Airline Seating Tips - Best Seats on Your Flight
Getting the best airline seat in your class of travel requires doing some homework beforehand. Here are some basic tips for securing your best choice seating on your flight... |
1. Know Your Aircraft - Familiarise yourself with the different types of aircraft and the configurations used by your airline. Most airlines have their seating plans available online which will give you a rough overview of the layout. Your should also consult one of the specialist airline seating websites like SeatGuru and SeatExpert which provide interactive seat maps that illustrate clearly the pros and cons of each seat.
2. Allocate Your Seat Early - Try to pre-allocate your favoured seat as early as possible - there are 3 potential ways to do this:
- A few airlines allow you to pre-allocate at time of booking - Virgin Atlantic being an example. Others (like British Airways) give this privilege only to their top tier frequent flyers.
- Some airlines charge for pre-allocating seats with a premium for better seats such as exit rows (see Emergency Exit Rows info below).
- Most airlines allow you to select a seat during online check-in (OLCI) - normally 24 to 48 hours in advance. Try to make sure you do this as soon as it opens to give yourself a reasonable chance. When planning your trip think about how you can do online check-in and print your boarding pass. What will you do if your hotel has no internet access and OLCI opens at 11.30pm?
Remember, If you have a short-haul - long-haul flight combo you can generally choose seats for both flights at say "T-24" for the short-haul - meaning you will have more choice of seats on the long-haul segment.
3. Aisle, Middle or Window - This is always a dilemma in air travel seating and remains a personal choice. Do you take the window seat to enjoy the view, have something to lean against and remain undisturbed? Or do you choose the aisle seat for more leg / elbow room and easy access getting up... Nearly everyone agrees that sitting in the middle seat is the worst of both worlds and is only bearable if you are in a group. It remains a good seat to 'lock-in' a child.
Some downsides to the window seat: You may have less personal space due to the curvature of the fuselage, especially at the back of the aircraft. It can also feel a little colder. And if you need to stretch your legs you will have to ask your neighbour(s) to let you out - which can be awkward if they are asleep.
On the other hand, sitting in the aisle seat you may be disturbed by your neighbour asking to get out and by people walking past you.
4. Front, Middle or Rear - Obviously this depends on the class of your ticket and most people would prefer to be riding up front. Sitting near the front means you will be one of the first people to leave the aircraft at your destination - good if you are in a hurry.
Sitting over the wing in the middle does have some advantages. Not only is this thought to be the strongest part of the plane but also being nearer the aircraft's centre of gravity it should be less affected by any turbulence. You will also have access to the over-wing emergency exits.
However the fuel tanks are located directly below, so there is always a risk of fire in an emergency!
Sitting at the rear is noisier and you will feel more turbulence - this is especially true on a Boeing 747 but some people like sitting in the 2 seater window rows located there.
5. Left or Right - Facing forward, seat A is always on the left side. Sitting left or right is not really an issue except if you want to avoid direct sunlight or see a particular view of the ground.
6. Bulkhead Row - This is the (front) seat row behind the partitions that split the cabin from the galley and/or toilet areas. Legroom here is variable - sometimes there is more; other times you will not be able to stretch your legs fully - this can be very uncomfortable. The bulkhead is usually reserved for passengers with babies or small children which can cause some disturbance. On the plus side there is no one in front to recline their seat.
7. Emergency Exit Rows - Probably the best seats in economy class with extra legroom, sometimes equivalent to business class legroom. Sitting in the exit row is a privilege and you should take the responsibility seriously by reading the safety card, something all passengers should familiarise themselves with. You must keep the row clear of baggage during take-off and landing. Note, airlines will not allow children, disabled passengers and often non-English speakers to sit in an exit row.
Like the bulkhead you will be less affected by reclining seats. Some downsides however: If seated on an exit with a large door the emergency slide box will protrude outwards and your leg space will be impeded. The wing will block your view from the window (if you have one). Some passengers may congregate around this row, feeling that it is "public space".
The current trend is for airlines to charge for assigning the exit rows in economy class - for example, Singapore Airlines ($50), Air France (€50), British Airways (£50), Qantas (AU$80). This actually makes it easier for the non-elite status passenger to secure such a seat - as long as you are willing to pay up.
Other airlines charging for seat allocation in economy class are Air Asia, Aer Lingus, United Airlines, JetBlue, Monarch Airways and Air Transat. Some budget airlines that do not assign seats (such as Easyjet / Ryanair) instead charge for "priority boarding" where you are the first to get on board.8. Avoid "Bad" Seats - Be careful not to be assigned bad seats, such as those with limited recline or 'window' seats which actually have no window. Also consider exactly where the box for the entertainment system is located - it can reduce your legroom. And to reiterate - If you cannot check-in online for a very busy flight you are highly likely to get 'stuck' in a middle seat.
9. Invest in Your Air Travel Knowledge - For superior seating you will need to book a business class or first class seat. If you want some great insider strategies for getting into the business class cabin on a budget, maximising your upgrade chances and reducing your airfare massively then invest in our Ultimate Airfares & Upgrades Guide.
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