The flight, regardless of whether it lasts long or not, is tiring in itself, and even harmful. Therefore, if there is an opportunity to create at least some additional comfort for yourself, you need to take advantage of it. And one of these important nuances is choosing the best seat on the plane.
To begin with, you need to realize that ideal place it simply doesn't exist on an airplane. You need to choose it individually for yourself, based on your needs, which is what I will talk about in this article now. So, for example, I like to sit near the engine at the window, where, in fact, the noisiest place is, it’s dangerous and the view is blocked by half of the wing. But this is due to my first flight and habit. Therefore, let's look at the root of the problem: how to choose a seat on a plane based on your personal needs?
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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). 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 quickly check in on board, receive a high class of service and gorgeous places(for example, on some planes the seat converts into a sofa, that is, full-fledged lie-flat seats! Is it worth it? Everyone does their own thinking, but this is clearly not a topic for our blog, we are discussing here how to travel cheaply and beautifully :)
Therefore, most likely, for a budget tourist, the choice is economy class, except in cases where it is a free upgrade in the form of a bonus, like, .
Choosing a seat on the plane
So, as I already said, the most best places- they are individual. And you must decide on one. Often these questions are asked before your first flight. I also scoured the entire Internet for information about which place to choose. Then, over time, you will find your ideal option, in which you will feel comfortable, and in the future you will try to take a seat on the plane for yourself. In the meantime, let’s look at the most common needs when choosing places.
The safest seats on a plane
In general, the concept of safe or dangerous places on an airplane is quite vague. This is how you look at it. After all, you need to understand that there is no chance of surviving a plane falling from a height, no matter where the passenger is sitting. But 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. But again, how can you say where it will be safer? After all, the plane can crash its nose into a fence, or it can catch trees with its tail. The engine may explode, or the landing gear may lock up.
I'm not telling you this to scare you. But just to show you, there is no safest place. However, you can choose a place near the emergency exit. This is, in most cases, still safer. But the main thing is still your psychological conviction that there is the safest place on the plane. You can find out what seat will be near the emergency exit on a particular plane from the seat layout diagrams, which we will discuss below.
The most comfortable seats on the plane
The best and convenient places Seats in the first row are usually considered. There will be no other passengers in front of you, which means you can comfortably stretch your legs, which will make them less numb. This is especially true for people with my height (which is 189 centimeters). Although, I must admit, for two hours in the middle rows you don’t suffer much. In addition, in this part the plane does not shake as much when entering the turbulence zone and is closer to the flight attendants. But it's a long way to go to the toilet. And be prepared for the fact that there will be babies and small children nearby, because such places are usually intended for them. Not everyone will be happy with such a neighborhood.
Seats for children and infants on planes
Children must fly either in a special seat belt with their parents (infants) or in a separate seat (children over a certain age, depending on the airline's rules). There are no special seats for such passengers, especially since infants are often carried free of charge. On the other hand, it is recommended to buy the very first row. There more places And, sometimes there are special places for feeding your children formula. In addition, there they will disturb fewer people, while they will not recline the back of the seat in front of the person sitting.
Seats at the back of the plane
Since when falling from high altitude, the plane falls nose first, then the resolutions least of all capture the tail section. This was the reason for placing the “black box” precisely in the tail section of the aircraft, and this also led to the opinion that this is where the most safe places. As I already said, this is more of a psychology of self-hypnosis, but it also has its advantages: as a rule, on not very popular flights, there are much fewer passengers who will bother you. The same applies to passengers with children - as a rule, you won’t see them here unless it’s a charter somewhere to places of mass Russian tourism in the high season.
Sleeping places on the plane
Sleeping berths are found in first class on flights of companies such as, for example, Emirates on long flights. I haven’t met it, and I’ve only seen it in pictures and photos of other travelers. Somehow, it’s not even interesting.
Standing places on the plane
Fiction, circulated by the yellow press 😉 Naturally, safety standards prohibit such nonsense, and it has no basis. But the yellow press needs some kind of PR, just like unsuccessful Internet projects, so from time to time they issue similar pearls that, supposedly, standing places will appear soon.
