First Class Seat Selection Question
 

Maybe we should get a sticky for these types of questions since I see them come up often and we have a sticky for Economy Comfort seats but I just booked a trip in F (Great A fare for a long weekend) and have the following seats and am wondering if anyone has any recommendations on whether I should switch. Even though I'm 6'4, I usually don't mind the bulkhead row because one is reclining into me, unless the legroom is really restrictive in the first row due to the bulkhead. Mrs. FDJ87 is only 5'1 so usually any restriction on legroom doesn't impact her like it will me.

Flight 1:
737-800: 1A/B

Flight 2:
757-300: 1C/D
**According to Seatguru (not as reliable as it used to be), it says 1A/B have cutouts for leg extension but it doesn't say anything about cutouts for 1C/D. 1A/B are taken so I can't switch to these seats. Are there cutouts in 1C/D as well?

Flight 3:
A319: 1C/D

Flight 4:
737-800: 1C/D

I don't mind the bulkheads on Delta. I don't have feedback on each plane, but on Delta it my row of choice when flying alone so I am not reclined on.
My wife does not like to not have a bag in front of her, so when flying with her, I need to avoid the bulkhead.

I find the recline to be TOO much on DL. I am willing to give up some leg room to avoid that. I am also an aisle seat person so often times you can stick your leg out the aisle somewhat.

Yeah, it might be worth the risk for OP to try these bulkhead seats since presumably his wife will take the window and he can stretch out into the aisle a bit if necessary. It's the window bulkhead seats that are bad when the wall severely curtails legroom.

Or OP can do what lady did next to me the other day in same situation. Take off shoes (no socks), and use bulk head 'wall' as your own private foot rest!
And her feet were gnarly.
Cheers!

Thanks for the feedback. I usually prefer the window (so long as I'm in a seat with additional legroom - exit row, EC, or FC) but when I fly with my wife, I usually take the aisle and give her the window since I've taken 350 flights in my lifetime and her only a few dozen.

Anyone who regularly gets to fly up front know about the cutouts in Row 1 on the 753?

This surely depends on the variant of the 757 being used, which is highly subject to change due to aircraft swaps.

I believe the cutouts are there on CD on the 753, and they are a nice touch. Keep in mind all carryons have to go in the bins, as obviously there's no seat in front of you to store stuff. Don't know if that is an issue or not.

I, too, prefer the bulkheads in F on DL. If unavailable, I like the last row so I can recline guilt-free....

I know that's an issue with the 752 (which I have experienced way too many times), but is it an issue with the 753? I thought the 753s were fairly consistent - terrible condition, but consistent.

Thanks. ^
I usually put my stuff in the bin to give myself more legroom (unless I have two bags - then I know to put my second bag under the seat). My wife sometimes likes her stuff under the seat (especially since at her height, she can have trouble getting stuff into or out of the bin) but I don't mind standing up to get her stuff for her or bringing the bag she needs down once we get up to cruising altitude and she doesn't mind having it at her feet, even in the bulkhead row.

I'm 5'10" and find the bulkheads to be a little annoying when stretching my legs out. The recline from pax in front of you is only really an issue when trying to get in/out of the seat from the window, I don't find it bothers me while I'm sitting in the seat.

If I'm traveling alone, then my preference is non bulkhead aisle, but if only window seats are available then I prefer bulkhead window which is a lot easier to get in and out of during the flight. If you are the type that never gets up, then window non bulkhead would be better, imo.

I just recently flew on the 737 in F from ATL to SJD. 3+ hour flight. I'm 6'5" and was wrestling with this same question for me and the Mrs. We ended up taking the last row of F, and it was great. You can stretch your legs out all the way and recline "guilt free", as DLdweeb put it. When you are in full recline, if the person in front of you goes back, it's not that bad.

Personally, I'd only take row 1 if it was a shorter flight.

In the days of old, Delta rarely gave the FC bulkheads any kind of cutout, but NW went to great lengths to try and provide extra legroom for the bulkhead.

The 737-800 is DL equipment and will not have any sort of cutout for the bulkhead in FC. I find the seat quite cramped and prefer either 4B or 4C as you can recline due to the partition / curtain between the cabins.

The A319 is NW equipment and will have a slight cutout, but tolerable for a short flight.

The 757-300 is also NW equipment, but as mentioned before, DL will swap the 757 equipment quite frequently, so don't get your hopes up too high. 1A&B have cutouts which make it OK, but the big thing is no one reclining into you. Please note that it can be hard to see the monitor from 1A, and yes, the 300 variant has the old screens in the ceiling.

You will be very uncomfortable on the 737-800. If it is a long flight your legs will likely have seized up by the end. Row 1 on the A319 was my favorite seat in the NW fleet. The cutout is not huge but you should be comfortable unless you're trying to stretch your legs out to sleep. The 757 could be very comfortable, if you get one with the big cutouts, or not so much (but not as bad as the 737-800).

I too prefer bulkheads to avoid reclines in my face, and relatively easy exit to the aisle without disturbing your seatmate. But on some DL planes the foot and leg room is so minimal it outweighs those advantages.

Trust me mate, that ain't no lady.

Do NOT however pick the last row on the 757 with live TV. That row has less legroom!! I learned that the hard way many many years ago