The best seats on the plane: what to choose? The best seats on the plane. How to choose a good place

Thank you, very useful information Saturday, January 23, 2016 06:39 ()

Original message by Irzeis

Experienced travelers know how important it is to choose a good seat on a long-distance flight and how much inconvenience a “bad” row can cause.

Today we will talk about the best conditions for flying by plane.

Agree, for those who fly frequently, this factor is fundamental, because sitting, for example, in the middle row, sandwiched on both sides by “moderately well-fed” fellow travelers, is not very pleasant.

Or “get” to the back row, where there may be no porthole and the seats do not recline, and the proximity to the toilet (constant movement and other disadvantages) is not conducive to comfort.

So, in order to have a great time “at altitude”, you need to know where the best seats on the plane are located.

If you know the airline and the exact model of the aircraft you are going to fly on, look up information on the Internet with seat layouts on the planes of the main carriers. For example, on the website aircraft.org

In the picture below, the following places are indicated in different colors:

Dark green – places with the best view from the window
Green – seats with the most legroom
Light green – the quietest places in the cabin
Yellow – first served when serving food and drinks
Blue – coldest places
Pink – last to be served when serving food and drinks
Red – access to the toilet is most difficult
Burgundy - places with the worst view from the window
Burgundy Brown - Limited seat recline capabilities
Brown – seats with the least legroom
Dark brown – the noisiest places

If your plane has not been found or you do not have such information, this article provides general advice for you. In any case, it won’t hurt to read, that’s for sure :o).

Airplane seat classes

So, if you start like this, roughly dividing all the seats on the plane, then initially they can be divided into economy class, business class and first class seats.

Economy class seats are the cheapest class of seats on the plane, which is mainly used by travelers (although, why not, the President of Lithuania also flies in economy class and nothing :o). This is the base rate.
As a rule, these are three rows of seats (two rows for narrow-body aircraft) with three seats in each row.
Legroom is minimal. The comfort is about the same as in a minibus: nothing superfluous, you are simply taken from point A to point B.

Business class seats are seats separated by curtains from economy class. There is a little more legroom, plus there are fewer seats (2 chairs per row). In addition, the ticket price includes a la carte meals and free alcoholic drinks.
However, at the same time, prices are about 5 times higher than economy class, and you won’t notice much of a difference, especially on flights of a couple of hours.
For that matter, meals can be purchased separately in economy class, the difference will be only 10 - 20 bucks.

First class seats are an alternative to business class on intercontinental flights. Prices are 10 times higher than business class. For this, you will be able to check in on board faster, get a high class of service and luxurious seats (for example, on some planes the seat converts into a sofa, that is, full-fledged lie-flat seats!
Is it worth it? Here everyone thinks for themselves, but this is clearly not the topic for our review, we are discussing here how to travel as cheaply and comfortably as possible :)
Therefore, most likely, for a budget tourist, the choice is economy class.

Place near the porthole

Pros:
If you plan to sleep, or, say, read, for which you will need good lighting, then a chair by the window is the best option.

Firstly, no one will “squeeze” through your seat to theirs and will not disturb you, and secondly, the wonderful view of the clouds and their bizarre shapes will not let you get bored in case of a short flight.

True, it depends on the time of flight; at night, alas, you will not be able to see much.

Minuses:
It is more difficult to get up from such a place, for example, to go to the toilet. You'll have to disturb your neighbors.

Aisle seat

Pros:
It is extremely convenient because you can stretch your legs into the aisle, get up, go to the toilet without hindrance, and also get to the exit a little earlier after landing the plane.

Minuses:
People and flight attendants with carts will pass near you. They can hurt sometimes. Also, you will have to get up every time your neighbors want to get up from their chairs. These are more turbulent places.

Places “in the middle” - neutral places

These are "neutral" places. They combine the pros and cons of window seats and aisle seats. It’s quieter here than in the aisle and easier to get up than from the chair by the window.