Bad seats on the plane
In my opinion, the worst are the seats in the tail near the toilet, right above the wing, where you can’t see anything, and of course the seats in the row in front of the emergency exit, where the seats don’t recline.
Location (diagrams) of seats on the plane
And now, it seems, you have already decided where and what kind of place you want. But before you start choosing a seat online or at the reception (if you are one of the first there, they usually don't mind giving you good seats. So, I was in Sarajevo, where there was no online registration, they themselves gave an excellent seat, and they also closed registration for the seat next to it, so I flew like a king =)), you need to find out what seat, number and row you need. For this purpose there are diagrams of aircraft of various models.
As a rule, the seat arrangement on planes of different airlines does not differ. that is, the location of Transaero and Aeroflot seats on identical aircraft models will be the same, unless this is an individual order of the company (as, for example, with sleeping seats).
Where to find out how seats are located on the plane
There is such a wonderful service called Seat Guru. It contains diagrams of a huge number of aircraft on different flights with reviews from passengers. Minus: I didn’t find some in the database large companies- low-cost airlines. But you can find diagrams from other airlines for the same aircraft model. The only difference will be in the reviews. But which places are near the partition, which are near the porthole, where the wings will block your view - you will find out quite accurately.
For example, below is a diagram of an Airbus 320 from Aeroflot:
And here is a seat diagram for a Boeing 777 and a Boeing 737.
Very soon you will find out which places are right for you, and, if possible, you will book them. Unfortunately, on some low-cost airlines, like WizzAir, you cannot select a seat in advance, so be prepared to fly in any seat.
From my experience, I can give the following advice:
- Try to choose and reserve seats on the airline’s website yourself. My blog has instructions on some of them, for example: .
- If you do not have a reserved seat, then try to be among the first at the check-in counter, and ask: to give you a good seat and, if the flight is not very popular, to leave the seat next to you empty. As a rule, the people who work at check-in are the same people as you, who understand that you want to fly in comfort. Therefore, such requests, made with a sweet smile and the right degree of warmth in the voice, as a rule, guarantee you a good place.
- When flying on low-cost airlines where seats are not reserved for free, never fly ahead of the crowd. Firstly, because you will be taken to the plane by bus, where, if you go down last, you will also enter last, which means you will get off first, and you will not be pressed against the back wall. Secondly, if there are a lot of people on the flight, you can board last.
- And again, low-cost. If you see that the flight is going to be full, stand on the field until the last minute, until you are herded onto the plane. Your task is to be the last one to enter. The reason is simple: companies often sell slightly more seats than are available, since about 90% of passengers are on the flight. Someone’s plans change, another’s trip is canceled, and a third will be late... The calculation is simple: if there are not enough places, then those who did not have enough will go... or locally increased comfort(like WizzAir with extra space for legs), or in general in business class.
- When flying on flights crowded with Russian tourists who are not very intelligent, as you sit down, drop a few words in English. Very often I was asked to sit next to the emergency exit, so that in case emergency situation could react to the command and open the exit. In this row, many low-cost airlines have a row of increased comfort with extra legroom. However, this applies mainly to physically strong men who, in an extreme situation, will not faint and will be able to open the hatch and help in the evacuation. Also note that in this row you cannot place under your feet hand luggage, sometimes the seats do not recline.
- Choose the shadow side. That is, so that the sun does not shine through the porthole. This will allow you to take photographs and simply observe from the window what is happening below. Since 99% of flights are carried out along the same route, then with the help of my instructions on how to find out where, how and when you fly on an airplane, after spending 5 minutes of time, you will quickly find out where the sunny side is and where the shadow side is will be located during your flight.
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Issues of a comfortable flight are of concern to beginners who are traveling this way for the first time and want the trip to be enjoyable. The relevance of the topic increases when you have to travel to distant countries or have to fly with a child. Choosing a good seat on board determines the passenger’s comfort, so let’s figure out how to find your seat on the plane.
