Arkia

Arkia is an Israeli airline flying out of Tel Aviv, with a network that mixes domestic Israeli hops, regional routes around the Mediterranean and Red Sea, and longer charter and scheduled runs further afield. The fleet reflects that spread: narrowbodies and a regional jet for the short stuff, and a widebody A330 for the longer legs.

The practical result is that the seat decision changes a lot depending on which aircraft you draw. A short domestic flight on a single-class jet is a different calculation from a long haul on the two-plus-cabin A330.

The short and medium-haul flying runs on the Airbus A320 and the newer A321neo, plus the Embraer E195 regional jet, all fitted as single-class economy. The long-haul aircraft is the Airbus A330-200, which carries a proper three-cabin layout: a forward Business section, a Premium Economy zone and economy behind. Two A330-200 fits exist in the fleet, so the exact cabin you get can vary by the specific aircraft.

On the narrowbodies and the E195 the cabin is straightforward economy, so the choice comes down to position rather than class: aisle or window, forward or back, near a wing exit or clear of it. The A330-200 is where the tiers open up, with a lie-flat-capable Business cabin at the nose, a more spacious Premium Economy in the middle and a long economy cabin filling the tail.

On the A320, A321neo and E195, the rows to favour are those clear of the galley and lavatory positions, which cluster the noise and the queueing. The overwing rows can trade a little view for a faster exit. On the A330-200, if you are staying in economy, aim for a seat ahead of the rear galley bank and away from the lavatory clusters; the Premium Economy cabin is small, so book it early if you want the extra room on a long leg.