BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Business Travel Best Seats On the Plane

PLEASE SHARE YOUR TIPS & EXPERIENCES... <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

1. How do YOU get a "good" economy seat on a flight?

2. Which do you consider are the "best" economy seats to try to for?

I look forward to hearing from you.]

Yvonne

I take a print out of the plane with me to the check-in counter so I know what seat to ask for. The best resource I've found is http://www.seatguru.com

Also, I go to check-in early enough to be near the front of the line.

About economy seats. On flights from Europe to N. America food is served from front to back and on the return trip from back to front - at least on KLM-NW airlines. So, that could be a consideration.

That's a great site Susan and a great idea. It doesn't leave it quite so much to chance if you can at least ask for certain seats - a bit like the seating plan for a movie theater, isn't it.

The exit rows are always very popular, because of the leg room. As I travel either alone or with my husband, I'm especially happy when we manage to get lucky with a plane that has the configuration where there are only 2 seats by the window, so you don't have to clamber over people.

I hadn't thought of the meals aspect. Lots of things to consider if want to get a good seat. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Did you know that some airlines are experimenting with charging passengers extra money to sit in the exit row? I guess airlines are trying to find a way to make money any way they can, and I don't know if the policy will last (I can't remember which airlines they were..perhaps Virgin Airlines?...it wasn't Delta or USAir), but even nowadays you might not be able to count on the exit row for leg room unless you have the cash to fork over, too.

That's amazing! I hadn't heard that.

I understood they only allow people to sit there who would be able to help in an emergency. In Asia, they specifically ask you if you would be willing to help in an emergency, before they allow you to sit in the exit row.

So it's a bit cheeky to ask them to pay extra. But I heard that one airline stopped handing out peanuts, and saved millions of dollars per year. So I guess, they're chasing every dollar, as you say. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

We always go for the exit row. Not only is there more leg room, but in many planes, the seats in front of you don't recline, so all of your lap room is not stolen. On that same note, the seat in FRONT of the exit row is the WORST, because you can't recline.

My partner and I are both elite on Continental, so we generally get early boarding, which is super-important as usually when we fly, he brings his double-violin instrument case with him, which is not that big but it is very long, so it needs to go underneath the other stuff in the overheads. Most musicians refuse to check instruments, often going as far as buying another seat for their guitar/cello/whatever because airlines are evidently incapable of not destroying them. Southwest smashed a friend's irreplaceable 1931 acoustic guitar, even though it was in a case specifically designed for flying. It appeared to have been run over.

It's one thing to lose or "misplace" a bag with some clothes in it, but to destroy someone's priceless musical instrument is to potentially destroy their livelihood. Why don't they take just a tiny bit more care with luggage?

Boy did I get off topic!

Megan - Great tip about avoiding the seat in front of the Exit Row.

Know what you mean about nurturing precious baggage. Even in the overhead lockers people throw it around to fit their stuff in a better position.

Booking a special seat for your guitar etc. sounds expensive, but if it's your livelihood, you definitely can't afford to have it damaged. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Most airlines let you buy a seat at half-price for your instrument, sort of like they let you do for a kid. Still expensive, but often the venue which you're flying to or from foots the bill as part of their contract negotiation.