Let's start with general information about the interior design. Considering that most people prefer to fly economy class, consider the arrangement passenger seats on boards of this type. After all, in order to find out where it is better to sit on a plane, you will need to clarify the nuances seats and figure out which of them potentially becomes the optimal choice.
When developing the interior of the airliner, the designers plan to divide the side into three parts: bow, middle and tail sections. Moreover, traditionally, the best seats on the plane are located immediately behind the cockpit. According to reviews from travelers who fly frequently, there is less shaking in the first compartment of the cabin. Turbulence is most pronounced in the tail of the airliner.
On different models of aircraft, developers install seats according to several possible schemes - on small airliners, the seats are attached to the sides. Modifications of aircraft that are adapted for long-haul flights require additional installation of seats along the central center line.
Typically, designers design chairs in a 3:3 or 3:4:3 format. Thus, another evaluation criterion appears. In addition, it should be clarified here that on any board there are chairs, the distance between which is large enough and allows you to sit comfortably. Also, on all airplanes there are seats where there are small defects: restrictions in folding, curvature, close placement with the adjacent seat. Let's look at the details of how to choose a seat on a plane, and learn the secrets of experienced tourists.
We sit on the edge
The seats on the farthest aisle are a bad choice for a person who wants to get some sleep during the flight. After all, the passenger who occupies such a seat is forced to let his neighbors pass when they want to leave the seat. In addition, there is a risk that the stewards will hit you with a trolley while serving food and drinks. Travelers say the only advantage here is mobility and the ability to sit comfortably, stretching out to your full height.
Middle seats
The seats that are installed in the middle of the block can hardly be called comfortable due to the lack of a “personal” armrest. Here you will have to let your neighbor through, who takes a seat at the porthole. In addition, leaving the seat inevitably requires disturbing the person sitting on the edge. This place is not suitable for single travelers.
Watching the flight from the window
The good thing about window seats is that no one will disturb the passenger who is flying in this seat. Moreover, in such areas of the cabin the lighting is much better than in the seats next to the aisles. The only drawback is the difficulty of getting out - you can leave the seat only by lifting your neighbors.
Such seats are good for people who like to watch the flight from the window. True, flights at night deprive travelers of such an opportunity. Although you can sleep or work well here, the certain distance of the seats from the center of the plane, where it is always too noisy, contributes to this.
Selecting a cabin compartment
Now we’ll find out which part of the plane is best to fly in. As we have already briefly described, the forward bow compartment is traditionally more comfortable. Since kitchen blocks are located here on small boards, food and drinks are offered to passengers in the first rows. True, on liners where several catering units are installed, the relevance of this point is somewhat lost.
In addition, airline customers flying in these rows are the first to leave the cabin after the plane's boarding announcement. Equipment for installing baby carriers is also located here, so the bow compartment is occupied by passengers with children. However, other travelers assess this factor ambiguously. After all, babies often cry, which disturbs the peace of their seat neighbors. And parents of infants are forced to periodically go out with the baby to warm up, which also does not have the best effect on the comfort of neighbors.
The middle part of the cabin is considered a neutral choice. Tourists cite the lack of portholes on several rows in some airliner models as a disadvantage here. In addition, on large board models it is always quite noisy here, especially near the seats that are installed close to the catering areas or bathrooms.
If the neighboring seats are empty, company employees will be loyal to the passenger’s desire to take them
The last compartment is considered the cheapest. There are usually no comfort elements here, and there are restrooms at the end of the cabin, so passengers occupy the seats in the last rows only if there are no other options. However, the tail section of the airliner is characterized by high safety relative to the rest of the cabin.. In addition, there are situations when seats here remain free. So, the passenger has the opportunity to occupy several seats in order to get a good night's sleep. On large airliner models, customer service begins both from the bow and the tail, so on such boards the client will also have a good selection of food and drinks.
Seats near technical blocks
We will separately highlight the groups of seat lines that are installed in front of the emergency evacuation hatches and between them. Here the seats closest to the exits are slightly curved. In addition, all such places imply the impossibility of fully reclining the chair. Considering that the passengers sitting in front are unlikely to refuse the opportunity to travel reclining, the situation is further complicated by the difficulties of entering the cabin. After all, the back of the front seat blocks the exit of a person and creates discomfort during the flight.
