Air France HOP E170 Seat Selection Guide (2026)
✈️ Quick Verdict
Aircraft: Embraer 170, 76 seats, rows 1–20 (no row 13)
Layout: 2-2 throughout — no middle seats anywhere on the aircraft
Version lottery: No — a single layout, and a very small sub-fleet
Best seats: 6A and 6F (first economy row, clean window); rows 14–18 for a clean view further back
Seats to avoid: 10A and 10F (no usable window), rows 7–9 and 11 (restricted view), row 20 (no recline, lavatory and galley)
WiFi: None recorded on this type
The five-row window problem
On most aircraft, bad window alignment is a seat here and a seat there. On HOP's E170 it is a continuous block. Rows 7, 8, 9 and 11 all have windows set out of line with the seat, so the view is restricted and you have to move your head to get any of it. And in the middle of that band:
10A and 10F have no usable window view at all. There is glass in the fuselage beside row 10, but it sits well behind the seat — from where you are sitting, you are looking at wall.
That is five consecutive rows, a quarter of the economy cabin, where booking a window seat gets you something between a poor view and none. It is the single thing worth knowing before you pick a seat on this aircraft.
Where the glass actually lines up
- Row 6 — the first row of economy, with a proper window and the quickest exit in the cabin. The pick of the aircraft.
- Row 12, and rows 14 to 18 — the clean block behind the window problem. Normal views, normal pitch, nothing wrong with any of them.
No middle seat, anywhere
The E170 is 2-2 from row 1 to row 20, in both cabins. Every passenger has either a window or an aisle and nobody is ever stuck between two strangers. For two people travelling together it is close to ideal: book A and C, or D and F, and the row belongs to you.
It also simplifies the decision. With no middles to dodge, the only real variable in economy is which side of the window band you land on.
Seats to avoid
- Row 20 — the last row. No recline at all, immediately against the lavatory, and beside the galley. The worst row on the aircraft.
- Row 19 — next to the galley, so noise and bright light during the service.
- 10A and 10F — window seats with no usable view.
- Rows 7, 8, 9 and 11, A and F — restricted view.
Business
Rows 1 to 5 carry the 20 business seats. As across Air France's short-haul network the cabin is modular and the seat is the same one economy gets — in a 2-2 cabin there is no middle to block, so what you are buying is pitch, catering and the first exit off the aircraft. Row 1 has its tray table in the armrest, since there is no seatback ahead to fold one from, which narrows the seat slightly.
Business does get the best glass on the aircraft: rows 1, 2 and 3 all have clean, properly aligned windows.
You will not fly this aircraft often
The E170 is the rarest aircraft in the Air France group's regional fleet — cabin layout records show a single frame in this configuration, against ten E190s and a much larger A220 fleet. If you are booked on an E170, it is worth checking again closer to departure: the type is thin enough that substitutions are common, and an E190 or A220 is the more likely aircraft to actually turn up on most HOP routes.
Quick picks by traveller
| You are | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Solo | 6A or 6F | First economy row, clean window, quick exit |
| Want the view | Rows 14–18, A or F | The clean block behind the window problem |
| Couple | Any A+C or D+F pair | 2-2 means the pair owns the row outright |
| Do not care about windows | 10C or 10D | Aisle seats in the bad-window band are unaffected, and often still free |
| Booking on price alone | Rows 12–18 | Clear of the window band and both galleys |
FAQ
Which is the best seat on the HOP E170?
6A or 6F. They sit in the first row of economy with a properly aligned window and put you at the front of the cabin for disembarking. Further back, rows 14 to 18 are the clean block for a window seat.
Why are rows 7 to 11 bad?
The windows in that section do not line up with the seats. Rows 7, 8, 9 and 11 give a restricted view that needs you to lean to see anything, and rows 10A and 10F have no usable view at all — the glass sits so far behind the seat that from a sitting position you face wall. Aisle seats in the same rows are completely unaffected.
Are there middle seats on the E170?
None. The cabin is 2-2 in both business and economy, so every seat on the aircraft is a window or an aisle. It is the main comfort advantage the Embraers hold over a full-size narrowbody on a short sector.
How many seats does the HOP E170 have?
76, across rows 1 to 20 with no row 13. Twenty sit in the business section across rows 1 to 5, leaving 56 in economy.
Is there WiFi on board?
No connectivity is recorded on this type, unlike HOP's E190s, which carry Starlink. Plan on being offline for the sector.
Which row should I avoid completely?
Row 20. It is the last row on the aircraft: no recline because the wall is directly behind, immediately adjacent to the lavatory with the queue beside you, and next to the galley for noise and light. Row 19 shares the galley problem without the rest.