Al travel by airplane, whether for leisure or work, it is vital for us to travel comfortably to our destination. Many air passengers wonder how to get their choice right, and that is that an uncomfortable seat can get our trip off on the wrong foot. Here is what you should take into account when making your choice.

Below you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with in this article.

Article Index

How to choose the best seat on the plane

Numbering and measurements

During the purchase of our ticket, we will be shown two options, depending on the airline: on the one hand, we will be able to choose a seat or, on the other hand, one will be assigned to us automatically.



The latter is the case of low cost airlines, which assign you a seat by default and, if you want a preferential seat, you will have to pay an extra fee. Be that as it may, once we have our assigned seat, a letter and a number appear, which tell us what our seat is.

El number It tells us which is the row that has been assigned to us and, the letter, the specific seat that has touched us within that row.

The letters usually go from A to J, avoiding using the letters O, I and S because they can be easily confused with numbers. Thus, seat A is on the far left and J on the right, so that they are always next to the window.

The number of seats per row will depend on how wide or narrow the aircraft model is. Knowing this, we can get an idea of ​​the layout of an airplane at a general level, so that we will already be able to select our seat based on whether we want to be next to the window or, rather, near the aisle.

As for the dimensions, depend on the aircraft model. In general, the seats are somewhat narrower as they approach the tail of the plane, which is why many frequent passengers prefer to choose the seats that are located at the entrance of the plane.

Normally, passenger aircraft for transoceanic flights They have seven seats per row (2 + 3 + 2). On the other hand, the short distance ones usually have six per row (3 + 3) or even smaller, with four seats per row (2 + 2).

Location

The place where our seat or the upcoming items at the same time, they can become determining factors when making a flight a pleasant and pleasant experience or, otherwise, an endless and uncomfortable time.

In the following list we will list the advantages and disadvantages of each part of the plane so that you can judge for yourself.

Alas

If you are looking for stability, the seats that are in line with the wings are the most stable, since this is where the longitudinal, transverse and vertical axes of the aircraft are linked. On the other hand, there are passengers who prefer not to sit in this area because the wings obstruct the views from the window.

Corridor

The seats that are next to the aisle are the most demanded by those passengers who usually go to the toilet frequently during the flight, since this way they do not disturb the rest of the people who are in the same row.

Tall passengers also have a preference for these seats, because they have more room to stretch their legs. People who are in a hurry to get off the plane also admit to prefer this area because it allows them to quickly retrieve their hand luggage from the compartment, which speeds up the departure process.



Emergency exit

Airplanes have two emergency exits, one at the front and one at the rear. Many passengers choose these seats because they have a reputation for being wider and more spacious. However, you should know that the emergency exit seats at the front are not reclining.

Window

The seats next to the airplane window are the most demanded by 60% of the passengers. The main advantage of these seats is that they are more comfortable if you want to sleep during the journey. Another reason why they are the most requested is because you can enjoy the views through the window at all times.

Virtual

As not all aircraft are the same, the issue of space is vital when selecting our seat. Here are four factors that we must take into account:

  • Space between seats: depending on whether we travel in economy or business class, we will have between seventy centimeters and two meters of space between the seats. Also, the first-class seats are more ergonomic.
  • Recline: this data can differentiate a comfortable trip from an uncomfortable one. Knowing the angle of inclination that our seat may have, we can calculate the distance with the seat in front. Some low cost airlines they do not have reclining seats, but generally all seats in an aircraft have some degree of recline.
  • Seat width: Economy class seats are typically 45 cm wide; On the other hand, in first class we can find seats of up to 48 cm.
  • Security: Several studies show that the safest seats are those in the last rows. Thus, in the event of a plane crash, passengers in the queue would have 40% more chances of surviving than passengers in the first rows.

Also, if we are close to an emergency exit we can feel safer and this is something that can make our trip more pleasant.

Babies and children

Families traveling with a baby on the plane are usually assigned the seats in the first rows or those in the emergency exits, since they are the most spacious seats, especially if you have to feed your baby.

Keep in mind that children under two years of age do not have the right to a seat, so they will have to be in the arms of an adult. Therefore, it is vital to choose a comfortable seat, especially if your trip is going to be long.

As for children From two years and up, a good option would be to sit by the windows, because this will make the trip more entertaining by being able to observe the landscape.

Overweight people

Overweight or obese people experience quite a few problems when they travel By plane due to the seats, because they can be excessively narrow.

For this reason, currently the airlines grant these people the option of requesting to have a free seat next to them, as long as this is possible and the aircraft is not very full, as well as to request belt extenders.

In any case, our recommendation for these people is that they choose the seats that are next to the emergency exits or those in the front row, since they are wider than the rest.

For more information about this, we advise you to read the article in which we talk about this topic: Flight management for obese or disabled people.

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