Although there will be an advantage - an increased distance between the rows of seats. This moment slightly eliminates the described inconveniences and allows you to periodically change the position of your legs.
A similar situation occurs with chairs that stand in front of technical blocks - dressing rooms, kitchens, restrooms. In addition, there is also extra noise caused by other passengers and staff frequently passing by you. When occupying these seats, be prepared to patiently endure slamming doors and constant crowding of people next to the chair. Such shortcomings are especially pronounced in the last row of the cabin.
Passengers call the best seats on the plane the rows located immediately behind emergency hatches liner
Now let's look at the best seats to choose on the plane. Travelers and airline employees unanimously claim that in economy class cabins, the best option is the seats located immediately behind the emergency exits. Some airliner models offer paired seats rather than three. In addition, ample space in front of the seats contributes to a comfortable journey. Such seats cannot be reserved upon purchase. electronic ticket– after all, airlines require an additional payment for such seats. In addition, childless and physically strong passengers will be able to take these seats; a similar opportunity will not be available for other categories of citizens.
In order for the trip to be remembered as pleasant impressions, it is advisable for a beginner to take care of the comfort of the trip in advance. Today you can buy air tickets online and check in yourself. This method is recommended by experienced travelers - after all, the passenger selects seats by looking at a schematic representation of the aircraft’s interior in a calm home environment. It is worth remembering that different aircraft models are characterized by individual layouts. Therefore, look for the cabin layout of your aircraft on the airline portal.
To choose a seat in the cabin that suits you, when checking in for your flight, clarify the details you are interested in with an airline employee
When buying a ticket at a branch of the carrier company, ask the employee about the number and quality of class service, the number of seats on the line, and the space between the rows. It is advisable to find out about the availability of monitors, the ability to charge gadgets, the layout and specific location of technical units on board and the immediate proximity of the proposed location to these elements. Feel free to voice your personal preferences - if you want to take a chair by the window, ask about this opportunity. In addition, arriving at check-in on time will guarantee successful and comfortable seat reservations.
Keep in mind that the airliner’s workload varies with the seasons of the year, days of the week and hours, so try to choose a departure date and time with the least amount of people. This method increases the chance of finding a good seat on board. Airline employees note a decrease in demand on weekdays except Friday. Accordingly, it is appropriate to plan the departure time at lunchtime, since morning and evening flights fly with a full cabin load.
Focus on choosing a place where you will be comfortable flying. When planning to spend your flight reading a book, it is appropriate to choose the sunny side of the cabin. You will not be short of natural light when flying to south direction on the morning flight, sitting on the left side of the aircraft. Other tasks will determine the choice of a chair on the opposite side.
How to fix the situation
In cases where registration has been completed and boarding pass identifies a bad seat, experienced passengers correct the unpleasant situation. When planting, pay attention to the places that would suit you and remain empty. The passenger has some time to take his favorite free seat after the end of boarding is announced. Airline employees are loyal to such situations, so there will be no difficulties here.
Buying air tickets in advance and checking in for your flight yourself is a smart choice. Typically this function is available one day before the flight’s departure. Remember, the comfort of a flight is an individual criterion, so it is important to focus on personal needs and preferences.
Cabin seating safety diagram 
The seats furthest to the aisle are not suitable for travelers planning to sleep during the flight 
The window seats allow you to watch the clouds, but leaving these seats along the way is quite problematic 
Each compartment of the aircraft has positive and negative characteristics, so the choice is determined by the needs and preferences of the passenger.
In terms of the variety of seats, an airplane is still slightly inferior to a train. There are no top or bottom rows, or the usual side seats. Passengers have a choice of seats:
- in the tail of the plane;
- at the aisle or porthole;
- in the nose of the plane or at the wing.
Before choosing a comfortable seat on the plane, you need to determine for yourself what your personal preferences are.
The distances between the seats vary depending on the comfort class. More comfortable seats are located near the exit and at the front of the plane. If possible, it is better to choose places exactly there in order to settle down with the greatest convenience. If safety is important to you, take seats at the back of the plane.
