Thai Airways' economy seat pitch varies between 32 and 34 inches on long-haul services, depending on which aircraft you're travelling on. Seat width is generally 17 inches on Airbus aircraft and 18 inches on Boeings.

Overall the B777-300 has the roomiest seats, but please see individual aircraft pages for specific seat measurements.

Thai is refitting the tired Boeing 747s that serve London and European routes with new economy cabins. They feature nine-inch seatback TVs and state of the art entertainment systems that replace the overhead screens previously used. Personal telephones have also been fitted.

Even better news is that on the 747, the generous 34-inch seat pitch is to be retained, giving Thai a two-inch advantage over most of its rivals. The 325 new economy seats on the 747 are 18 inches wide, two and half inches more than the current seat.

All 12 747s will be refitted by 2013.

The following applies to the old 747 layout:

Seatplans.com recommends...

B747-400 Economy

"Exit row seats – those in rows 31, 43 and 53 – offer the most legroom (except for 43 and 53 A and K which have restricted legroom). Standard economy seats offer a 34-inch pitch, 15.5-18-inches of width and 22-32 degrees of recline. But be aware that you might not have a very good view of the video screens, there is no under-seat storage and may suffer from disturbance from the galleys/washrooms.

"If you are sitting in middle bulkhead seats, although they too offer a little more legroom, they feel more claustrophobic and also mean you are sitting too close to the screen to watch it properly. Middle seats B, E-F and J are all to be avoided, as do not have direct access to the aisle or views through the window.

"The pairs of seats at the back of the plane in rows 68 to 70 are good options if you are travelling with someone as you have a bit more privacy. However, sitting at the back of the plane tends to be noisier and bumpier, and those sitting nearest the washrooms will find people queuing beside them for the whole journey. You will also probably be last to disembark. If you want a window seat, avoid those in rows 33 to 47 as the view is obstructed by the wing."

Click here to read the review in full.