Unless you weigh 98 pounds and enjoy being crushed between a couple of 300 pound strangers, you always want to select your seat with care. Aisle seats generally allow the most space, you can lean out into the aisle, but you can't lean out the window. I prefer the left hand side of the aisle, so my right arm is in the aisle, and not in the face of the person in the middle seat. The farther forward you are, the fewer people ahead of you getting off the plane. But sometimes there are empty rows in the back allowing you to stretch out.
The seats in the rows in front of the overwing exits don't recline. This is a safety issue to improve access to the emergency exit. If you are a recliner, best to avoid that row. Exit rows generally have an extra couple of inches of legroom, and most airlines now charge extra for those rows.
I generally avoid the first row. On widebody jets, often the first row of coach on many planes has fixed armrests that can be quite confining. I remember one trip, I had paid extra for the bulkhead row on an overnight transAtlantic flight. The middle row, behind me was empty, and I moved back there, put up the armrests and slept for 4 or 5 hours that night.
Both of us are "full size" adults. When we travel together in coach, I pick seats across the aisle from one another, that way we don't spend the flight bumping into one another's space.
I check seating when I check in, and sometimes move to a part of the cabin with more open seats. With the airlines selling seats without seat assignments, this is not foolproof. Most airlines will fill empty seats from the front of the cabin back. If the flight is full, every seat will be filled.
Some airlines charge extra for seat assignments. Some of those waive that if you join their frequent flyer program (always join, they are free to join, and the perks add up.) Others waive the charge if you carry one of their branded credit cards. More on airline credit cards in another post, but look at the benefits, if you fly more than a couple of times a year the cards are a bargain.
Even in business or first class seating matters. The first row does not have under seat storage for small items, or seat back pocket storage for things like my Kindle. You are also limited to the tray that folds up from the armrest. I avoid the first row, if I can. The worst seat in business class, is better than the best seat in coach.
Most of what you wrote I knew but no two planes seem the same. I look forward to more of travel tips.
ReplyDeleteI hope the ideas keep flowing
DeleteI usually go aisle because I feel a little claustrophobic in the window, unless Carlos is with me and he takes the middle.
ReplyDeleteClaustrophobic is a good word for flying these days
DeleteI used to love to fly, now not so much. I hate being confined in a small space for so long! I am okay with short flights, but long hauls nearly do me in every single time.
ReplyDeleteI have gotten better on the long hauls, lots of Kindle time
DeleteThose are all good tips!!!!! Like you I like the left side. I can then hold my g&t out in my right arm with bumping the people next to me.
ReplyDeleteMost airlines only have cheap gin on board.
DeleteI like an aisle seat, if possible. I don't care which side.
ReplyDeleteThere are some small jets that have a single row of seats in the left hand side, both and aisle and a window.
DeleteLots of good tips. I don't fly often and won't pay extra for a seat. I haven't had to fly far lately so I am not bothered if I'm in the middle.
ReplyDeleteOn short flights it doesn't really matter, there was a connection flight we did often that was under 30 minutes each way, more than once I told Delta "I will stand in the aisle if needed, just get me on the flight."
DeleteYou have traveled a lot and your readers will appreciate you sharing your travel tips gained from your experiences. It's good to change topics when you feel like your writing has hit that brick wall.
ReplyDeleteI need to come up with about 93 more of these, I didn't start with a list of topics.
DeleteYou follow some of the same rules I follow. However, I envy the fact that you can sleep. I haven't mastered that yet.
ReplyDeleteI have a post about sleeping sometime in next few weeks.
DeleteYou're giving up Foodie Friday? You're GIVING UP FOODIE FRIDAY? What on earth . . . .?
ReplyDeleteI am told by patients they are mindful indeed of space size when they travel ahead of time on planes and the beds in BnBs that sort of thing. Even restaurants are looked upon for comfort sitting.
ReplyDelete