Airlines - where to sit?

CJones

CJones

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Random thought/topic for the day:

If/when you are forced to fly airlines and you fly on a carrier that allows you to reserve your seat ahead of time, where do you like to sit - front, over wing, rear, aisle, window, etc.? Why is the area you choose your 'favorite' spot - noise levels, ride comfort, better view, etc.?

P.S. - Greg is not allowed to answer "I like to sit in the driver's seat". ;)
 
I will answer anyway.

Economy Plus if available or exit row for the legroom. That, of COURSE, is if First Class isn't available.:D
 
I like window seats, and on anything with rear mounted engines I try to be as far forward as possible. I had to ask for earplugs the last time I got stuck in the back of an old ass AA DC-9. Them tings are loud.

Of course I usually try this on the reservation site, but it hasn't worked yet :D
seat_selection.png
 
Awww... you took my answer!


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Failing that though... I like the window seats. Leg room never a problem! :)
 
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CJones said:
Random thought/topic for the day:

If/when you are forced to fly airlines and you fly on a carrier that allows you to reserve your seat ahead of time, where do you like to sit - front, over wing, rear, aisle, window, etc.? Why is the area you choose your 'favorite' spot - noise levels, ride comfort, better view, etc.?

P.S. - Greg is not allowed to answer "I like to sit in the driver's seat". ;)
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Window or aisle but not in front of children, and generally toward the back so that there is a better chance of room for my carry-on.
 
On an Airbus, 10A or F (window with no seat in front of you). On an ERJ (God forbid) row 12 (exit). On a DHC-8, anywhere behind row 10 (better leg room). On a CRJ 1/2, I'll wait for the ERJ (though the CRJ has the better jumpseat). On a CRJ 7/9, like Greg said, Economy Plus. I don't really have a preference for Boeing or MD/DC series aircraft.
 
I always try for the window although I admittedly don't look at the view too much. It just seems like it's easier to sleep or read in that seat without activity on both sides. I'll take the emergency exit row if possible but I am rarely successful. It doesn't have anything to do with legroom because I am short. I just trust myself more than Joe Blow to get the exit open if it was necessary although I may be giving myself more credit than I deserve. I have given the emergency exit briefing hundreds of times and I'll occasionally let a frequent passenger try their hand on the main door at the end of the flight because it might be a good-to-experience thing in case of a real emergency. They always need more coaching.
 
CJones said:
Random thought/topic for the day:

If/when you are forced to fly airlines and you fly on a carrier that allows you to reserve your seat ahead of time, where do you like to sit - front, over wing, rear, aisle, window, etc.? Why is the area you choose your 'favorite' spot - noise levels, ride comfort, better view, etc.?

P.S. - Greg is not allowed to answer "I like to sit in the driver's seat". ;)
Click to expand...

In order of preference:
- business class ;)
- bulkhead right behind business class, sometimes you can sweet-talk the flight attendant into pouring you a drink.
- Exit row (except in CRJ-700 and 900 where the exit row has a very thin hard pillow to allow for the window-exit to be pulled inside.)


Least favourite:
- last row before the loo on a DC-9 or MD-88. Either no window, or your window is behind the engine nacelle right abeam of the first compressor stage. Its deafeningly loud and if they eat an american pelican on takeoff you have a 1:36 chance of getting sliced in half by a wayward compressor blade. It's the seat you usually get if you walk up without a reservation for the particular flight 3 minutes before cutoff.
 
Window. So I can make sure the Pilot doesn't get lost.

Last flight to DCA, I was traveling with a guy from the middle east. He got real nervous about the sectional I had sticking out of the pocket of my backpack...
 
Window, preferably on an exit row for short flights, or on a seat that reclines for longer flights. I like to be at the wing root.
 
American Airlines MD80? Sit in 7D. Seriously, you'll thank me later. EMB340? Anything in the A row is fine.

Bigger planes? Either bulkhead or exit row, but seriously, I avoid the bigger planes if I can. They're not as comfortable.
 
My order of preference:

1. Business Class (don't get to do that anymore since I lost my elite status - probably the only bad part about getting promoted and not traveling much anymore)
2. Exit Window - Like Mari said, I trust myself to open that door a lot faster than any of the other idiots on my flight, and I like the extra legroom.
3. Any window seat in the front half of the economy cabin - quieter since I'm in front of the engine, and I stick my RAM mount with iPod Touch on the window to watch movies or pull up the VFR sectionals on ForeFlight and practice my pilotage.
 
seatguru.com

Most FFers use this (or seatexpert.com). It's the best way to find good seats. Of course, many of the good ones won't be available to non-elites.
 
