Where do you choose to sit on a plane?!

fairylights_2

We're about to book a trip to Canada in the spring with Canadian Affair, and are going to prebook our seats so we can be sure we're sitting together - but I have no idea where's best to sit on a plane? I've never flown out of Europe, so have no idea what to ask for ... has anyone got any advice? :snow_grin

alison74

Try here for the type of plane you are flying on, if you know it


http://www.seatguru.com/index.php

lush_walrus

Next to the exits, then you always get extra legroom (if you need it)

JimArnold

If you are nervous about flying then you want to sit in the middle between the wings - most survivors in a crash. If there is a wing exit even better

Less morbid reasons
Watch the first rows in each cabin they often have a bit more legroom and may have foldable arm rests on the aisle
I don't really care about exits as you always end up waiting at baggage reclaim anyway
Check to see if the plane has individual screens or one big one
Nearly all new planes have wing mounted engines the old Tri-stars used to be so noisy at the back
Check for toilets I'd rather have a long walk to them than have everyone passing by my seat on the way
Look at the configuration on that plane There are three of us travelling next year but the Airbus has 2 4 2 at the front and 2 3 2 at the back I'll probably go for 2 window and one aisle seat up front

MarcD_2

Booked Manchester-Toronto last week with Canadian Affair. You get the seat map to view online when you go to choose your seats. Picked Row 8 on their 757s with 35" seat pitch as there is nobody sitting behind you.

Got a great fare for Next August and some welcome extra legroom.

The first rows in each cabin/exit seats are bookable for an additional charge (I think its £25 per passenger per sector as opposed to £7 to pre book other seats)

richardw

Depends how many there are of you and the aircraft configuration. If there are 3 of you and the configuration is 2-3-2 pick the 3 in the middle.

http://web1.canadianaffair.com/ca/m_findFlights/o_airlineInfo/prebookSeats/contentflash.html

edda

I prefer an aisle seat so that you can walk about more freely - especially on long haul flights.

Also prefer to sit nearer the front so that you get your food earlier - sometimes the choice of meals is non-existent by the time they serve the later seats. (Once got offered a choice of roast chicken or roast meat and chose the former, as I was worried that the latter was either unidentifiable or inedible!)

matty_c608

Roast MEAT LMAO!

Best place to sit is first class, or isle seats!

But, why not check out Martins article:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?newsid1118059384,68459,

Or if you have a tall someone travelling with you, and you are assigned to a seat with little leg room, tell them, and they will move you all to either an isle seat, or even better, 1st class at no extra cost! They won't force you into a seat, because some air company was sued a while back for forcing someone to sit in a cramped place, which led to a back injury!

Or if someone is ill and they need to lay back quite a bit (I hope you're not ill on your holiday, but it happens, like it did to me!) then the only place that can do that is 'First Class' or 'Business Class' so they may move you there!

HTH,

Matt.

Nile

Some airlines (Virgin Atlantic for example) charge an extra fee for emergency exit seats. If your airline doesn't charge extra, they're worth requesting because they offer extra leg room. Of course, you must be fit and able to open the emergency exit doors if instructed to do so by the crew.;)


I agree with the earlier post about avoiding a seat near the toilets. We had the unpleasant experience of this on one flight. Apart from a constant queue of people waiting for the vacant sign (practically leaning on your seat), we had the unmistakable whiff of stale urine every time the toilet door opened.........not nice.

If you like to watch the sun rise/set and enjoy watching cloud formations, pick a window seat..........otherwise an aisle seat would be the better option. Then you can get up and exercise whenever it suits you, without disturbing your fellow passengers.

I agree that you get more choice (and eat first) if you are seated towards the front row.

Enjoy your holiday

hothothot_3

[PHP]If you are nervous about flying then you want to sit in the middle between the wings - most survivors in a crash. If there is a wing exit even better[/PHP]


Are you sure about this? I was always told that the wing was most dangerous due to proximity of engine explosion. I was told that the back of the plane is the safest (as far back as possible) as most of the times when a plane crashes the rear segment becomes detached and therefore does not suffer the full impact of the other sections.

Any air safety experts on this board? :rudolf:

cougar_3

hothothot wrote:

[PHP]If you are nervous about flying then you want to sit in the middle between the wings - most survivors in a crash. If there is a wing exit even better[/PHP]


Are you sure about this? I was always told that the wing was most dangerous due to proximity of engine explosion. I was told that the back of the plane is the safest (as far back as possible) as most of the times when a plane crashes the rear segment becomes detached and therefore does not suffer the full impact of the other sections.

Any air safety experts on this board? :rudolf:

If the engine actually explodes then the whole plane's doomed anyway and you've got a quicker death as the fuselage would be ripped open and the wing would have dropped off. I don't think that the do actually explode, but have been known to drop off!
Yes, the back of the plane is safe in that it can drop off. An airhostess fell several thousand feet in the back of the plane and landed in peat and survived. The bigger problem is that you're right next to the toilets and probably won't be able to recline the seat. The discomfort is much more likely than the plane disintegrating (unless you're with Ryanair).

It's not going to happen and the best reason for sitting on the wing is a slightly smoother ride you should get (think of it like a ship).