen.

MTJ Bound

LTN Phobia

Row 1 has serious disadvantages, in that you may be faced with an uncouth neighbour with smelly feet (or bare feet/dirty socks etc.) on the bulkhead, or in shoes. I can just about (only just!) cope with clean socks & unsmelly feet on the bulkhead although I really would rather not see them at my eye-height or anywhere near, but feet on bulkhead are not pleasant to see in any case. Worse if your seat neighbour decides not to eat and you are eating, looking at their feet on bulkhead (you can't avoid having them in sight).

Plus, the magazines are dirty and dog-eared because people have had feet on them too.

In addition, because people slide down the seat to put their feet on the bulkhead in Row 1, the seats tend to have more forward 'dip' than on other rows. This may or may not be ergonomically comfortable for you depending on how you sit.

Quite frequently your seat neighbour would have a DYKWIA tendency due to their rather misplaced notion that having an OWE/BA Gold is some kind of an achievement in life and they now have an entitlement to talk down to crew members as though they were dirt, which really annoys the hell out of me. (Of course, not all of them are like that, but I have encountered more than I wish to...)

So, that's my quick rundown on disadvantages of Row 1 (noting that this comment pertains to Row 1 with bulkhead, i.e. exempting some of the LGW aircraft. My comment on disadvantages of Row 1 on some of the LGW Airbus fleet is in my later post).

Aus ATC

Thanks all for the varied perspectives. I expect over 3 flights I will have the opportunity to try both options - having said that on the first leg we are travelling with another couple (who are booked in Y but with exit rows selected/paid for). I suspect the ladies will be up the front (in Row 1 or 2) enjoying the champagne, while we gents will be slumming it down the back (well middle) but with some legroom…

LTN Phobia

You might not get an opportunity to try them at all, so don't over-think this. They aren't always available, and even if they are not taken, they might be blocked. I'd certainly have zero expectation to be able to get it on GVA as it's Gold-heavy.

By the way, I recommend not taking Row 1 on LGW-GOA if you see there is no bulkhead in front of it, even if the seats are available. You will have your feet kicked/trodden on multiple times by unaware passengers as they board, it might be really cold by the door, and there might be no blanket available.... While you get the endless legroom, it is not a nice seat.

noddie09

All of the above is spot on but I would also like to add that since recently changing from Row 2 to Row 1, I feel the service has been consistently better.This could be just the crew but I am about talking about 16 CE flights in the last 3 months.

jfallesen

Row 2 person myself (preferrably 2D over 2C but I think that is just from being slightly on the autistic spectrum :-)). Being short and wide means knee space is not an issue while being crammed in between the fixed armrests in row 1 makes that very uncomfortable.

If only row 1 could not recline, all would be great.

Actually, row 2 sometimes suffers on long flights from in-flight meal-service going to rows 1 and 3 first, then moving on to 2 and 4 and so on. And yes, I have been on flights where that meant no first choice available to a row 2 passenger…

PETER01

In your 40's and you're still growing?

I'm pretty sure at the HKG Do you weren't as tall as that but maybe I was, unusually, a little under the influence at that Do a few years ago due to some excellent company

Back on topic, I find it quite interesting to read the many views of FTr's here and always (and perhaps wrongly) that GCH's would generally would pick row 1 if available.

Fatdickie

Have taken about 12 flights in CE over the past 6 months. All but a few have been in row 1, with the majority 1C or occasionally 1D.

travelling hand baggage only, I find the plus points

first off the plane
No matter how soon after the wheels hit the tarmac, you unbuckle your belt, jump up in the aisle and pull your bags from the overhead locker,...
you still have to wait for me to disembark, after I have thanked the crew and captain etc 😂

first to security..... Usually empty
​​​​​​
no bags to collect,
so first outside,
to catch the bus or train to final destination,

knowing some people are still on the plane and will be hanging about for their hold luggage.😋
And waiting 30 mins or so for the next bus

Get served meal first,
endless offers of drink refills.
Never having to wait.

Cc are almost always friendly and have time to chat about my destination and reason for travelling,
whilst sitting in jump seats or in gallery etc.

​​​​​​standing in the Priority check in queue, with DYKWIA behind me, moaning loudly about the people.... (meaning the oik in the jeans and Doc Martins in front of them) who must be in the wrong queue.....
who when boarding have to sit several rows behind said oik...

All the time knowing that I'm flying on a redemption fare costing Ł50 return 😋
​​​​​​

Cerebrito

This is the main reason for me. I don't know if I just have bad luck, but I always seem to be stuck behind someone who puts their seat right back as soon as the signs are off.

Pascoe

I tend to avoid exit and bulkhead rows on shorthaul single aisled a/c as I don't like the table setup. I always seem to find things fall off more often without the seat in front.

T8191

As BA has just cancelled our return leg from MLA in Oct, and reallocated us to the day before, we will have to experience 3D/F instead of 1A/C. Not pleased by that, or losing a day of a relatively short trip.

Successfully re-booked for a week earlier. Three sectors 1A/C and one in 1D/F

Aus ATC

So I now also discover it's not as simple as only Row 1 being the bulkhead (or none, as the case may be). The seat map for LGW-GOA A320 is missing 1D/F - so will try 2D/F as a bulkhead seat which as a lowly OWS I can pre-select.

PETER01

Can you go a day forward the other way and slightly extending your trip? Late in but an over night in LGW would be doable then onto JER then following morning?

Lefly

I choose the first row wherever I can, BA or other. The only real downside for me is being forced to put the bag in the overhead bins.
Leg space, no one in front, being able to simply walk past the seat neighbor when at the window, good chance of food first choice... IMO/IME they are well worth the hassle of storing everything in the bins.