The Embraer 175/190 are excellent aircrafts to fly on. A good alternative for regional and low-density routes or at times during the day where there is insufficient demand to operate a Boeing 737 or an Airbus A320. But although the passenger experience is generally good there is one exception, row 1. On this row the tray table is located in the armrest and even if you are an average-sized adult person you will notice that the tray table, when in use, is placed very close to your waist, or in same cases may even be pressing against your waist.
There was just one row of business class on the Finnair evening flight from Helsinki so there was no other option but to select row 1, the window seat 01F. In contrast to the Airbus A320/A321 aircrafts, where the middle seats are always kept free, the same does not apply to the Finnair Embraers where the adjacent seat is not kept empty. It would have been slightly better to have seat 01D free and being able to use that tray table as well, but the flight was full and a middle-aged man had been assigned that seat.
An evening snack was served on the 45-minute hop over the Baltic Sea. A turkey and cheese sandwich on a small tray followed by drinks from the bar. I had a cup of coffee, served in a Marimekko cup, and a bottle of Joseph Perrier champagne, served in the standard Iittala glass, from the Ultima Thule series.
The service was fine, the flight was short and the aircraft arrived on time. But the construction of the seat and the tray table made the flight a bit less comfortable than could have been.
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