Just an Air Canada preferred seats comment...

Nicole, was that the emergency exit row?

Andrea, according to AC "Preferred Seats are in exit rows, in select bulkhead rows and in the first few rows of the cabin on some flights".

We haven't booked using this option before. We've chosen to go Premium Economy instead for longer flights with AC. The extra cost was totally worth it (for us). The extra leg room is certainly worth it.

Yes...it was the rows from the exit seats over the wings (which have a little more room themselves) to the bulkhead. We were in row 13,am few rows ahead of the exit rows. And you get to board a little earlier, so of course get off a little earlier as well. I wish I could do premium economy,but I had a hard time bringing myself to pay the $55 for the preferred. But again, our flight from Halifax to London is less than 6 hrs...I'd def think about premium economy if we were flying from the west coast.

If you get exit row 12 on the 787 (there are other exit rows) you are sitting in the first row of economy so should be off quickly if they are using both the front door for business class and that door for economy. If they don't use the front door, you will have to wait until the business class passenger all exit first.

I think the extra space you get in the exit row is worth the few extra dollars.

There is no priority de-boarding, so not sure how having priority boarding helps get you of the plane faster if you don't get the first row nearest the door.

Rows 12 thru 20 are preferred on this flight, 19 and 20 being the exit rows. And they do unload from the front.

Nicole,

I've been booking Air Canada Premium Economy for the last few years, and those were very comfortable. However PE seems to be increasing in price every time I check prices. My only hope might be to book "sardine class" and then try and snag a low-cost upgrade before the flight. If that doesn't work out, I'll have to tough it out in the cheap seats.

Ken...When I was checking in for our flight home yesterday, it always gives the option to upgrade to premium. Since we were in the UK, it came up as £249. Which is pushing $450. That’s a little too rich for me. Again, I could totally see it on a really long flight, but to NS is pretty short.

I will say, i did go to the toilets at the back of the plane and once you get past the exit rows, I was struck by how squished the seats looked...(This was the first...well, second if you count our flight over a few weeks ago...time we flew on 787 max). We had some nice knee room, and I feel that extra $25 for the preferred seats was money well spent. My husband and I have to learn not to penny pinch as much when travelling...especially when it comes to comfort. I don’t mind $25 more, but $450 still gives me pause...it’s hard to break the inclination to be frugal when you’ve spent most of your adult years being frugal...lol.

Now if only I could have convinced the damn teenager behind my to stop pressing on the video screen every 3 seconds...like having someone kick your seat at the movie theatre. Ugh.