Economy seats more comfortable than first for sitting
Jan 19, 2020, 3:49 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 34
Economy seats more comfortable than first for sitting
Unless the F seat is in lie flat mode (which is definitely better than E) I think I'm typically more physically comfortable in an E seat if I'm sitting.
Anyone else get this?
Obviously service/food is better, having elbow room is better, not having the entertainment screen 3 inches from your face is better...
I think it might be that the seat pan is too long for me in F. Also unless the F seat is brand new I feel the seats with a lie flat mode tend to slope in weird ways over time that I find hard to deal with compared to hard flat E seats.
Anyone else get this?
Obviously service/food is better, having elbow room is better, not having the entertainment screen 3 inches from your face is better...
I think it might be that the seat pan is too long for me in F. Also unless the F seat is brand new I feel the seats with a lie flat mode tend to slope in weird ways over time that I find hard to deal with compared to hard flat E seats.
Jan 19, 2020, 3:52 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: middle of nowhere, formerly TYO/EWR
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Posts: 213
Not to get too personal, but we might need to know more about your body proportions to have an idea why that might be. 
At least for me I've very uniformly found domestic first seats way more comfortable than economy seats. I generally don't have butt-discomfort though in either seat, so perhaps I will more carefully analyze it on my upcoming flights...
At least for me I've very uniformly found domestic first seats way more comfortable than economy seats. I generally don't have butt-discomfort though in either seat, so perhaps I will more carefully analyze it on my upcoming flights...
Jan 19, 2020, 3:53 pm
#3
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Unless the F seat is in lie flat mode (which is definitely better than E) I think I'm typically more physically comfortable in an E seat if I'm sitting.
Anyone else get this?
Obviously service/food is better, having elbow room is better, not having the entertainment screen 3 inches from your face is better...
I think it might be that the seat pan is too long for me in F. Also unless the F seat is brand new I feel the seats with a lie flat mode tend to slope in weird ways over time that I find hard to deal with compared to hard flat E seats.
Anyone else get this?
Obviously service/food is better, having elbow room is better, not having the entertainment screen 3 inches from your face is better...
I think it might be that the seat pan is too long for me in F. Also unless the F seat is brand new I feel the seats with a lie flat mode tend to slope in weird ways over time that I find hard to deal with compared to hard flat E seats.
The added space is a different issue.
Jan 19, 2020, 6:59 pm
#6
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
I can't think of any time that I've been more comfortable in Y than F on the same plane. I'm tall enough that I appreciate the long seat pan (I actually find that a lot of seats have too short of a seat pan). I'm 6'2 though.
And the worst lie flat I've ever been on (even an angled lie flat) is better than the best economy seat. It's not close.
If we are talking about different airlines and different planes, you could make an argument that a JL "sky wider" economy seat (8 across 2-4-2 on the 787) is superior to a lot of domestic F. But I haven't flown it yet (though I'm seriously considering lifting my self-imposed ban on long-haul Y out of curiosity)
And the worst lie flat I've ever been on (even an angled lie flat) is better than the best economy seat. It's not close.
If we are talking about different airlines and different planes, you could make an argument that a JL "sky wider" economy seat (8 across 2-4-2 on the 787) is superior to a lot of domestic F. But I haven't flown it yet (though I'm seriously considering lifting my self-imposed ban on long-haul Y out of curiosity)
Jan 20, 2020, 3:50 am
#7
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I would have to agree with you in some circumstances. But it really depends on how you are sat in Y.
In my case, I was CPUed for GUM-HKG (operation ceased) to J (but new domestic F seat). But almost the entire E+ section was empty. I was able to switch my J seat with my seatmate (I had the window seat) and I grabbed the entire row of E+ all by myself. The FA did not care, but just asked to come back to J for dinner.
So yes - if F vs the entire E+ row, I would say E+ is better.
In my case, I was CPUed for GUM-HKG (operation ceased) to J (but new domestic F seat). But almost the entire E+ section was empty. I was able to switch my J seat with my seatmate (I had the window seat) and I grabbed the entire row of E+ all by myself. The FA did not care, but just asked to come back to J for dinner.
So yes - if F vs the entire E+ row, I would say E+ is better.
Jan 20, 2020, 8:54 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,375
Polaris J seats on 787-10 are much more narrower, some prefer Prem+
(787 fuselage is 1.5feet narrower than 77w, but 787 has 1-2-1 J and
2-3-2 PRem+ while 77w had 1-2-1 J and 2-4-2 prem+)
Everything you want to know about where to sit on the 787-10
(787 fuselage is 1.5feet narrower than 77w, but 787 has 1-2-1 J and
2-3-2 PRem+ while 77w had 1-2-1 J and 2-4-2 prem+)
Everything you want to know about where to sit on the 787-10
Last edited by paperwastage; Jan 20, 2020 at 9:00 am
Jan 20, 2020, 10:45 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SEA, SFO, PRG
Programs: UA 1k, Delta Gold
Posts: 77
Unless the F seat is in lie flat mode (which is definitely better than E) I think I'm typically more physically comfortable in an E seat if I'm sitting.
Anyone else get this?
Obviously service/food is better, having elbow room is better, not having the entertainment screen 3 inches from your face is better...
I think it might be that the seat pan is too long for me in F. Also unless the F seat is brand new I feel the seats with a lie flat mode tend to slope in weird ways over time that I find hard to deal with compared to hard flat E seats.
Anyone else get this?
Obviously service/food is better, having elbow room is better, not having the entertainment screen 3 inches from your face is better...
I think it might be that the seat pan is too long for me in F. Also unless the F seat is brand new I feel the seats with a lie flat mode tend to slope in weird ways over time that I find hard to deal with compared to hard flat E seats.
Yes, but I'm pushing 6'7 (2m) department. Any upgrade to bulkhead A320 or similar, I politely but firmly decline from my exit row seat.
Jan 20, 2020, 10:55 am
#13
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,557
Not to get too personal, but we might need to know more about your body proportions to have an idea why that might be. At least for me I've very uniformly found domestic first seats way more comfortable than economy seats. I generally don't have butt-discomfort though in either seat, so perhaps I will more carefully analyze it on my upcoming flights...
At least for me I've very uniformly found domestic first seats way more comfortable than economy seats. I generally don't have butt-discomfort though in either seat, so perhaps I will more carefully analyze it on my upcoming flights...
Jan 20, 2020, 10:56 am
#14
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 350
i'd take row 21 with an empty middle over F any day. more legroom and more elbow room. i do find the seat generally more comfortable. some of the domestic F seats make me feel hunched forward and i don't like them at all. i downgrade many of my flights less than 2 hours. the Y snack box is also usually better than the F snack basket.
Jan 20, 2020, 10:57 am
#15
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I sympathise with the OP’s thoughts. Some of the Biz class seats when upright hit me in the back of the knee which is very uncomfortable after an hour or so - particularly the pmCO seats. So I wouldn’t want an upgrade westbound on those but I still want it overnight eastbound.