Best seats in plane???

[arno&caroline]

I have traveled many times in South Africa, but only twice internationally and am still not sure what the best seats are on the plane (I am talking economy seats only).

I am not a small chap (tall and lets say, comfortable around the waist but not way too much... too many Castles and watching Rugby, more than actually playing Rugby ) and find the airplane seats way, way, way too small. In local flights it is normally not so bad, as it is over so quickly, but the super long international flight becomes completely unbearable less than a quarter of the way into the flight.

The leg room is a problem, but I can manage... the big problem is the width of the seats. In local flights I normally pick the window seat for the following reasons:

- The armrest on the window side can normally lift up and that gives valuable extra width.

- the middle seat is just plain not an option

- the aisle seat allows easy access to the aisle for a stretch of legs, but everybody that walks along the aisle invariably bumps your elbow and I have had coffee spilled on me a few times already when the stewardess pores for someone

On my last flight to Germany I picked the window seat and to my horror discovered that the window side armrest can not be swiveled out of the way... why this has been done is a mystery. The earphone socket is also positioned in a very ridiculous place. There is precious little width space as is and then they force that in there also.

I always hear of people advising that the emergency and first rows are the best with regard to space, so on my return leg from Germany I booked seat on the front row... biggest mistake ever!!! Never ever will I take this seat again. :thumbdown: There is only marginally more legs room, but the little that was gained by that was vastly overshadowed by the huge reduction in width, due to the TV that they have swiveling into the armrest. When I got to the seat and tried to sit down, I literally sat down on the armrests and had to almost hop up and down a few times before finally squishing into the minute gap. I felt like I was stuck and could only get out with some assistance. There was no way that I could slide the headphone's socket between me and the armrest, never mind plugging it in. I thus had no sound and the fancy (now useless) swivel out TV staid in it's slot most of the way. The flight was full to the gills (as usual) and there was no option of swapping seats.

I have never been on an international flight that was lees than full and have only heard people talking about have three seats all to themselves and dossing stretched out all the way. For some or other reason taking a nap in the aisle is seriously frowned upon by stewardesses, people needing the loo urgently, etc. and thus have to be ruled out... or is there a secret, out of the way spot that I am not aware of??

The question is thus, what other seats in economy class are maybe better than the rest, as I have a few hours between arriving at J'burg international (or OT or what ever the next name is that will be dreamed up by the money wasters) arrival and departure and can thus (hopefully) book a good seat...

[Dreams]

Seats on planes are not made for humans or comfort. It also annoys me when the selfish @# in front of me drops his/her seat's back rest like a ton of bricks onto my knees. When you sit right at the back, you get served quicker, avoiding the " cheekin or cheekin" 'cause we ran out of beef choice, but there is more engine noise and the leg space is small. When you are in an aisle seat, your elbow gets bumped eash time you'r nearly asleep. When you sit next to a window, make sure your bladder is good.

If you must catch a connection flight and do not have lots of time between landing and departing, sit in front to get out asap.

I think window seats are the best or try the seats next to the door.

Take your own entertainment like a book / ipod with music, video, podcasts because some of the movies are quite stupid or ancient.

Or nock yourself out with a sleeping pill.

I wish I know how to avoid the pounding headache i usually get early the next morning (no, its not a balalaas).

Good luck, anyway

[arno&caroline]

Godan

I agree with most things except the seat next to the door. This will also have the TV in the armrest!!! Does the seat at the door have more legroom than the first row? If this is so, then I thought about lying on the floor in front of the seat with my back on the ground, head to the front of the plane and my legs on the seat... it sounds complicated and one probably needs to be a yoga slash Kamasutra expert to get into (and out off) this position, but I am desperate... My fiance just about choked herself to death when I mentioned this over dinner last night. She thought it was hilarious, but told me in no uncertain terms what she thinks of the idea. :thumbdown:

[Mara]

Hi Arno

I travel overseas fairly often, and I have always headed for an aisle seat in the middle block of 4. I have often been fortunate that the seat next to me ended up empty, so I could spread myself across the two. If it is taken, at least I can get up to stretch my legs. You are right, the window seat arms do not lift anymore, just the one against the next seat. Unfortunately, I do not think that there is a 'good seat' anywhere in economy!

[arno&caroline]

Hi Mara

A little off the topic... I love your Avatar (little kitty). We are big time cat people and swallowed hard on not having our babies with us anymore. We decided that the months in cages is going to be too cruel and luckily my cousin volunteered to become their foster parent. This weekend will be the first time that they will be let out of his house and I am so scared that they will try to walk back to PE (from his farm close to Cradock)... They have been indoors for 2 weeks now and apparently finally getting comfortable without us around.

I will be in Melbourne next week...

