Flyadeal

Flyadeal is the low-cost arm of Saudia, flying an all-Airbus, single-class fleet across Saudi Arabia and out to nearby regional markets. Based in Jeddah, it built its network on the domestic trunk routes between the kingdom's big cities before expanding to short international leisure and pilgrimage traffic. The proposition is simple and priced accordingly, one economy cabin, quick turns and no premium seats to weigh up.

The fleet is Airbus A320-family only, split between the original A320 and the newer, quieter A320neo. Both fly a single-class three-by-three economy layout with no business or premium section, so the two types feel almost identical from a seat once you are aboard. The neo is the newer airframe with the more modern engines, which shows up mostly as lower cabin noise rather than any change to the seat map.

This is straightforward short-haul economy, a three-by-three cabin where the seat you choose is the whole decision. Legroom is standard low-cost, so the extra-legroom and exit rows are the ones worth targeting on a longer domestic leg. Noise and galley traffic are the other variables, with the forward rows quieter and the rear closer to the lavatories and the drinks cart's turning point.

With one class across both aircraft, the seat map is your only lever. The exit rows carry the most legroom and are worth the small fee on anything over a couple of hours. Forward window seats give the quietest ride and the fastest exit; the rear rows are the last to fill but sit next to the lavatories and take longest to clear on arrival. On the A320neo the newer engines make the forward cabin noticeably calmer than the same seats on the older A320.