You got it! BOS to SYD, had no interest in an LAX layover, and couldn't get the timing right for one in Qatar. My flight is in 2 weeks, so sounds like I should hopefully be good.

When I was flying a lot with Cathay Pre-COVID I would always book the priority seat in J class, at least 20 + flights. Not once did I get kicked out or moved from that seat.

I would do A-D-(next row)A, or G-K-(next row) K.

We travel with 2 kids, and being on the same aisle does come in handy, even though we are taking turns being responsible for /watching over kids & sleeping/chilling most of the time (ie even if 1 parent isn’t needed at all/could be on the other aisle).

Just easier to be able to get to the needed spot quickly if/when a need arises (seatbelt/tantrum/emergency).

So I was on 16a and must say that 17a has better window alignment. 15a had the same as 16a

16A

17A

I see that 60A/K are popular here, but what about 59A/C/H/K? I will be travelling LHR-HKG-BNE with my 5-month pregnant partner, who I believe will benefit from being able to access the toilets undisturbed (as well as being able to settle without having to let others out). We've chosen the Economy Flex fare, so we have essentially already "paid" for the additional cost of extra legroom seats.

The flaws I can foresee are:

• Narrower seats due to the tray/IFE armrests.
• People congregating near the exit whilst waiting for the bathroom.
• Bags in overhead storage.
• 60A/K squeezing past.
• IFE stowed for T/O and landing.

Are there any other problems I'm missing? Excluding the above, are these still reasonable seats?

Any one with experience in 19A on A359? Does it get noisy in the galley or no? I'm currently in 18G and wondering if I should move for more privacy and a window since I am alone.

Sometimes crew chat back there but the J class galley used for food prep is the forward one, not the one you're referring to.

I would chose 19A over 18G any day as a solo traveler. I'm not thrilled with Aria but I'd say this is the biggest problem it solves for, which is the D/G combos are kinda behind the times when it comes to solo traveler privacy. The A/K seats are great. Depending on your flight length and time I sometimes pick back of 35G cabin over 12A/K. For a long-haul night flight I definitely would go 19 over 12.

Thanks! It is indeed a long haul night flight so 19A it is.

Does your partner require a seatbelt extension? If so she would be ineligible for any exit row seat.

don’t think pregnant pax are eligible for emex

If there is any sign of pregnancy, you will be asked about it. If so, you will be bumped to another seat, which might be undesirable.

I’ve actually since done this flight, at 21 and 24 weeks pregnant. We weren’t spoken to about the pregnancy (or at all! No briefing about emex procedures/literature, which I found surprising). Had I spotted anything in the booking process that would’ve said we couldn’t have sat there, I admittedly wouldn’t have booked them, but at this gestation my partner was still physically capable of opening the door, so we “passed” that test.

my summary of the seats: above concerns were largely correct, but I’d still recommend them overall. Much, much better than the equivalent seats in the 3-4-3 B777, which suffer from the two solid armrests on both sides of each seat.

May I confirm that 59A / exit row seats recline like normal economy seats? Booking one for ORD-HKG.

Separate question - if I want to put my carry on luggage on the floor in front of me as a foot rest, do you think I'd be immediately told off by the flight attendants ?

Without question not for takeoff or landing, it's not allowed.

I don't have experience in the bulkheads in Y recently, but I sit in bulkheads in J all the time (where I am sitting now as I type this!), and sometimes have stuff on my feet during the flight - absolutely no problem. I don't see why Y would be any different

But I see from Aerolopa 59A is an exit row on 35K, which is what CX uses to ORD (a350-1000). Seeing as we have quite a long taxi right now, I had a little fun searched through Cap 448C, which I think is the relevant text, in part 46 (2). It states:

"Whenever an aircraft to which this Article applies is carrying passengers, every exit therefrom and every internal door in the aircraft shall be in working order, and during take-off and landing and during any emergency, every such exit and door shall be kept free of obstruction and shall not be fastened by locking or otherwise so as to prevent, hinder or delay its use by passengers:, Provided that:"

(The "provided that's" I don't think are relevant for this)

So my interpretation is technically it could be allowed during the main section of the flight, per the law. But as to whether the FAs will permit it, or there is another rule I'm missing (whether HK law or CX policy), I'm not sure. And also, it could easily be interpreted to mean that having it there during flight would prevent it from being unobstructed during an emergency, as the law requires.

(14 minute taxi and counting!)

As far as I could tell, they reclined as normal.

I saw someone get “told off” for having their bag in front of them, before they’d finished loading passengers. I used my removed shoes as a small footrest, and didn’t get noticed. It was dark however and they’d have been somewhat obscured by the blanket.