What is more annoying is that the seats in front of exits have the recline lock - though it has been deactivated.
We were told CASA disallowed this during the JQ 320 certification as the pitch did not meet their requirements for recline locks to be used. I wondered why CASA allowed recline locks for Qantas and not Jetstar or Virgin Blue.
I researched the CASA website and found that they follow the US FAA rules (part 121 carriers) regarding exit access. I think for the seats to be able to recline the pitch must be a minimum of 40" or the window seat must be removed (eg. the ex-TWA 717s row 13 in front of exits did not recline as the first exit row was only 39") The window seat forward of the exit must not block the exit when in full recline. I do not think they use seat locks in the US as it is not mentioned.
I do not think either exit row on Jetstar's 320s is 40". I remember seeing the engineering plans of the cabin at it said they were like 35" and 39". In Europe they only require 34" at the exit row but the seats in front cannot recline.
The above rules confuse me as the A and F seats on QF 738s do come across the exit when they recline. I have seen this atleast once but have not made an effort to look again on other aircraft - that particular seat may have been broken - dunno. My other points of confusion are the last config of the 733s had only 33" at the exit (with A and F seats removed though the seats when reclined made it difficult to eat from the tray table let allow masses to evacuate rapidly - yet they had recline locks. The FAAA lobbyed QF and CASA about the config and were told the regulations allowed this? Also DJ advertise their exit row legroom at 40" so I dunno why they do not have recline locks?
I could not find any information about seats in front reclining except that when reclined the seats cannot block the exit but that does not wash with what CASA allows at QF. Any one know more?