But all the same, you will have to let one neighbor through if he wants to go out. And ask another neighbor to stand up if you want to go out.

Well, of course, you won’t be lucky if your neighbors turn out to be fat people.

Places located after emergency exits

Pros:
Characterized by the fact that the distance to the next row is slightly increased, which allows you to while away the flight time with greater comfort - stretch your legs, stand up if necessary, without disturbing your neighbors. Some types of aircraft do not have a row of seats in front of the emergency exit/hatch seats at all.

Minuses:
Often, airlines, for safety reasons, practice leaving these seats for people who meet the requirements of “a sound body, a sound mind” - it is assumed that in the event of an emergency evacuation such a person will not be confused, will be able to open the emergency hatch and help the staff get people out, but, Of course, not all airlines undertake such “planning”.
In this regard, passengers with children, animals and elderly people are not allowed here.

Another disadvantage is that the approach to the hatches cannot be blocked by hand luggage.

Places located in front of emergency hatches

Here, usually, there are only disadvantages - most often the backs of the seats in these rows are fixed or have a very small angle of deviation. This is done so as not to block the approaches to the escape hatches.

The row that is located in the section between two emergency exits also has a plus. In this case, there will be additional space in front of you.

Seats located in the front of the cabin

Pros:
Most often, food service begins from the “nose”, so the front rows offer convenience and a wide choice of drinks and food offered. As a rule, if the seat is located at the rear of the plane, then the passenger is limited in the choice of assortment (everything is sorted at the very beginning).

In addition, the first row is an excellent opportunity to be one of the first to go down the ramp.
Minuses:
But there are also disadvantages here - often mounts for baby bassinets are installed in the bow, and there may be passengers with small children. This does not contribute to comfort if you are going to work or relax.

Anyone who has flown near a child who does not tolerate the flight well and cries for 7 or 12 hours knows.

Places in the tail

The only significant advantage of this place is its relative safety. According to statistics from the US National Transportation Safety Board over more than 30 years, the number of surviving passengers in plane crashes, depending on where their seats were located in the aircraft cabin, is as follows:

The highest percentage of surviving passengers was in the rear section of the cabin (behind the edge of the aircraft's wing) - 69%, the section above the wing - 56% survivors, as well as in the economy class section in front of the wing. In the forward section of the cabin, where business and first class are typically seated, the average survival rate was 49%.

The United States also conducted a test crash of an old plane. The experiment cost one and a half million dollars. The plane crashed into the ground at a speed of 225 km/h. Which corresponds not to a full-fledged crash, in which, as a rule, no one has a chance to survive, but to a hard landing.

During the experiment, it was found that when an airplane collides with a surface, the nose takes the main impact. So business class passengers, whose seats are located immediately behind the cockpit, and, accordingly, pilots, are at greater risk. But economy class passengers sitting in the last rows may well survive an emergency landing.
This was the reason for placing the “black box” in the tail of the plane, and this also led to the opinion that this is the safest place.

The largest number of accidents often occurs during takeoff/landing, as a result of mistakes by pilots or airport staff, due to poor coverage and condition of the runway or other factors. In this case, you can be saved. Think about where the plane will hit first when landing or taking off? It seems to me that most likely the nose, accordingly, the main impact will be on the front seats, which will slightly dampen the force of the impact, then the impact will be on the middle of the cabin and on the wings, from which fuel will leak out and ignite. The shock wave will reach the rear seats with the least power, which will allow passengers to survive.
Thus, the rear seats are the safest in the cabin, since the plane takes the main impact on the nose, but again, this all depends on the situation.
Central seats on an airplane are typically located above or close to the wing, which contains aviation fuel, which can ignite in the event of a plane crash. Therefore, the most dangerous places are the seats in the middle of the aircraft cabin. If we compare the front and middle seats in terms of safety, then the number of deaths in both the front and middle seats is approximately equal.

