Under seat leg room in Qantas economy
 

I've also posted the following message to the Australia board.

My husband and I (and a couple of friends) are flying Qantas from LAX to SYD in August; the plane is listed as a 744. In cattle car, which seats are recommended? (I know, I know—none! However, that’s where we’ll be.)

Normally, we both choose an aisle seat so we can get up and walk about without disturbing anyone, but SeatGuru says that “Under seats C, D, G and H there are boxes for the entertainment system that reduce your legroom”—that would be every single aisle seat. Has anyone had experience of this and how much room is taken up by the boxes?

We’d rather not have window and next as it would mean climbing over another passenger many, many times, especially for my husband who has long legs and needs to walk the plane a lot.

I’m wondering if row 70, the first row where it goes to a two seat configuration, might be a good choice? The aisle seat, of course, would have the under seat box, but DH would have room to stretch his legs out in the wide gap between the seat and the side of the plane. I know it is near the back lavatories and the open area where people like to congregate and talk and stretch, but being four rows from that area, it might not be too bad.

Definitely the back rows of 2. We had the very last row and it was great.

Did you check out www.seatguru.com? You want to avoid the seats that have the video equipment underneath because it will restrict your legroom.

Qantas does have a full free bar, wine with dinner, ice cream for dessert and hot chocolate. They also have video on demand so if you can't sleep, you will have over 100 movies to choose from.

Enjoy your trip. Since seating is 3x4x3, have you consider two isle seats across from each other?

If you can snag any of the coveted 2-seat rows at the back of the cabin, consider yourself lucky. If you have to travel in coach, they're the best. Easy to get in/out of them and no strangers to climb over. They are taken early, so don't wait!

An additional thought: If you have to take the very last row, make sure those seats recline. You probably wouldn't want to sit straight up for 15 hours!

The last seats do recline, and there are no seats behind them so you can recline them the entire time. Very nice.

Wow, such fast responses. Thank you for your thoughtful replies.

Tim_and_Liz, and Betsy: As I had booked online (yesterday evening) through American Airlines, without the choice of choosing seats at the time of making the reservation, I took your advice and this evening called AA to ask for row 70 and was told all the twos from 70 on back were already taken--nothing available. I then called Qantas and they showed one set of 2 seats in row 70 on the way to Australia, and one set of 2 seats in row 71 on the return journey still available--I grabbed them! They really do get snapped up early--this is six months out!

On the Australian board, a couple of people mentioned the size and position of the boxes and I then remembered having a box like that under the seat in front of me on my trip to Hong Kong last fall. It was off to the side and did come in very useful as a change of position for the foot/leg, so I won't worry about that in the future. I'm glad I asked this question, though, or I'd never have considered those seats in the back.

Wally: Yum--I'm so looking forward to flying Qantas and seeing a little of Australia (Sydney and around that area only, I'm afraid, as we'll arrive around 6-ish in the morning of the 10th and leave for Papua New Guinea on the 14th).

Once again, thank you all.

Eve

When you get to Sydney, look for a BYO restaurant. They are all over the city. Bring your own bottle of wine and they will open it for you--usually no charge. It really helps keep the prices down in restaurants.

If your hotel is near a subway station, take the subway from the airport, otherwise, take a shuttle bus as they will take you right up to the hotel.