Statistically, most accidents occur during takeoff or landing. The fact is that during takeoff, the plane can easily catch its tail on the ground. In this case, the front part, in the event of a break, goes forward and falls to the ground, and the tail part simply remains on the ground.
The undoubted advantage of landing at the beginning of the cabin is that you can stretch your legs and sleep if necessary. At the same time, you will not be disturbed by drafts and the noise of running engines. In addition, food and drinks are distributed from the bow of the aircraft. It follows from this that the front seats are the most comfortable and convenient.
Choosing a seat on the plane based on your height
When choosing a place, you should also take into account your height. If it is less than 160 centimeters, you will be able to fit even in the middle row. You will feel quite good and comfortable there.
But if your height is significantly higher than the indicated figures, it will not be so comfortable here. Your feet will rest against your chin, making it impossible for you to relax properly.
For passengers taller than 160 centimeters, it is better to choose seats in the bow or at the exit.
The seats at the back of the plane are a great place to relax. If you prefer to sleep during the flight, by all means go there. As a rule, in this part of the air vehicle There are always empty seats, because many people choose the middle and beginning of the salon.
But special subtleties must also be taken into account. Some airplane models have engines located in the rear. Because of this, you will always hear the noise of running engines. If you are very sensitive, you are unlikely to be able to sleep and have a good rest.
According to statistics, for many passengers the question of whether to sit on a plane is not the most important one - the neighbor with whom they are flying is more important to them. After all, it is with him during the flight that you can talk and have a great time passing the time.
Hour-long queues at the airport are no longer for you! The time has come for modern technology. The fastest way to get the best seats on the plane is to check in online in advance. You will need your reservation number, passport details and e-ticket number. On the airline’s website, you can check in online within 24 hours and get the seats you deserve. Airplane seating is subjective.
Safety comes first!
Some people choose the safest seats on the plane. Statistically, these are seats at the back of the plane. About 67% of the passengers who survived the plane crash were seated there. These seats are also most often empty, and you can sit quite comfortably on three chairs. Sleep, lie down, look out the window.
View of planet earth
Which seats to choose on the plane is up to you. If you plan to spend the entire flight reading a book or watching... iron bird Continents and seas float by, you go to the porthole. This is a rather secluded place, but there is a minus: you will have to get through the passage through two passengers.
Places for the restless
There is a category of passengers for whom freedom of movement is important even during flight. Side seats- for them. You can stretch your legs into the aisle, you can go out into the salon without touching your neighbors. The downside is the food and drink carts that can hit you, and other passengers rushing to attend to their needs.
"Beau monde"
Places, in front of which there is no other row of seats. The entire flight will not have someone's shiny bald head or incredibly smelling hair looming in front of you. One of the significant disadvantages: passengers with small children are usually accommodated here. Such a neighborhood is not suitable for everyone, so immediately evaluate the strength of your nerves and resistance to crying. There may also be a galley or toilets in front of you, so take into account your sensitivity to odors.
Neutral waters
Middle seats in a row of seats. It’s a long way from both the passage and the porthole. It’s easier to go out, no one is pushing you. Here you can use the cheat code. There are two of you and you are flying in the same direction. Book a window seat or an aisle seat: in most cases, there will be an empty seat between you.
Emergency situation
Places near emergency hatches. Perhaps the most controversial places. Here the backs of the seats are fixed, but the space in front of the previous row is increased. You are not allowed here with children, you cannot block the passage with bags, and you are not allowed with animals. In the event of an accident, you will have to open this hatch, so airlines sometimes reserve these seats for their strongest passengers.
If you end up in a bad seat, on unbooked flights you can transfer to an empty and more comfortable seat yourself. You have approximately 5 minutes after boarding, because after takeoff these seats will be “gone” to efficient passengers.
What are the best seats on the plane is a decision that ultimately remains yours. The arrangement of seats on an airplane is always different, so if you know the model of the airplane in advance, look at the diagram. Perhaps this will help you become the most enviable traveler who will advise all your friends about where to sit on the plane.