From the point of view of the safe side - left or right, statistics give equal chances; the probability of the plane lateral roll in one direction or another during landing is the same.

This is what they mostly write on the Internet. Honestly, it’s difficult for me to judge, but in my opinion, if you are primarily concerned about your safety, then it is better to choose a seat a couple of rows from the emergency exit. This, in most cases, is still safer, although less convenient.
Imagine a situation where there was a plane crash, the plane was partially damaged, everyone was alive, but a fire started in the plane and the cabin was filled with black toxic smoke, from inhaling which you could die. What will happen? That's right, most likely panic, but now think about who will leave the plane first? And the first to leave will be the one who sits in the seats closest to the emergency exits, which means they will have more chances to escape.

For the same reason, people whose seats are located closer to the aisle are in a more advantageous situation during emergency situations
You can find out what seat will be near the emergency exit on a particular plane from the seat layout diagrams.

This is about safety, but when it comes to comfort...

It is believed that the most comfortable seat on an airplane is the second to last row, on the right side of the aisle. The fact is that it is at the end of the cabin that there is the greatest likelihood of free/empty seats, and therefore it is quite possible that you will get a lot of free space by sitting on three seats at once: you can get free seats to the right and left of you, on which you can arrange not only your bags, but generally lie down and sleep

Why do you need to take seats on the right? Because air tickets are sold strictly by row (except in cases where the passenger himself requests a specific seat), rows A, B, C come first, which are located on the left side, so the likelihood of a large number of people there is higher.

After them come the right rows, D, E, F, which are usually empty when the plane is not fully loaded (this is important!!!). Well, it is clear that if the download is complete, then all the above recommendations will be meaningless.

An important advantage is safety, because it is no secret to anyone that there is simply no more secure place than the tail of the aircraft. There may also be a kitchen located close to these places (not always), and all your orders will be delivered as quickly as possible.

Why is it necessary to choose an aisle seat? In order for fewer people to show a desire to sit next to you. If you sit near the window, then nothing will prevent other passengers from sitting near you, and then all the comfort will come to naught.

But when you sit down by the aisle and place your bags on the next seat, such a sight will subconsciously be perceived by other passengers as a barrier, so the number of people wanting to sit next door will be minimal.

An even better option would be to get a pillow and a blanket immediately after landing, and lie down to sleep on two or three chairs at once, in which case it is unlikely that anyone will disturb you so that you move away and let him sit in the same row.

First row/row in front of which there are no seats

If your row is the first (this can be not only the “first row” physically, but also the first row, after another class of service, or the first row in one of the sections of the cabin, in front of which there are no seats), then a significant advantage of this arrangement is that No one will throw back their seat on you. With short row spacing in economy class, this can be very important.

Of the minuses, we note that most likely there will be a partition or a kitchen/toilet in front of you. Some passengers find it not very convenient to look at the “wall” for the entire flight. Also, there may be mounts for baby cradles in the wall. What this entails - read above.

Last row/row behind which there are no seats

Most likely, the backs of the seats in this row do not recline or are very limited in this. This happens when there is an emergency exit, toilet, kitchen, other technical room or wall behind you.

Summarize
Here, in brief, is a list of good/bad places that a traveler can expect. But it is worth noting that the internal layout of aircraft differs significantly from each other, and this factor must also be taken into account.

In addition to the fact that there are 2, 3, 4 seats in a row, it is necessary to take into account the distance between the seats, the number of classes in the cabin, and other features. After all, the same company uses different types of aircraft for flights.

Adviсe. How to get the best seats

1. The model of the airliner, the smallest details of the comfort of the cabins (the presence of a TV, electrical sockets, spacing between rows, location of toilets) can be easily found on the airline’s website.
2. If you specifically know which seat you would like to get, you should ask this question when checking in for your flight at the airport (seats that remain unoccupied after online check-in are allocated there).

If you have no idea about the location of the seats, ask to see a diagram of the aircraft’s interior - all free seats will be highlighted in the appropriate color.