Anyway, back to the topic... I am hoping that the flight will not be as full as all the other ones. Hopefully I can get an empty seat next to me (yeeeeah-right!!!). I don't know if there any events on in Australia that will cause the plane to be full (I don't know what the school holidays times are like). When I flew to Indonesia in 2000 (roughly the same time of the year) I thought the plane was going to be empty, but little did I know that there was some Indian festival on and the plane was full to the rafters. The little Indian lady next to me was air-sick almost all the way (her first flight ever)... she went through a few barf bags! Not the best flight I ever had!

It was an old 747 with the big screen in the middle and they showed this stupid movie call "My dog Skippy"... I had to stop myself from chewing through my wrists to commit hara kiri before the movie finally ended. :blink:

[Mara]

Hi Arno, wow what an experience that Indian flight must have been! Well put your mind to rest, there are no festivals and it is not school holidays, so here is hoping for you!

See you are heading for Melbourne, if there is anything we can help with, please shout, I will PM you my contact details.

As for the kitty, well in our home we have two purebred Balinese (long haired Siamese), they rule the roost, and all those who dare enter their roost!

[arno&caroline]

Mara

Thanks for the PM. Our two are pure bred pavement specials from animal welfare... but boy did they land with their bums in the butter. We got them from 4 weeks old and people thought they where pedigree cats judging by the condition that they are in. Only the best food and lots of love and attention...

... now I wondered off the topic again (and the emotions are getting the better of me). Here is hoping for an empty flight!!! Still not sure which seat to choose...

[Brick]

Hi there

Two comments from my experience.

1- The emergency exit seats do have more leg room but the ones I have had do not recline, I don't know if thats a general thing but in my restricted experience I have found that.

2- I always take an aisle seat, two reasons. I like to get up often and so I don't have to climb over people, (the other side of the coin is that you will get disturbed by others that need to get out. But for me it's the lesser of two evils). And can stretch my legs into the aisle, just watch out for those trolleys.

Edited July 31, 2008 by Brick

[Madelein]

A very useful website is http://www.seatguru.com/

It has all sorts of info and the best seat to South Africa / Australia on Singapore Airlines is 60A or 60K. You can change your seat no 48 hours before the flight.

Regards

Madelein

[Dreams]

according to seatguru - there are no good seats.

[matman]

Arno

Sorry you are out of luck Mate - There are no best seats in Economy unless you get lucky and the plane is not full and you get an empty seat. With airlines starting to drop routes and use smaller planes because of high fuel prices. This issue of over full flights will only get worse.

There are 2 options and both will cost you:

-- Buy 2seats in economy - maybe slightly cheaper than Business

-- Buy a business class seat

Sorry I forgot - there are some flights now on Qantas that I know about where they have Premium Economy (this is also on BA and Virgin) These seats are a bit bigger than your normal economy seat and you get extra leg room

Rgds

Matman

Edited July 31, 2008 by matman

[NicciG]

Hi Arno

Jy't 'n lekker sin vir humor!! Kan sommer net sien hoe le jy onder die sit!

Ek't ook laas in 1999 internasionaal gevlieg (met die ou vliegtuie wat die groot TV skerm gehad het) en het gevind dat daardie sitplekke die beste is, maar nou se julle dat elkeen nou sy eie TV'tjie het. O, wee! Sterkte!

Bly om te sien dat iemand van PE se droom van Oz toe gaan gerealiseer is! Nou wag ons net vir ons beurt.

Baie sterkte vir Melbourne!

Lekker dag

NicciG

[NikkiH]

Hi Arno

Here are my tips:

1. Book in the middle row of seats (so the row that has no window seats) and ask for the aisle seat. Ask that for a seat where no one is sitting next to you (or your girlfriend/wife). Those seats in the middle of the middle row will always get filled last, so the chance of an empty seat next to you is good - especially if you ask nicely.

2. As you already found out- avoid the seats that are in the first row after a division - you will get less space and you will be disturbed by the people going to the loo or if the kitchen is there, the noise and lights from the hostesses preparing food will disturb you. Also that is where the baby basinetts are and you will be right next to the baby getting an earfull if they feel like crying.

3. Instead of sleeping pills take someting like valoid or stugaron. They are anti nausia but they are also sedatives. You will get the sleep you need without the sleeping pill after effects.

4. After checking in, and closer to the time for boarding (dont leave it too late as the desk may get busy), go to the service desk for the airline and ask them if there are any upgrades available. You will have to pay extra, but sometimes it will be a tenth of the price of the actual business class or premium economy/economy plus ticket.

5. Fly with an airline that is known for overbooking - this is risky but often you will be able to upgrade for less or even for free if you play your cards right. If they tend to overbook and you are willing to take the chance of having to take a later flight, then check in as late as you dare and then all the economy seats may be full so they will bump you to the next class up. The airline I flew with that does this was United. Their economy class is the worst and even business is not good. So only do this if you have no other choice in airlines, because flying long haul economy with them will be the worst flight you ever took.

