Where do you choose to sit on a plane?!

Mutton_Geoff

When they design aircraft, there is an engine exploding damage zone that extends in a cone back from the engine, so that's a good place not to sit if you don't believe in statistics

What a load of twaddle! I wouldn't base your seating request on the accident statistics, aviation accidents are so rare and infrequent that there is no pattern to survival.

My tips would be to pay real attention to the safety demo, look around to where your nearest exit is and count the number of headrests between you and the door (you might be blinded by smoke and have to feel your way out). Look how the door handle operates and work out how you would open it and get out in an emergency if you were the only mobile person left in your area. Don't take your shoes off prior to take off, if the plane is damaged during the take off and you have to escape, you don't want to be running over bent or hot metal in your stockinged feet.

For comfort, the further forward the better, the rear cabin tends to suffer from engine noise. If you can get an upgrade, even better (I'll post tips on that another time). Most modern aeroplanes have an autopilot that controls two axis of flight (roll and pitch). The third axis, yaw, is controlled not by the autopilot but by separate "yaw dampers" which push the rudder to keep the aircraft in balanced flight. This means that in turns and turbulence, the yaw dampers can be a little agressive in their action causing the tail to swing from left to right. Personally I find this lateral movement makes me feel ill, so a seat nearer the front is better for that purpose (if you sit over the wing, you're at the centre of the yaw axis and will experience no swinging action).

tight-git

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/seatcomplaint.html

from_suffolk

I've noticed a recent strange phenomeum when taking a budget flight, one which doesn't allocate seating.
As soon as a boarding agent arrives at the departure gate there is an almighty charge of passengers towards the gate in undecent haste to grab the 'best' seats this I consider very impolite and terribly unbritish!
As a solo traveller I find that its best to hang back a bit as groups of people tend to all want to sit together and as long as you're not amongst the last to board you can get a fairly decent choice.
It's also seems best to board the back of the plane as families with young children and those needing asistance tend to board the front of the plane and take longer to get seated.
When after landing why do people ignore the safety advise and rise from the seats before the plane has stopped, where do they think they are going? There is no advantage in being too hasty to get off until the steps are engaged because you are going nowhere! Siting at the back of there aircraft advoids the afore said slow people unless you can only use the front exit, if you have stowed luggage there is no hurry as you'll probably have to wait for it anyway.
To sum up people are creatures of habit and mimic, I have found its best to observe the majority and to see if you can exploit any opportunities that may present themselves.

matty_c608

(I'll post tips on that another time).

Martin has created an article on gettting free Flight Upgrades, and I've mentioned some above already....

Martins article:

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

nelly_2

matty_c608 wrote:

Martin has created an article on gettting free Flight Upgrades, and I've mentioned some above already....

Martins article:

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

Lol it says at the end being a doctor may help

My sign in details with expedia I ticked the doctor box for a laugh, and it allways says doctor on my flight tickets, doesnt get an upgrade though.