Many air passengers still do not know that choose seats on the plane you can and should do it yourself, during the process of purchasing an air ticket or at the time of registration for air travel. Why should this be done? For those who fly rarely, for example once a year on vacation, air travel is quite a significant event in life, and comfort during the flight often leaves an imprint on the entire vacation. For those who fly frequently, choosing a seat in the aircraft cabin is no less important, because such passengers almost certainly know from their own experience that certain seats on board are not very comfortable and cause discomfort even during a flight with a short flight duration. How to choose the right seats on an airplane and what parameters affect comfort during the flight is described in this article.
THE CONTENT OF THE ARTICLE (you can click on the link for a quick transition)
However, before I begin to describe in detail the features of certain passenger seats on an airplane, I note that in modern air transport there are no clearly bad or clearly good places, because in each specific situation a number of variables must be taken into account, which are individual for each passenger. Therefore it would be more correct to describe standard seats in the aircraft cabin and point out their generally accepted advantages and disadvantages. And yes, the article is intended for passengers flying on charter and scheduled flights in economy class, because... I think it’s wrong to talk about the disadvantages of business class seats. All areas in the aircraft cabin can be divided into three: in the tail of the aircraft, in the bow of the aircraft and in the middle of the cabin.
Seats in the rear of the aircraft
The advantage of choosing seats at the back of the plane is often the opportunity to get a good night's sleep during a multi-hour flight, for example from Moscow to Bangkok. By the way, you can read in detail about the flight duration in the article. Experienced air passengers often take advantage of the opportunity to sleep on three seats at once when flying to Thailand or other countries during the low season, when planes are rarely fully loaded. However, during the peak tourist season and popular destination One cannot count on such an opportunity.
An important factor For some, it will be a confirmed fact that, according to statistics, of all passengers who survived plane crashes, two tritiums (67%) occupied seats in the tail of the plane. Now about factors that can be both an advantage and a disadvantage, depending on the individual passenger. The possible lack of portholes will be a critical drawback for some, while others will not pay attention to it. People who do not tolerate shaking and motion sickness are also not recommended. choose seats on the plane in the tail, where it is felt more pronounced.
The proximity to the toilets, on the one hand, eliminates the need to walk across the cabin floor and stand in a possible queue, but on the other hand, constant walking next to passengers can be annoying and interfere with sleep (only a blindfold and earplugs, which decent airlines, for example Etihad, will save you, will save you). issued to each passenger). Finally, passengers occupying seats at the rear of the plane are often forced to be the last to leave the plane, letting everyone else pass and ending up on the passport control and customs again last. Although I have read that sometimes passengers are allowed to exit through a door at the rear of the plane, using telescopic bridges at airports, I have not yet encountered this in practice.
Seats at the front of the aircraft cabin
As a rule, passenger service begins from the front of the cabin (or from the middle towards the rear), so that all passengers sitting in the specified seats can receive food hotter and with the opportunity to choose several options (often those sitting in the rear simply have no choice and you have to eat what's left). There is less shaking in the front part of the aircraft cabin, so the risk of motion sickness is noticeably lower. After landing, passengers seated at the front of the plane, just behind the business class seats, often have the opportunity to disembark in the front rows.
The disadvantage of seats at the front of the aircraft cabin is that there are often special mounts for baby cradles there, and in general there is a greater chance of finding yourself in the company of passengers with small children who will annoy you the whole way (once I was flying from Turkey right behind business class in the company of an Arab family with three small crying children - an unforgettable feeling...). Those who like to admire the view from the window may find that even if they take a seat next to one, they end up unable to see anything due to the aircraft's wings blocking the entire view.
Seats in the middle part of the aircraft cabin
A compromise option that has both advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the make and model of the aircraft, there may be a toilet and an additional kitchen in the middle part of the aircraft, then passengers have the opportunity to be one of the first to receive food and also go to the toilet whenever they want. Shaking in the center is felt weakly, especially on long-haul wide-body sides. Seats located in the central part of the aircraft cabin, just behind its wings, allow you to watch the clouds and offer views of mountains, rivers, sea and cities from above, if there is no extensive cloud cover and you manage to grab a window seat on the plane. As a rule, passengers sitting in the middle of the cabin have the opportunity to exit the aircraft faster than passengers in the rear of the cabin.
