Definitely prefer back. First on, no problem finding overhead space. It doesn't really take that much longer to deplane. It may seem like forever, but it's really only a couple minutes.

Sitting in front of the wings not only gets you off earlier, it is a lot quieter as well. And if you have a window seat, the view is less likely to be obstructed.

Count me in for taking the back row to spread out. On a recent SFO-IAD redeye, I talked my way to the GA to give me the entire last row to myself. The FA werent happy about that since they normally use that row to nod off.

rgds,
drew

NW gives their Plats a 1000 mile bonus if they don't get the UG on a domestic flight. For BDL-DTW-MKE-DTW-BDL, I'd rather have the 4000 miles than a ug to FC where the flights are all less than 1.5 hours and don't have a meal.

I consider myself a seasoned traveler but admittedly am quite green when it comes to working the system for miles, status, and upgrades (I try and fail every time I fly internationally--2-4 times per year--to upgrade using miles). Since I'm pretty much accruing miles the old-fashioned way, I'd rather pay less to sit in back than spend two paychecks for premium creature comforts. Maybe someday I'll figure out the tricks of the trade, but not today. Just have to live vicariously through you folks for now.

I'm one of those, uh, rear-lovin' people. I'm only 5'8", so snagging an exit row is unimportant; only travel for leisure, so never feel like rushing off a plane; and relish when fate deals me an empty seat alongside, in which your odds increase the further back one goes. I love being on planes, so what's the hurry?!

I'll always pre-reserve a seat a few rows from the back (not too toilet-close), and always a window (like one person said, I hate the wings to obstruct the view). Even on a near-full flight, there are going to be more empties in back than front, and the less crowded it feels the better. When it's time to deplane, I'll never stand up and wait five minutes til people start moving, I'll just sit at the window watching the tarmac action or the hurried pax inside rushing to get their carry-ons in hand when the people cluster is minutes away from moving. I'll usually be amongst the last to deplane, so that I can do so leisurely, and, particularly after a long-haul flight, can slowly observe row after row of the Tasmanian-Devil-like mess left on the floor.

I feel the turbulences are not so much when sitting in the front than in the back.

On widebodies, especially if they seem very full during OLCI, I often try to snag one of the seats in the back just after where the configuration goes from 3-x-3 to 2-x-2. On some airplanes (eg. most 747s), the extra "half a seat" to the side and in front comes in very handy for stretching my legs, keeping carryon in reach, etc.

But on short-hauls, tight connections or destinations where it's important to get a head start on immigration queues, I prefer as far up from as possible.

I fly a lot on older Russian planes, and you can get a lot of engine fumes which always seem worse at the back.

I recall a DV trip GYDBAK on an AN24 in October 2007 when the fumes were almost choking point - if there had been functioning oxygen masks, I might have asked for them to be deployed. At least noone cares on DV if you use your mobile phone in flight....

Plus TU3 is definitely bumpier at the back even in clear air.

I always try to sit in the back of whatever section I'm in (not necessarily the back of the plane), because I hate seat-grabbers!! Anytime I sit in a row that has seats behind me, I always end up with some jerk seat-grabber or seat-kicker behind me. Or someone who for whatever reason feels compelled to rearrange everything in the seat pocket every 30 seconds, thereby jostling my seat repeatedly.

And for the record, I never recline on domestic flights in Y, but people kick, grab, and jostle my seat anyway.

One of my favorite inventions is the lie-flat business class seat that has a protective shell around it (like on JAL). I can sit anywhere and be completely free from seat-grabbing and kicking. It is pure bliss!

Did I mention that I hate seat-grabbers? To all you seat-grabbers out there: You SUCK!!

The back of the plane with the unwashed masses in steerage class??? Eeeeewwwwwww...

I sit up front whenever possible, which is most of the time (Thanks to last minute Y tix...) and in the exit rows the remainder of the time. I'd rather not deal with lav funk and I generally need to get off the plane quickly to make a connection.

The thing I really hate about sitting in the back and boarding late is when all the storage bins are already taken as I take my seat.

IME of 27 year's biz travel, I've found that my odds of obtaining more personal space and comfort are greater by far in the back.

Yes, there may be more engine noise, but I'm oblivious with my headphones. I also almost always carry on my bag, so unless I've got a super-tight connection, I'm more than willing to defer the extra 3-5 minutes getting off the plane to those in front of me who think gaining that is a big deal.

In general I prefer flying in the back unless I'm going somewhere where I have to go through immigration. Then I want to be as close to the exit as possible.

On Southwest, if I can't get the exit row aisle seat, my preferred seats are 15-16-17C (out of 23). Far enough back to get to the bathroom easily during the drink service, and far enough back that nobody takes the center seat if the flight is only 3/4 full.