5 things to do to avoid getting worst seat on the plane
There’s nothing worse than being stuck in a seat that won’t recline or that gives you hardly any legroom. So how can you avoid flying in the worst spot? Read on.
1. Do your research
First and foremost, check the layout of your plane with a site like Seat Guru. Every plane is different so you’ll need to familiarise yourself with the layout for your flight – that means seat configuration, placement of toilets and galleys, and seats with baby bassinets. Before you select your seat, make sure you know what you’re choosing.
2. Don’t take the seat at the back
And that means the back of any section, not just the back of the plane as a whole. Seats at the very back generally don’t recline, which means you’ll be sitting bolt upright for the entire flight. It will be made even worse if the person in front of you reclines – you’ve lost you’re space and have nowhere to go.
3. Check for the entertainment boxes
Everyone loves in-flight entertainment, but they may not realise that it comes with a great big box under the seat. This can cut into your leg room and makes it impossible to store your bag under the seat. The only problem is, airlines don’t tell you where they put them so it’s hard to plan ahead. If you travel on the same aircraft frequently and come across one, make a note and avoid the seat in future. Or you can look for airlines that offer individual tablets for entertainment rather than the bulky in-seat version.
4. Think carefully about the exit row
Yes, the exit row comes with lots of extra leg room but it also comes with a few downsides. It’s likely to be cold because the door itself has less insulation. The seats are narrower as the tray table needs to be stored in the arm rest. You’ll have to stow all your bags in the overhead compartment for take off and landing and then retrieve them all when you’re in the air. And you can end up with people standing around in front of you waiting for the bathroom or just looking to stretch their legs.
5. Pay for the privilege
In modern air travel, you get what you pay for. So it can be worth shelling out a little extra money to get a good seat. At it’s most basic level, that means paying a nominal fee of around $5 per leg to choose your seat rather than having one automatically allocated – so no getting trapped in the middle. You can then pay more for an exit row or take advantage of the new economy plus sections some airlines are installing which give extra legroom or block out the middle seat.
Related links:
8 ways to pass the time on a long-haul flight
World’s biggest plane touches down in Perth
5 ways to avoid the middle seat on planes