Also, when checking in at the airport, you can simply ask for a window seat, an aisle seat, etc. Usually the staff does not refuse.

3. At modern airports you can use the services of self-check-in kiosks and choose your seat. Also, this can almost always be done when registering online on the website of the airline of your choice - this will significantly save time.

The largest Russian airlines already provide this service.

The traditional check-in method is best done two hours before departure. If seats are booked this way, the first registrants have a wide choice of available seats.

4. If possible, you should use less crowded flights - in this case, the comfort of the flight will increase significantly, because (if you wish) you will even have the opportunity to sleep in three free seats; the main thing is not to forget to ask the flight attendant to bring a pillow and a blanket.

The busiest days are Sunday and Friday, with morning and evening flights. If you have time, choose Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday, midday or afternoon flights.
5. In order not to get into trouble, you should take into account the spelling of the letters indicating the seat number - they can be either Russian (1A, 1B, 1B, 1G,1D, 1E) or Latin (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E , 1F), and in certain situations, these are, as they say, two big differences that can overshadow the impression of the flight.

After all, for example, seat 1 “B” will have a different location, meaning both a chair near the aisle and in the middle of the row. This must be taken into account so as not to end up with seat 1B (which you thought was near the aisle) in a seat in the middle (since it turned out that this is not the Russian “B”, but the Latin “B”).
Also pay close attention to the letter “E”.

Therefore, it is better to choose seats with unambiguous letters: 1A is always a seat by the window, 1C will be an aisle seat in any cabin layout.

Advice. If you fly often, then you know the main stress of everyone (who does not fly in business class;) is to sit in the middle seat in a row of three seats. Knowing and understanding this phobia, you can turn it to your advantage and less often have a neighbor nearby when flying.

At check-in, if you are flying together, ask the staff to seat you in seats near the window and on the aisle. Nobody likes to sit in the middle, and unless the plane is packed to capacity, you won't have an unwanted neighbor. If you are flying solo, you can negotiate this maneuver with another person you like who, like you, is traveling solo. Or simply ask to be seated in the aisle where the window seat is available.

The only problem here is that if the plane is full, you will be separated by a stranger. All that remains is to negotiate with him so that he can move.
6. Be sure to take into account the direction of flight - with the right choice of place, the sun will not blind your eyes: East - West (the sun always shines on the left), West - East (on the right).

If there is a need to take a morning flight, the direction North - South will enjoy the sun on the left side, and South - North - on the right.

How to avoid accidentally taking the worst seats

Study the diagram of the airliner you will be flying on, if possible.

Check with your airline representative if possible.

Before the flight, decide what is more important for you - looking out the window or the ability to freely get up from your seat, for example, to the toilet

While studying the interior layout, choose the optimal seats, guided by the same rules that we gave in this article

Do not take seats at the very rear, close to the toilets, galley and other technical areas.

Do not take seats in which the seats do not recline or are limited in this

Do not take seats between emergency exits or behind which they are located.

If you still find yourself in an uncomfortable chair

If you nevertheless received a ticket for a not very convenient seat, then immediately after boarding you have a few minutes to take a more convenient free space (if there are unoccupied seats, of course).

Moreover, it is better not to be shy and change seats yourself, rather than wait for the services of a flight attendant.
After the last person appears on board and the flight attendant announces “Boarding is over”, you have 5 minutes to find a comfortable free seat.

There is little time, because after the plane reaches the required speed, getting up from the passenger seat will be strictly prohibited. Well, after gaining altitude, it is likely that all the most comfortable seats on the plane will be occupied by faster and smarter passengers. Yes, and don't worry about it. You will always have time to sit in your rightful (according to your ticket) seat.

But it’s still better to choose the most comfortable seat immediately when purchasing a ticket and checking in for the flight.

