This economy seat feels like getting an upgrade
Not all bulkhead seats are created equal.
As my colleague once complained she had paid extra for an extra legroom seat at the bulkhead when travelling with her toddler, only to feel she'd have been better off in the dreaded middle seat.
And yet, when I was seated at the bulkhead in economy on a Qatar Airways flight, I almost felt like I'd been upgraded.
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Our bulkhead seat on a Qatar Airways flight felt like a premium spot. Supplied/Kristine Tarbert
Everyone always raves about flying in row 1 of the plane. And yes, having priority boarding and a lie-flat bed are definite highlights if you ever get to experience them.
But row 1 in economy (or in our case it was row 11 overall on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner) was a treat in itself.
What made this seat so special? Rather than being the bulkhead in the middle row of the plane (as my colleague had booked), it was the front row on the left side.
Sometimes the first row is an exit row with a door and a large area people like to congregate when waiting for the bathrooms or stretching their legs.
But we had a bulkhead in front and no bathrooms. Instead it was the galley area.
This meant two very important things. The legroom couldn't be used as a walkway (yes, some people do this) and there was no one lining up around us for the toilets.
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It was the first row of the economy cabin on the left side of the plane. Supplied/Kristine Tarbert
The flight itself
We were travelling with a toddler and while having an armrest that couldn't move was not ideal for sleeping, the space in front of the seats was perfect for our two-year-old to be able to stand up and jump around without being in anyone's way.
The seats themselves were comfortable and we were given a pillow and a blanket, but it was a morning flight so we didn't need to sleep much.
I couldn't haven been more impressed with the service and the crew on the flight. Being in the first row right at the galley they were always on hand if we needed anything.
Our little one felt like a superstar by the end of the flight with the amount of attention she received.
The food offered was also delicious, and again in row 1 (ish) we were served first. Even though our little one was asleep at this point, they asked what meal she'd like and set one aside for her to eat once she woke up.
There was only one other downside to these seats. As the TVs were within the armrests they had to be stowed for take off and landing.
So we had to come up with some other creative ideas to keep a two-year-old strapped in until we were on the ground.
Both the service and the food also lived up to the hype. Supplied/Kristine Tarbert
The bulkhead debate
Some travellers will say choosing the bulkhead seats can be a gamble.
"You really don't know what you're going to get. Most often you end up with people standing in your space," my colleague Jemima says.
"On a flight last year our seats were under the overhead bin used by cabin crew to store stuff and a flight attendant spilled half a jug of water on my partner."
Fellow Nine.com.au travel writer Sarah also says she has "gone off them".
"I always used to get them, usually when they opened them up closer to the flight as I am 6ft," she says.
"But they're often near the bathroom and you get people hanging about right there. Had a couple doing a full fitness workout once for hours. Next time I am back on window seats. At least you know what you are getting."
Bulkhead seats are different on every aircraft. Getty
How to choose the right seat
If you've been thinking about paying extra to score and extra legroom seat at a bulkhead you'll need to do a bit of research to make sure you're picking a winner not a dud.
As soon as you've booked your flight (the more in advance this is the better your chances) look up what aircraft is being used and Google a seat map online.
There are websites that also give extra information about this with reviews from travellers.
You want to make sure the bulkhead isn't a lavatory block or an exit row for the best experience.
Otherwise it may not be worth spending the extra money.
The writer travelled as a guest of Qatar Airways.
