Air Canada- ? about first row of economy preferred seats

[NOLA_Tink]

Hi, Dis-buddies. We recently booked a really long flight with AirCanada & DH asked me to pay the $40 upgrade for economy preferred seats My question is: if you are siting in the first row of economy preferred seats behind first class, is there a place to slide your small carryon bag or do you need to store your bag in the overhead bin? I prefer the convenience of having my bag within arm's reach, but we also like being close to the front for faster exiting. Thanks for any insight you can give!

 

[minnie mum]

DH likes that first row behind the bulkhead for the leg room. I hate it because I have to put my bag in the overhead for takeoff and landing. Also, the seat is narrower, because the tray table folds down into the arm rest. I prefer the row behind that first row.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

Hi, Dis-buddies. We recently booked a really long flight with AirCanada & DH asked me to pay the $40 upgrade for economy preferred seats My question is: if you are siting in the first row of economy preferred seats behind first class, is there a place to slide your small carryon bag or do you need to store your bag in the overhead bin? I prefer the convenience of having my bag within arm's reach, but we also like being close to the front for faster exiting. Thanks for any insight you can give!

I always book the first row in preferred economy when we fly AC to MCO... It's row 12 on the Airbus 320 (which is actually the fifth row on the plane) right behind business class.. I have always had lots of room under the seat ahead to store a backpack (grandson's) and my oversized travel purse.

 

[minnie mum]

OP, does your reservation tell you the type of aircraft you'll be flying on? Seat guru.com should have the seat diagrams, so you'll know if you have a bulkhead there or not.

 

[xlxo]

With stories of carry-on storage being maxed out for late boarders.... my new strategy is to sit in the back of the plane... first to board and this guarantee's my carry-ons are on board with me. It's more challenging now that they increased the number of rows (less legroom), but have not increased cabin storage.

I guess you would get priority with the "hard landings"....

 

[hcortesis]

With stories of carry-on storage being maxed out for late boarders.... my new strategy is to sit in the back of the plane... first to board and this guarantee's my carry-ons are on board with me. It's more challenging now that they increased the number of rows (less legroom), but have not increased cabin storage.

Air Canada boards by Zone (1-5) and not by rows. Sitting in the back doesn't guarantee first to board.

 

[NOLA_Tink]

Thanks, everyone! You've been extremely helpful! I had checked out seatguru, but it has conflicting info about one of our planes. (The map indicates one thing, but the users' comments state something else.) I really appreciate the feedback! We're going to sit on the second row of the economy preferred section, just to be sure that I can have my bag nearby. Thanks for helping me out!!

 

[xlxo]

Sitting in the back doesn't guarantee first to board.

True.. however sitting further back means paying less.... but guaranteeing my carry-on's are not air mailed to the baggage hold.

 

[Donald - my hero]

Hi, Dis-buddies. We recently booked a really long flight with AirCanada & DH asked me to pay the $40 upgrade for economy preferred seats My question is: if you are siting in the first row of economy preferred seats behind first class, is there a place to slide your small carryon bag or do you need to store your bag in the overhead bin? I prefer the convenience of having my bag within arm's reach, but we also like being close to the front for faster exiting. Thanks for any insight you can give!

OK i *might* be able to answer this question if you give me a few more details ... Where are you flying to and from? You said LONG flight ... any chance you mean trans-Atlantic? You said there is a First Class section ... if there is no physical dividing wall the first row in the preferred economy is NOT a bulkhead seat and the leg/foot room is AWESOME .. if there is a wall ... i actually sat in this seat and really did NOT like it, the tv comes up out of the arm rest and sits at a bizarre angle that makes it hard to watch and doesn't tilt so the glare from the overhead lights was not fun!
The problem you might be having with comparing seat guru is if the flight is carrying on from YOUR destination (say from Toronto to Vancouver for you but then heading to China) you actually need to look at the map for the second leg of your flight.

To make a long story much shorter .. choose the any row other than the 1st or last of that section and YES the legroom is more than worth the cost and you'll have plenty of room for all of your carry-on bags! I'd also recommend choosing window/aisle seat if it's a 3 - 4 - 3 configuration because in preferred there are only 2 seats in those rows.

 

[samsteele]

The other thing to keep in mind is that young families with infants and toddlers love those rows as well because there is a bit more room for their baby accessories & equipment. Problem with this is that with pressurization, babies & toddlers will scream and cry all through the flight. One of the parents will then jump up repeatedly in the night and carry the screaming child up and down the aisle beside the first few rows near their seat to try to settle them. This has happened to me x2 with Air Canada transatlantic flights to Europe. I now won't take a seat anywhere near the bulk head and always pack foam earplugs. I just book an aisle seat near/over the wing. If you have long legs, consider the seats on top of the emergency door over the wing. At least a bit of a buffer betw you and the crying babies.

 

[tiggerrr]

Hi, Dis-buddies. We recently booked a really long flight with AirCanada & DH asked me to pay the $40 upgrade for economy preferred seats My question is: if you are siting in the first row of economy preferred seats behind first class, is there a place to slide your small carryon bag or do you need to store your bag in the overhead bin? I prefer the convenience of having my bag within arm's reach, but we also like being close to the front for faster exiting. Thanks for any insight you can give!

The only aircraft that Air Canada flies where the first row behind Business Class has underseat storage ahead of you is the Airbus 319/320/321 family. All other aircraft have either a hard wall or some other barrier to storing ahead of you. There are several other potential issues with that first row, even if you have seat storage ahead of you. In all cases, the table trays are stored in your armrest, which means you cant raise the armrest, resulting in narrower seats. The next problem is that if you have no status with Air Canada, the preferred seats put you in boarding Zone 5 (which is last). Because Air Canada allows it's elite flyers to board first and they can select those seats for free (or heavily discounted), the overhead space in that area will be taken up by the time you board if the flight is full. So, in those cases, you are much better off selecting a Preferred seat other than the first row (if available on your aircraft) because at least you are guaranteed storage ahead of you and the extra legroom.

One other note, even if you do get an A319/320/321 where there is underseat storage ahead of you, there are only two slots ahead of you for the two business class seats. Which means you may board with one of the spots taken up, if an elite flyer is beside you and boards early. Plus, the middle seat has the In Flight Entertainment unit in the armrest as well as the table, because there are only two seats ahead to mount it.

Many elite flyers like these seats, but if you have no status, choose another Preferred seat.

EDIT: I just saw the post ahead of me and I want to second the baby issue. Particularly on most wide body jets, Air Canada actually has bassinets built into the bulkhead wall for babies.

 

[Canadian Girl]

I flew to China and paid the $120.00 dollars for the extra leg room. Worth every penny although the seats are narrower as someone else said and you have to stow your purse until the seatbelt sign is off. On the return flight I opted not to. Big mistake. Never again on AC for a 14 hour flight. MCO is doable though if the price is right for economy.