However as somebody who flies 1000’s of miles per yr to locations as near dwelling as Norfolk, Va., and so far as Dubai — primarily in economic system — my selection of seat issues virtually as a lot as the place I’m touring.
I don’t anticipate to have many supporters, however sitting behind the aircraft could be higher than the entrance of economic system.
One of many largest complaints about sitting within the final row is being near the rest room, nevertheless it’s a nonissue for me. I drink plenty of water on flights to fight dehydration, so I make a number of journeys to the rest room, even on shorter flights. And any foul odors emitting from the rest room are simply taken care of by slipping on a masks or asking a flight attendant to freshen it up.
Whereas many vacationers understandably e-book nearer to the entrance to be the primary off the aircraft, I not often rush to deplane except I’ve a connection. I’ve additionally discovered that airways typically don’t cost a charge to sit down within the again, in contrast to the exit row, which may price almost $100 on some routes on U.S. airways.
Whereas I’ve largely booked last-row seats on short- and medium-haul flights, equivalent to to Miami or Los Angeles from my dwelling in NYC, I’m not against doing so on a long-haul flight. In actual fact, a number of the finest seats on long-haul flights could be discovered towards the again.
Maybe the perfect instance is on Singapore Airways’s longest flight on this planet — a whopping 18-hour-and-50-minute nonstop flight from New York.
Singapore flies an all-business and premium economic system Airbus A350-900 ultra-long-range jet on the route. There are simply 94 seats in premium economic system, a far cry from different long-haul routes that match as many as 300 seats behind the business-class curtain. Many of the premium economic system part is located in a 2-4-2 configuration, that means there are two seats on both aspect of the fuselage and 4 seats within the center.
Rows 40 by means of 42 have the coveted solo seats and haven’t any neighbor, a boon on a flight taking over a lot of the day. However a solo seat in Row 42 may probably be the perfect premium economic system seat in the home — even when SeatGuru doesn’t agree — because of it not having a seat behind it. Which means vacationers can recline generously (the seats have a 38-inch pitch) with out worrying about disrupting the passenger behind you.
On shorter flights, reserving the again row means I can recline (with some restrictions) with out bumping into the knees of the passenger behind me and keep away from a passive-aggressive grievance or, worse, a damaged laptop computer or pill.
Nonetheless, it looks as if I’m the outlier right here. Many cabin crew and frequent fliers scoff on the thought of volunteering (or spending cash, in some instances) to sit down within the again. I spoke to Dave, a former flight attendant for a significant U.S. airline, about sitting behind the aircraft (Dave requested that we use his first identify solely to talk candidly).
He stated there’s “no actual benefit” in sitting behind the aircraft.
Toilets, Dave stated, are typically towards the again, and the galley on many quick and medium-haul jets are additionally normally within the rear as nicely. The largest discourager, although: Turbulence tends to be felt extra the additional you might be off the wings, Dave stated.
Even understanding these details to be true, I’m nonetheless reserving a seat someplace within the final two rows. Having peace to recline is value it — even when it means vacationers coming out and in of the rest room.
Victoria M. Walker is a Brooklyn-based journey author. You’ll be able to comply with her on Twitter: @vikkie.