Window Seat Emergency Exit Row over the Wing. if they have two emergency exit rows over the wing the the one that is further aft.

I need to look out the window, I like leg room and if there are two over the wing the first often won't recline back into the second exit row for safety reasons.
 
Wow.. Good answers.. I'll have to print this out for future reference. ha

I'll admit I am by no means an 'experienced' airline traveler, but I've probably done more airline travel in the past year than I have the rest of my life combined.

So far I have learned:
1.) Exit row is nice - I'm 6'7". I'm pretty sure the seating designers said "Oh, those size people (freaks) NEVER fly airlines" when coming up with seat layouts. The CRJ flight from ORD-ATL was fun - it was like squeezing a clown into one of those circus cars.
2.) Aisle seat isn't too bad for a late-night flight where the flight attendants aren't making a ton of trips through the aisle - I can let my legs hang out in the aisle a bit more than on a mid-day flight.
3.) WORST SEAT EVER is the very last seat on a MD88 - seat doesn't recline, the legroom is shorter than 'normal' and every time the FA leaves their cubby hole, he/she asks you to move your feet out of the aisle.
4.) I haven't found any particular area of the plane to be better/worse as far as handling turbulence. I thought one area might be worse than others as far as adverse yaw effects, but I haven't noticed it yet.

I think it's funny reading everyone here posting about "I need legroom". I hate you people. You're the reason that I walk past a row of 5'4" people that can't even reach the floor with their stubby legs sitting in the exit row because "They need legroom". Meanwhile, I'm flying with my knees around my ears. I haven't found the trick to getting access to those exit row seats. The only time I've had it was flying from HNL - ATL. I walked up to check in, the CSR asked name and flight and she started typing. A few mins later she looked up and said "I have moved to you to the exit row. You probably need it more than anyone else." THAT .... WAS .... AWESOME.
 
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First class. But I am to cheap to pay for it.

I try to get a window.
I use to try for exit row. The problem I found with exit row is all the other big guys tend to ask for it. There is leg room but then no shoulder room. So now I just take my chance and get a non-exit seat and hope I get next to small people.
I hate aisle seats nothing like getting bumped into every time someone goes to the bathroom. Or the flight attendant hits you with the cart.
 
On a UA 757-200, 9C. Once everyone is through boarding and stumbling over your feet you now have basically unlimited legroom. Of course, that's if I'm in E+. And E+ is a distinct advantage that UA has over the competition (that and ATC on ch 9). I hope they don't mess it up with the merger with CO.
 
this make me laugh....we got the ass end of a 747-400 from LAX to Melbourne 2 summers ago: row 73 did that suck...not only do the seats not recline enough, and 14 hours in a plane is pushing it, but the tail wags the whole trip and the girl sitting next to us was pretty green the whole way...Qantas service was great, but man those seats. Trip home was much better, forward cabin, window and aisle seats with the middle seat open!

Oh, and in a wide body plane, try and not get the seats adjacent to the galleys...the people wandering around all flight and the commotion in the galley is a PITA.
 
Window - exit row, if possible.

I like to look outside and play "spot the airports".

--

Here's the 'worst' seat:
 

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Really depends on the flight. Long flight (over water or cross-country) will be 747 or 757. Business/First class (but like others here, I've lost my elite status because I rarely fly commercial anymore - there was a time I was over water almost every weekend) or aisle on an exit. I'm lucky on the exit row about 50% depending when I book the flight. The farther in advance, the better the odds. When I get there the FAs don't believe I can handle the door - I offer to demonstrate. Amazing what adrenaline will do for you....But seriously folks, having worked at Boeing in the past I've had the opportunity at the plant to try my hand at the emergency door on the 757 and 737 without any issues. The 747s were at another location.

Other than those long flights I go for an aisle - I know to keep my knees out of the way. Makes it easier and faster for me to get away from everyone else and get to the emergency door. I always carry ear plugs and usually have an ANR headset with me.
And wear cargo pants - that way I always have the wallet and passport on me and not stuck in a back or side pocket - much more comfy. Learned that one the hard way.
 
Ghery said:
On a UA 757-200, 9C. Once everyone is through boarding and stumbling over your feet you now have basically unlimited legroom. Of course, that's if I'm in E+. And E+ is a distinct advantage that UA has over the competition (that and ATC on ch 9). I hope they don't mess it up with the merger with CO.
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You don't get upgraded most times anyways? But yes, 9ABC is an excellent choice on the 757. Probably about 5 feet of legroom.
 