Rows of seats on an airplane: advantages and disadvantages
Occupying first row in the airplane cabin(immediately behind another class of service or the first row located in another section of the aircraft cabin), you can be sure that no one sitting in front will recline, limiting your free space. Often such rows provide a little more legroom than other seats, which is never superfluous in economy class conditions. The downside is that most likely there will be a toilet, a kitchen, or just a partition in front of you, which will limit your view throughout the flight. I’ve already written about baby cradles, but here I’ll note that instead of classic folding tables, you’ll have to eat from less convenient (in my opinion) folding tables that can be removed from the armrests. Also, someone will be annoyed by the smells and sounds of dishes coming from the aircraft kitchen.
Passengers last row in the airplane cabin(or another row behind which there are no other seats in the compartment) may find that the backs of their seats are significantly limited in their ability to recline or are completely deprived of this ability. This is usually explained by the presence of a toilet, kitchen, other technical room or cabin compartment partition behind the partition. Also, the seat backs often do not recline when one of the emergency exits is located behind the row.
Seat position in a row: pros and cons
The cabins of mid-size aircraft have a 3+3 seating formula, i.e. a central aisle and three chairs from it on both sides. All experienced passengers try to immediately choose the best seats on the plane, which for them are either located near the aisle or at the window, but not in the center. And this is quite understandable.
Seats in the aircraft cabin near the window. The best option for those who prefer to spend most of the road in their sleep, quietly read a book in daylight and look out the window at beautiful cities at night or picturesque mountains during the day. The only inconvenience of the window seat is that when you try to go to the toilet or get something from the luggage compartment above the seats, you will have to disturb the passengers sitting next to you. Also, for those who often like to ask the flight attendant to bring another glass of water (or whiskey), it is not entirely convenient to do this (to find the right moment). Personally, I always try to choose seats on the plane near the window, because I like to look “out the window” and take a nap, and on 5-6 hour flights I don’t even go to the toilet.
Places in the center. They are considered the most inconvenient due to the likelihood of running into well-fed fellow travelers who will squeeze you from both sides. The person sitting in the center is forced to let at least one passenger through (or two when it comes to a wide-body aircraft with a 3+4+3 or 2+4+2 seating arrangement) if they want to go to the toilet or get something from their things, which are located in the luggage compartment. There is no talk at all about the possibility of seeing anything through the window (only when the aircraft is strongly banking during climb or landing). Now that airplanes have individual LCD screens, and even smartphones and tablets, I have become better about center-row seats. Previously, you could only sleep and read a book there, which was a little annoying.
Aisle seats on the plane. They are convenient because you can stretch your legs a little in the aisle and calmly take things (your own, of course :)) from luggage compartment, go to the toilet without disturbing anyone, get off the plane before your row neighbors when landing at the airport. It is very convenient to track the movement of flight attendants and order the next glass of water or other drink. I would consider the inconvenience to be the need to let two neighbors sit in chairs if they want to stretch their legs and go to the toilet. Also causing some inconvenience are flight attendants with trolleys and passing passengers touching your elbow or shoulder.
Emergency exit seats. It so happens that I myself have flown them more than once, so I can’t help but mention them separately. These seats are very convenient because they allow you to stretch your legs as much as possible; there is no need to let your fellow passengers pass. However, there are also disadvantages: the possible absence of a porthole, a ban on hand luggage in the leg area (for security reasons). In general there is an opinion that specified places are provided to people who, if necessary, can quickly open the emergency exit door and help staff remove other passengers. I don’t know if this is true, but passengers with children and the elderly are definitely not given the indicated seats.
I hope that the information received was useful to you and now, when you carry out, you will immediately book the places that you think will best suit you. Since this article came out quite voluminous, then detailed information I posted about that in a separate article. I wish everyone comfortable flights and always smooth landings!
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