6. If there are two of you and you dont want to deal with sitting with another person you dont know and you dont want to sit in the centre row, then check on the seating plan for the plane, some of them will have the last few rows with only two seats on the outside aisles.

Hope this helps!

[arno&caroline]

Thanks for all the good replies. My trip was awesome. The plane was a Airbus something, but not the latest model as there was only roof mounted tv screens. I was booked (without have much choice in this) on the first row seats. I was divasted when I saw which seat it was until I saw there is no TV in the armrest... but then a woman and her screaming two kids arrived and low and behold my seat was double booked. Because her kids was booked in the seats next to her I was moved.

I ended up getting an aisle seat in the 4 seat middle row, but not just any aisle seat... an aisle seat with only one person on the other end aisle seat. The other person siad he does not need the outher two seat, so I could stretch out and slept almost all the way!!!!!

Melbourne is awesome, but I have only seen a tiny bit thus far...

[Mara]

Hi Arno

Glad to hear you had a good trip and made it to Melbourne safely. Please make contact if there is anything we can assist with, even if it is just a cup of coffee!

[Giets]

Good day,

We are flying out to Brisbane on the 4th of November via Dubai. This is me, my wife and 3 little ones, aged 2, 3 and 7. My agent told me that we cannot book seats upfront. I imagine we have quite a challenge ahead of us.

Any advice to make this as easy as possible for us would be appreciated..

Giets.

[Tex]

We are flying out to Brisbane on the 4th of November via Dubai. This is me, my wife and 3 little ones, aged 2, 3 and 7. My agent told me that we cannot book seats upfront. I imagine we have quite a challenge ahead of us.

Any advice to make this as easy as possible for us would be appreciated.. :

Giets.

Hi Giets,

There was another thread recently about advice for parents travelling with young ones - lots of very good tips on that one.

Tex

[Kitten]

Good day,

We are flying out to Brisbane on the 4th of November via Dubai. This is me, my wife and 3 little ones, aged 2, 3 and 7. My agent told me that we cannot book seats upfront. I imagine we have quite a challenge ahead of us.

Any advice to make this as easy as possible for us would be appreciated..

Giets.

We phoned the airline directly when we were booking our seats and got to choose them. We have a flight to South Africa in three weeks where we have booked the four centre seats for us four and on our February trip to Australia we have booked two rows of the window seats. We figure we will use these two flights to test the best seating options for future bookings. Hopefully we can lift the arm rests up so the kids can stretch out slightly and sleep. I am lucky, if I am tired I can sleep in any position, hubby stays awake the entire flight poor thing.

Just wanted to let you know though that you can contact them and request certain seats.

[Kapoen]

Hi All,

How on earth did you get to choose your seats? My husband is 2.01 meters tall and does not fit into an economy seat at ALL, but unfortunately we don't hve the moola for business class, ANy additional legroom will help him, my son is also very tall 1.98m. I always thought the seats before the toilets in the middle of the plane had more legroom? If you don't fit into the seats you won't mind the noise and disturbance. We flew to the USA previously and were told the "good" seats are offered to frequent flyers first ? Any comment?

Edited October 23, 2008 by Kapoen

[MarcK]

Hi all

It is usually best to try for the row of seats in the middle of the aeroplane. Passengers typically want window seats so they can see (? in the middle of the night over the Indian ocean?) so most people avoid the middle row.

Benefits of emergency exit or bulkhead seats is there may be more legroom. The downsides is the armrests do not lift up (due to the tray and TV screens) so if you have nobody sitting next to you then you luck out being able to lift the armrest and spread out.

An interesting note on aircraft types....

Emirates and Singapore use Boeing 777 aircraft a lot. Emirates has 4 seats in the middle row whilst Singapore has 3 seats. So I guess Singapore is a little more comfortable. I know most of us end up flying either SAA or Qantas. No tips there except Qantas' flights enjoy a particularly high load factor which means their flights to Sydney are pretty full most of the time.

This does not bode well for us plebs in Cattle um...er... Economy class.

Another point is travel agents are usually only able to request Window or Aisle seats and also are not always able to guarantee specific seat selections.

My advice is to try and see if you are able to check-in online (Singapore & Emirates & SAA offers this).

Lastly the NICEST seats on any airplane are the ones we usually have to walk past in Business class on our way to the back..... Enjoy

M

[Kitten]

Another point is travel agents are usually only able to request Window or Aisle seats and also are not always able to guarantee specific seat selections.

We bought our tickets directly from the airline and were able to choose our seats. We have even been given our seat numbers already. These were SAA and Quantas. So it is worth giving them a call.