All the tips described above are suitable for standard passenger, narrow-body aircraft, such as Airbus A-319 and 320, Boeing-737, SSJ-100, Yak-40, etc., and for wide-body airliners. In addition, there are many more options to occupy a comfortable passenger seat.

I hope that these simple tips will help you fly comfortably without unnecessary stress.

If you like to travel a lot and often, then you probably spend a lot of time on the road, namely on board an airplane. If the flight does not last long, then you do not pay attention to minor inconveniences, but if you need to fly for 8-10 hours, then comfort is of great importance, and all other things being equal, I will always choose more convenient flight conditions.

The comfort of your flight depends on many factors - on-board entertainment, but most importantly - on the convenience of the place where you will spend almost the entire trip. Today I want to talk about the differences between different seats on board an airplane, how to find out in advance which cabin your flight will have, and how to choose the seat you like.

To choose the best seat on board an airplane, you first need to know which plane you will be flying on. Moreover, even the same aircraft from different airlines may have different seat configurations, so it is important to find out not just the type of aircraft, but the specific aircraft.

You can do this even before purchasing a ticket on the airline’s website (in the flight schedule) or in the ticket search engine.

For example, when searching for a ticket to, you can immediately see the name of the airline and flight number in the route description. Let's look at the example of a London-New York flight:

The first segment of the flight will be carried out by Norwegian Air, flight number DY-2802. Using this information, you can learn more about a specific aircraft at www.seatguru.com and www.seatexpert.com.

2. Where to find the interior diagram

You can also view the interior diagram on specialized websites.

Let's try to find a diagram of the aircraft cabin for the same flight London-New York for the first flight segment at www.seatguru.com.

First, on the main page we enter the necessary information - the name of the airline and the flight number (we already found them on the ticket search engine or on the airline’s website):

A window opens where you can see what the plane will be like. To see the interior diagram, click “View map”:

A page opens with detailed information about the aircraft, as well as a seat layout:

3. Features of different seats on board the aircraft

In addition to studying the diagrams in detail, you need to remember some of the features of different places on board and select the best place based on your needs. Let's look at the different types of seats on the plane.

3.1. Emergency exit seats

If your height is above average, then these places are created especially for you! The row opposite the emergency exit has much more legroom than regular seats. But there are also restrictions - hand luggage will have to be put in the luggage rack, because... Safety rules do not allow things to be placed in the passage to the emergency exit. So you can’t put anything under your seat or the seat in front of you. Also, passengers with children are not seated at emergency exits, because it is assumed that there should be a person sitting at the emergency exit who will be able to help flight attendants open the emergency exit and evacuate passengers.

Also keep in mind that if your seat is located in the row that is located in front of the emergency row, then you will not be able to recline the back of your seat so as not to block the emergency exit.

3.2. Seats at the beginning of the plane

• Most often, the very first row is reserved for frequent flyers and for passengers with children. So keep in mind that you may not be able to sleep due to a crying baby. Although you are not immune from this in other places, the probability here is higher.
• Service starts right from the front rows, so you will have the maximum choice of dishes.
• You will have to walk to the toilet, because... Business class toilets are not normally usable.
• After landing, you will be able to leave the plane in the first rows, right after the first and business class passengers.

3.3. Middle seats

These places do not have pronounced disadvantages or advantages. When choosing a seat in the middle of the plane, pay attention to whether the wing of the plane will block your view if you plan to sit near the window.

3.4. Seats at the back of the plane

According to statistics, the seats located in the rear of the aircraft are considered the safest, because... Most of the passengers who survived the plane crash were in the tail section.

