Select your seats carefully! It may improve your flight enjoyment
Oct 02 '00 (Updated Feb 27 '01)
The Bottom Line Taking the time to figure out what seats to get can aid in one's comfort when travelling by air.
Many people when booking a flight neglect an important thing that determines how comfortably they will fly. They will discuss their meal selection and other things but forget to book their seat assignment. Seating can be quite important when flying, especially long hauls and can make your trip much easier to deal with if chosen depending on your preferences.
Find out the type of plane you're flying when you book your flight and figure out the seat outline of the plane to determine where you would want to sit. Your choice of seating is more important than most people realize. Most airlines have a seat map of their fleet so it's easier to figure out which seats are most comfortable for you. Most times, you can specify your seating when making the reservation. That is definately a good idea, especially if you're travelling with someone, to avoid being told that your seats were assigned by someone and you're sitting separately.
Window seats are most preferred by travelers for the obvious reason that you can look outside the window at take off and landing. But what most people don't realize is that other than during take off and landing, you don't have much to see other than clouds or endless land or water (if you're lucky). Unless you love looking out the window and catch the occasional plane passing by, you don't gain much. And, make sure you're not sitting on a window seat right on the plane's wings because, you'll see more of the wings than anything else. If you're someone who don't need to stretch out often during your flight or make frequent trips to the bathroom, then window seats are great. But if you do find yourself someone who likes to move around during your flight, window seats are probably not your best choice because you can terribly annoy the people around you by making them get up to allow you to pass by.
Aisle seats are the next best alternative seat for the convenience of being able to walk up and down the aisle for exercise and going to the bathroom without disturbing others. A disadvantage of aisle seat is that you obviously don't get much of a view of what's outside in case you're bored. You're pretty much subjected to self-amusement of watching stewardesses and people going up and down the aisle.
And, of course, you can expect to get a few bumps from people going up and down the narrow aisle as well as when the food tray comes by. Don't be surprized to experience any accidental spills. And of course, your naps will most likely be interrupted by those same accidental bumps.
If you have a carry on baggage that you prefer to stow under the seat in front of you, you'd better make sure that you are not sitting on the first row of seats behind the business or first class. As there is usually a partition between the classes, you will be required to place your baggage on the compartments above your seat. In other words, ensure that there is a row of seats directly in front of you if you plan on stowing your baggage under the seat. Stowing your baggage under the seat provides convenience of easy access to your belonging without having to get up and open the upper compartments. But, by stowing your baggage, you will lose some much needed leg room. You will need to consider that.
If legroom is a big concern for you, then you may want to consider sitting on the first rows of seats near Exits (on jumbo jets like 747s) in which there aren't any seats directly in front of you. As discussed, you will not be able to stow your baggage under the seat and will need to put them in the upper compartments or other designated areas. Your food tray will be a folded up version that is accessible from your seat's armrest. Advantages of sitting on these seats is that you can stretch out your legs and you can get up from your seat without any problems. There isn't a row of seats in front of you so you can just get up without bugging your neighbor. Disadvantages are that you can lose quite a bit of your privacy. During long hauls, parents with children will likely be escorting their kids up and down the plane. They will most likely be standing in the area in front of you. Also, people in line for the bathrooms also congregate around those areas.
The remaining seats found in the middle of the plane (on jumbo jets) are probably the worst seats because getting out requires bugging people on your left or right, unless you're sitting right next to the aisle. But, on flights where it isn't full, it may be great if you don't have anyone sitting in the entire row. By flipping away the armrests, you can almost lie quite comfortably on all four seats. But that doesn't occur very often. Although they may seem like the worst seats, they are probably best for families. In a family of 3 or four, you have the entire row to yourself. The parents seat on the aisle seats on both sides and the kids sit in the middle. That's where we were on our recent trip as it allows my son to sleep flat on two seats.
If you are one of those passengers that have trouble dealing with crying babies on the plane, then avoid the first few rows of coach class seats on the plane. Most families with young children will be seated in the first few rows of seats. Of course, if they book late, then they can sit almost anywhere on the plane that's available. They do tend to sit near the front of the plane. For safety measures, the family member with the young child will not be seated in an Exit row. So, you may want to sit on an Exit row to avoid dealing with crying babies. Of course, they may be seated in front or behind you though. And, you will be disturbed by the stewardess to fill you in on the safety measures of the Exit.
If you hate having your chair moved by the person behind you every time that person goes to the bathroom, you may want to select a row that doesn't have seats behind you. In most small planes, that may mean the last row. Keep in mind that the upper compartments of the last rows of seats are reserved for the plane's first aid equipment and you will have to put any baggage on the compartments a few rows ahead. And, sitting at the back of the plane can be noisier than anywhere else on the plane. But, you are the closest to the bathroom and the exit should the need arises.
Hopefully, I have provided some opinions on the importance of seat selection and have helped some people in making that decision.
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