Ghery said:
On a UA 757-200, 9C. Once everyone is through boarding and stumbling over your feet you now have basically unlimited legroom. Of course, that's if I'm in E+. And E+ is a distinct advantage that UA has over the competition (that and ATC on ch 9). I hope they don't mess it up with the merger with CO.
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oooooh do I agree. I love E+. I flew "United" to Vienna which was actually Austrian metal - no E+... not to mention I wasn't "premium" for the security lines in the US, either, which was weird b/c I bought through United's website.
 
Ghery said:
And E+ is a distinct advantage that UA has over the competition (that and ATC on ch 9). I hope they don't mess it up with the merger with CO.
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Don't know about E+, but I have heard rumors to the effect that Jeff Smisek, CO/UAs CEO has said that Channel 9 will go away.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Window. So I can make sure the Pilot doesn't get lost.

Last flight to DCA, I was traveling with a guy from the middle east. He got real nervous about the sectional I had sticking out of the pocket of my backpack...
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HAHA!! Turnabout is fair play....:thumbsup:
 
Emer Exit Row, then Aisle. Preferably not near a lavatory. And on an RJ or Super80, not near the back, although I really don't care that much about engine noise.
 
sba55 said:
You don't get upgraded most times anyways? But yes, 9ABC is an excellent choice on the 757. Probably about 5 feet of legroom.
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9A isn't so great as the emergency slide sticks into your foot space. But 9B and C are great.

Greg Bockelman said:
Don't know about E+, but I have heard rumors to the effect that Jeff Smisek, CO/UAs CEO has said that Channel 9 will go away.
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That would be a shame, but not a game changer. Losing E+, on the other hand... I'm 6'2" and the legroom is important. And I've got an aisle seat on UA 875 on 2/26 and on UA 876 on 3/5. SEA-NRT-SEA, legroom is king. And I was lucky on 875 in May and got booted to Business Class. Doesn't happen often, but it is nice when it does.
 
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A question for the Frequent fliers out there. How does one get an exit row seat. Most of the airline seat selection sites have the exit rows disabled for selection. Do you just walk up to the ate agent and ask at that time???
 
CJones said:
Random thought/topic for the day:

If/when you are forced to fly airlines and you fly on a carrier that allows you to reserve your seat ahead of time, where do you like to sit - front, over wing, rear, aisle, window, etc.? Why is the area you choose your 'favorite' spot - noise levels, ride comfort, better view, etc.?

P.S. - Greg is not allowed to answer "I like to sit in the driver's seat". ;)
Click to expand...

I believe they are all gone now, but I found out the hard way to avoid the last row aisle seats in an L1011. It seems that all the toilets are in the back of that plane, and I had a line of people standing next to me for most of the flight.

There is no way to tell in advance, but flights carrying sports teams (be they adults or children) are no fun. Ask me how I know.

Dave
 
vontresc said:
A question for the Frequent fliers out there. How does one get an exit row seat. Most of the airline seat selection sites have the exit rows disabled for selection. Do you just walk up to the ate agent and ask at that time???
Click to expand...

Check in and change your seat online as close to 24 hours before the flight as possible. Those seats will be available for a minute or so.
 
I like a window seat next to the aft part of the wing. The window seat...well that speaks for itself why. Although in a CRJ-200 it doesn't matter how short you are, you still have to lean over to see outside! The aft part of the wing cuz I like to watch ailerons ad flaps move. I do count how many seats I am away from an exit.
 
I do recall some spectacular views from airline seats over the years, but I think for the most part I'm burned out on airline travel. There's nothing about the airline experience that can't be improved with a general anesthetic. Those aren't rows numbered on the seating chart; they're levels of Purgatory.

(And I'm saying that with a boarding pass in hand for a trip to PHX less than 24 hours from now ... :frown2: )

I relate to the Dilbert comic, in which our hero is in line at the airline check-in counter. Ahead of him in line are two fellow passengers, each with a screaming infant under each arm. One says to the other, "Oh, are you going to the colicky baby convention too?"
 
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cessna182b said:
I believe they are all gone now, but I found out the hard way to avoid the last row aisle seats in an L1011. It seems that all the toilets are in the back of that plane, and I had a line of people standing next to me for most of the flight.

There is no way to tell in advance, but flights carrying sports teams (be they adults or children) are no fun. Ask me how I know.

Dave
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And high school kids on spring break going to Germany on a school trip.

Even the FAs felt sorry for me, but there was nowhere for me to move. And the adult chaperons were far away from the kids. Should have made one of them trade seats with me...
 
I had a customer a number of years ago when I worked for a German company that looked at things a little differently. We had to fly him to Germany a few times (at our expense). He was an important customer, and we would have flown him Business Class without any question. However, he would only fly with a seat over the wing which of course meant Economy. I guess he thought it was a safety thing, but I had to shake my head every time he did that.
 
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