But there are no absolutely safe places, so let's look at other features of these places:

• there are toilets in the rear, which on the one hand is convenient - you don’t have to go far, but on the other hand, people will always be walking next to you, so it can be very noisy.
• The last rows do not always have windows, so if you want to enjoy the views, look at the diagram of the plane you will be flying in advance.
• Also, in the last row the backrest may not recline, because There is no additional space provided.
• If you like to photograph the view from the window, then keep in mind that there may be poor visibility in the tail section due to the exhaust plume.
• If the plane is not packed to capacity, then most of the free seats are usually in the rear section, so you can occupy several seats at once, lounging comfortably.
• If you are flying with a transfer, it is better not to sit at the very back of the plane, because... You will only be able to leave as the last one, thereby losing a lot of time.
• food distribution usually starts from the beginning or middle of the plane, so if you haven’t ordered a special meal, some dishes may no longer be enough for you (for example, you only eat fish, and only a few servings of meat will remain).

3.5. The most uncomfortable places

In addition to relatively comfortable places that have both advantages and disadvantages, there are also places that are strictly not recommended to sit on, for example:

• seats in the row located in front of the emergency exit. You will not be able to recline the backrest.
• seats in the middle row (if the plane has three rows of seats, with a 3-3-3, 3-4-3, 2-5-2 layout). Especially if you are sitting in the middle of this row, it is difficult to get out to the toilet, you may have to let passengers through, it is also difficult to get something from the luggage compartment, it takes the longest to get out after the plane stops.
• places near the toilet - there may be an unpleasant smell, and people scurrying back and forth will not allow you to rest.

4. How to book a specific seat on board

When you have decided on the place you want to take, you need to book it. This can be done either in advance or immediately before departure. At the same time, you need to understand that the sooner you book a place, the greater the chances of getting exactly what you want.

So, there are several options for booking a place.

4.1. Reservation when purchasing a ticket

If you, then most likely it will be possible to immediately reserve a seat on board upon purchase. Find out about this option immediately.

Peculiarities. If you are flying low-cost, then most likely an additional fee will be charged for booking a specific seat. So I don’t see the point of booking something in advance, only if you really need a certain seat for some reason (for example, you are traveling with a child and want to be sure in advance that you will sit next to you or take a seat in the first row) . If you do not reserve a place in advance, then it is likely that you will be able to use another selection option, more on that below.

4.2. Booking in your personal account

If you bought your ticket from an intermediary (for example, through Skyscanner), then you can manage your booking on the airline's website. Just go to the airline’s website, register (or immediately go to your personal account if you are already registered) and in your personal account go to the “my bookings” or “manage booking” section. There you can already select seats (if there is such an option) or, for example, insert a card number to track miles.

4.3. Selecting a seat during online check-in

Online check-in usually starts 24 hours before the plane departs, but sometimes it opens earlier; you need to find out on the airline’s website. It is best to register immediately, in the first minutes after registration begins, so there will be a greater chance that you will have time to book the right place. To avoid missing time, set yourself a reminder. Again, this option does not apply to low-cost companies, because... there the choice of seat is only for an additional fee.

4.4. Selecting a seat during check-in at the airport

Here, too, it makes sense to arrive at the airport early in order to be among the first to check in. The best seats are already taken, but at least you can choose a window or aisle seat, in the middle of the plane or at the back. If you resort to the check-in counter at the last minute, then most likely you will no longer be able to choose a seat. This applies to flights to popular destinations during high season. If you are flying in the low season and the plane is half empty, then towards the end of check-in you can, for example, ask for a seat in a free row where there will be no one next to you.

4.5. Selecting a seat after boarding is complete

As soon as the boarding has been announced, you can safely choose a more convenient place. This applies, first of all, to low-cost airlines, because... This is the only free seat selection option.

Another feature of low-cost airlines is that they sell slightly more tickets than seats on the plane, because... According to statistics, about 10% of passengers do not show up for their flight. Therefore, passengers who arrived last can often be seated in the best seats, sometimes even seated in business class (if, of course, it is provided for in this low-cost airline).

So what are the best seats on the plane? This question worries mainly beginners. If a person goes on an air trip for the first time, he wants to get only positive emotions from this event. Very often, the unfortunate location of the chosen seat leaves an unpleasant impression of the entire trip and a reluctance to use the airline’s services again.

