Seat allocation....

Kaz2904

RichandJ wrote: »

Trans ATLantic.

A middle seat in a row of three means:

a) you can't really see out of the window (not such a downer on a TATL admittedly)
First time we flew, I innocently explained to DH that I thought the window had cracked rather than it being ice. This was following me exclaiming it couldn't possibly be minus however many degrees it was because we were flying over Greece. Oh how he laughed!
b) you don't have the extra legroom being in an aisle can give
Yes, that could be a pain.
c) you always have to disturb someone if you want to get out
Could also be a pain
d) if your row companions are a bit on the large side you may end up with no armrest and 'overflow' into your seat space
I have sharp elbows . I'm a skinny minnie but I do have long arms so I do hope I don't have to sit next to anyone who overflows the seat. Unless of course, they would like to pay for the portion of my seat which they are using :cool:
to name just a few issues.

Thanks for taking the time to explain to a not very wordly wise flier!
All these things you don't think of. The first time I flew was a 6 hour trip to Egypt. I thought I was going to kill the child behind me who kicked my seat the entire way there. Now that I have my own kids, I would actually turn around and say something as there's no way I would allow my kids to do that to someone for 6 hours. I was too shy then though The annoying parent didn't say a word to the child. Gah!

laurel7172

Get there as check in opens, and I'd be very surprised if you couldn't get seated in pairs at least.

It's the people who arrive 30 seconds before the desk closes and expect the whole plane to be rearranged/somebody else's family to be split up to suit them that are the problem.

But if the worst does happen, and you have a couple of singles, ask the air crew politely as you board, and they may ask whether there are any strangers sitting next to each other who would be prepared to swap. I always move seats to accommodate a family if I'm travelling alone. Well, except for the aforementioned idiot who arrived late and was still yelling at the staff as he boarded the plane.

Kaz2904

Thanks very much for the advice. Right, I think we're almost ready to start booking things when the others get back from their holidays. I think everyone else is going to be unpleasantly surprised at the lack of availability for next year at the moment but I did say we would need to book it very early to be able to get good deals and a 5+ bed villa. Fingers crossed eh?