Those who fly very often know better than others how important comfort is during a long flight. Therefore, “old-timers” tend to book seats on the plane in advance, choosing good seats at their own discretion.

The choice of the most comfortable place depends on a number of factors, the main one of which is its cost. The aircraft cabin is divided into three classes - first, business class and economy.

First class is not available on all planes. This is the most comfortable class for long-distance flights, where there are even lie-flat seats, but it is also the most expensive. Business class is a little cheaper: it is equipped with comfortable seats with a large distance between them, which makes it possible to take a comfortable position during the flight. Business class passengers have the opportunity to use built-in sockets to recharge their gadgets.

Regular tourists prefer to fly in economy class, which resembles the interior of a long-distance bus with rows of seats close together and little legroom between them. This causes a number of inconveniences for those with long legs, passengers with children or people with special needs.

However, a number of amenities are guaranteed for economy class passengers:

• free lunch;
• baby food, which should be ordered a day or two before the flight;
• hanging cradle for infants;
• Depending on the carrier, economy class seats are equipped with televisions.

It is very important that a person feels comfortable during the flight, and that the trip leaves only pleasant impressions. Therefore, even when purchasing economy class tickets, you need to foresee in advance which seats are best to choose.

In this matter, everyone is guided by their personal preferences, physiological characteristics and safety considerations.

Window seats

If you want to look out the window while traveling and admire the beauty of the sky, clouds, and landscapes passing under the wing, then you will probably prefer to sit near it. In addition, it is more convenient to sleep or read here. Advantages of a window seat:

• the opportunity to observe a wonderful view overboard the ship during daylight hours;
• no one will disturb you during the flight;
• good lighting for reading.

Important: despite the undoubted advantages, porthole seats have their disadvantages, the main one of which is the need to disturb neighbors in order to go to the toilet.

Aisle seats

For long-legged people flying economy class, it is better to choose an aisle seat - this will give you the opportunity to relax by stretching your legs in the space between the rows. In addition, there are other advantages of sitting near the aisle on an airplane:

• the ability to stand up without disturbing your neighbors;
• unhindered access to the toilet at any time, which is very important for people with special needs;
• a chance to get to the boarding gate before others.

Despite the ease of movement, the places at the extreme ends of the aisle also have their disadvantages:

• Passengers and flight attendants going to the toilet, serving food or drinks, will constantly scurry past you, and sometimes even touch you while moving;
• You will have to get up every time to let your neighbor out or let him into his place.

Of course, you have to choose between two evils - and if sitting in the middle of a row or by the window is uncomfortable for you because the distance between the rows of seats is too small, then it is still preferable to choose a seat by the aisle.

Airplane seats above the wing

As for the seats on the plane above the wing, it is better to occupy them for people with a weak vestibular apparatus - in the area of ​​the wing, the “bumpiness” is practically not felt, this is the most stable place on board. At the same time, there may be no porthole, which is not suitable for lovers of contemplation of heavenly beauties. Also, according to statistics, the wing area is the most dangerous place for passengers in the event of an emergency, since fuel tanks are located in the wings of the aircraft.

Seats near emergency exits

Each aircraft has emergency exits, which are located in the middle part of the aircraft on both sides of the cabin. Many experienced air travelers prefer to choose seats that are located after emergency exits. The advantages of this choice:

• the distance at the emergency exit to the front row has been increased;
• in some models of passenger airliners, there is no row of seats in front of these seats;
• There are no constantly lowered backrests of the front seats, which cause a lot of inconvenience during the flight.

This makes it possible to freely get up from the chair without creating inconvenience for your neighbors in the row, and also to sit comfortably in it with your legs stretched out.

A person who loves freedom of movement will like seats near emergency exits/hatches.

The same cannot be said about those who are used to traveling in comfortable chairs. The fact is that in the seats located next to the emergency exit, the backs of the seats are fixed at a slight angle, and it is impossible to change their position. This is due to the need to ensure free access to emergency exits if necessary.

In addition, the emergency exit row has its disadvantages:

• You cannot carry hand luggage with you - it must be put on the top shelf;
• These seats do not accommodate passengers with children under 12 years of age, pregnant women, or people with physical problems.

This is interesting! The ban on placing children, pregnant women and disabled people near emergency hatches is explained simply - almost all airlines, with rare exceptions, place physically strong passengers in these seats, who in the event of an emergency could help flight attendants open the emergency exit and organize the evacuation of passengers.

Therefore, if you are a physically strong person, you can safely choose a seat near the emergency exit - at least you will be guaranteed freedom of movement.

Places in the tail

The tail of an airplane is not the best for those who like long trips. The main advantage, which only a few pay attention to, is the comparative safety for those sitting in the rear section in the event of an aircraft accident. As American statistics show, 67% of survivors of plane crashes are passengers sitting in the back of the plane. True, there are still small advantages:

• if the airport is not equipped with telescopic bridges, and passengers are released through the nose and tail of the plane, you have a chance to be among the first to leave the plane;
• Seats in the back are not popular, so if the flight is not fully booked, you can sit comfortably in a row of empty seats and sleep during the flight.

Disadvantages of places located in the tail:

• the backs of the seats in the rear do not recline, so you can’t count on a comfortable flight;
• the “bumpiness” is felt most strongly in the tail, which causes a lot of trouble for passengers with a weak vestibular system;
• Since there is also a toilet in the rear section, you will be constantly disturbed by passengers passing through it, slamming doors and specific odors.

Therefore, after weighing the pros and cons, most passengers prefer to choose seats away from the rear of the plane.

The best seats on a plane with a child

Passengers traveling with young children try to choose the best seats on the plane to ensure comfort for the child. Taking into account all the pros and cons, the most comfortable seats on the plane for children are the front row of seats.

Front row advantages:

• in front of the seats there is increased space for the child’s free movement and movements;
• there are mounts for a hanging cradle, which is important for passengers with babies;
• When the flight attendants start serving lunch, passengers in the front rows get their food first;
• it is possible to select the appropriate option from the proposed menu;
• The shaking is not felt so much when the airliner enters a turbulence zone.

Along with the undoubted advantages, seats in the first row of seats are not very comfortable for passengers with small children for several reasons:

1. There is nowhere to put away a bag with things that are necessary for babies on a flight.
2. The armrests of the first row seats do not rise, so it is uncomfortable for the baby to sleep in the arms of the parents.
3. During check-in for a flight, company employees allocate seats for passengers with children in the front rows. If there are several babies nearby, they may interfere with each other.

Therefore, if you do not need a hanging cradle, it is better to choose a place closer to the middle of the cabin. The most advanced passengers choose the first and third seats in a row - there is a high probability that no one will be seated next to you in the middle seat, and then you can, by folding down the armrests, arrange a sofa for your baby to sleep on, or a place to play.

It is better to avoid choosing seats in the rear section if you are flying with a child. However, if the plane is not fully loaded and the last row is completely empty, you can, by coordinating your actions with the flight attendant, occupy it. Then you will get maximum free space to ensure normal sleep for your child.

Important: you can get the necessary information about the seats in a specific aircraft model, the width of the seats, the distance between them, the location of utility rooms, and windows, using the services of the SeatGuru service. The given interior layout diagrams also show the best locations for this model.

We have covered only the main characteristics of the seats located in various parts of the aircraft. However, each airline, depending on the model of the aircraft it operates, has its own characteristics and preferences when implementing the most comfortable seats. If you don’t want to get into trouble, it’s better to find out in advance which airline and which model of aircraft you will use for the flight, go to the company’s website, select the desired model and look at the options that suit you in the “Best Seats” section. Even if you haven’t found the diagram for the model you need, use our tips - they will help you make the right choice.