What is the meaning of the seats of increased comfort on the plane. How to get the most comfortable seat on an airplane

Even the shortest flight always causes a lot of excitement for the traveler. And this is not surprising, because until now many people have a real fear of flying in the sky and believe that they definitely cannot be comfortable. However, experienced travelers know exactly how to make a few hours in the air as enjoyable as possible. Not the last role in this matter is played by the places in which you will sit during the flight. We think that no one will like to travel sandwiched between two chubby neighbors or watch people crowding around your chair wanting to go to the toilet for the whole flight. Therefore, after the cost of the ticket and the reliability of the airline, you should pay attention to which seats on the plane are better to choose. Of course, there is not always unity in this matter, because a lot depends on the size of the passenger, the company with which he flies, as well as personal preferences and the brand of the airliner. But we will try to give you general recommendations on which seats are best to take on an airplane if you want your air travel to be smooth.

Flight class

What are the best seats on an airplane? This question can be answered in different ways, but most passengers know for sure that the comfort of a flight directly depends on what class you are traveling in. This nuance directly affects many characteristics of the trip: the comfort of the seats, the level of service, the quality and choice of food. This is especially important when your flight takes more than four hours and comfort becomes its most important condition. Therefore, if you are thinking about which places to visit, try to choose a higher flight class when planning your trip.

Modern air carriers offer their customers the following travel options:

• Economy class;
• Business Class;
• first grade.

Each of these options has its pros and cons. Therefore, before finding out, for example, which seats are the best in an economy class aircraft, we will give a brief description of each flight class.

What to expect from a budget travel?

Most passengers travel by air in this way. After all, economy class tickets always have a low cost and are available to the general mass of tourists. Those who often fly by plane compare such a trip in terms of comfort with a bus ride. Reclining seats are installed in the cabin of the airliner, the distance between the seats will allow passengers of average height and build to stretch their legs and get comfortable. During the flight, you will definitely be fed, and many airlines also give gifts to the kids, consisting of coloring books, pencils and various games that help pass the flight.

However, keep in mind that the economy class does not boast a lot of amenities. For many passengers, the distance between seats and rows seems too small, and they cannot sit comfortably. This becomes a serious problem when the flight lasts several hours. In addition, traveling in economy class imposes some restrictions on baggage. Recently, major airlines have been providing extra-comfort seats in the most budget class of flights. Usually they cost a little more than usual, but the demand for such tickets shows that they are in high demand among tourists.

Flying in business class

Traveling in business class is extremely comfortable, there are comfortable seats that can be fully expanded and rested during a long and tiring flight. In addition, passengers receive gourmet à la carte meals and a wide range of alcoholic beverages. Each chair is equipped with such pleasant trifles as, for example, sockets to recharge laptops and smartphones.

For many tourists, the answer to the question “which seats on the plane are better to choose for a pleasant and memorable trip” is obvious - naturally, in business class.

Most expensive trip

Not every airline can be proud of having first class seats on board. It is one of the most comfortable of all of the above, but also the most expensive at the same time. Travelers who can afford this type of flight benefit from a host of benefits, including a separate check-in counter and priority boarding.

It is worth noting that first-class flights will seem the most convenient for tourists, but, unfortunately, not every passenger can afford such a luxury. Therefore, in the following sections of the article, we will try to find out which seats on the plane are better to choose for a comfortable and enjoyable trip.

Porthole seats

Many passengers consider the seats located near the porthole to be the best places. Undoubtedly, they have many advantages, but they are not suitable for all travelers.

You can choose such places if you plan to sleep during the flight, because no one will disturb your sleep, making their way to the toilet. It is quite convenient to be at the window for those who plan to occupy themselves with reading or working on a laptop. There is enough light here, so your eyes will not get tired, and you will be able to fly in comfortable conditions.

However, keep in mind that it will be difficult to go to the toilet from here - you will have to constantly apologize and disturb other passengers nearby.

Is it convenient to fly near the aisle

Those who are trying to figure out which seats on the plane are best for restless travelers should consider aisle seats. They allow you to get up at any time, give you the opportunity to stretch out comfortably, and also go to the toilet without worrying about disturbing your sleeping neighbors, for example. It's nice that the passengers sitting at the aisle are practically the first to go down the ladder after landing the airliner. And therefore, they have a chance without too much fuss to complete all the documents at customs and get luggage before other tourists.

But do not forget about the disadvantages that aisle chairs have. It will be quite difficult for you to take a nap or just relax, because other passengers and flight attendants walk between the rows all the time. In addition, be prepared to get up from your comfortable chair every time your neighbors decide to go to the toilet or just stretch.

Places in the center

In most articles that give advice on which seats to reserve on an airplane at check-in, seats in the center are called the least suitable option of all. However, it really depends on who is traveling. For example, for families with babies, these places are the most convenient for planting a child. Judge for yourself, he will feel both parents, and during sleep he will be able to stretch out, sitting on the laps of mom and dad. Therefore, many families try, when registering for a flight, to take three seats side by side at once.

But for people traveling alone, it will not be too comfortable to sit in the center seat surrounded by two strangers.

Emergency exits: pros and cons of seats

Some passengers mistakenly believe that emergency exit seats are the best and are often disappointed with their flight. After all, in fact, the seats at the emergency exits in the airliner have their own classification. You need to know about this when you check in for a flight and choose seats on board.

Most lucky are those travelers who managed to get on a row of seats between two emergency hatches. There is plenty of space here even for taller than average passengers, and you can recline the seat back completely without annoying passengers sitting behind you. It is also quite comfortable to sit in the seats that are located in front of the emergency exit. They have increased row spacing, and many airlines even leave space behind by removing a row of seats. However, keep in mind that such places usually do not accommodate women, children and the elderly, who in a critical situation will not be able to act in cold blood. Do not forget that the rules of air carriers are strictly forbidden to put hand luggage near the emergency hatch.

Places after emergency exits are considered in this category the most undesirable for a long trip. The chairs are firmly fixed in one position, so the flight will be extremely unpleasant.

Seats in the nose of the aircraft

The choice of such a place for air travel is in many cases justified. Passengers seated at the front of the aircraft receive drinks and meals first during lunch. They may not be afraid that the flight attendant will run out of juice or mineral water. In addition, they are the first to leave after landing, but this is where mothers with babies are often placed. In the front part of the cabin, you can conveniently fix a baby cradle, so when registering this category of passengers, preference is given. If you don't like traveling around crying babies or plan to work during the entire flight, then try to choose other places for yourself.

The tail section of an airliner

Seats in the tail have long been recognized as the most uncomfortable. There are always crowds of people and there is practically no opportunity to choose hot meals, and after landing, passengers will have to leave after all other travelers.

However, it is often the tail compartment that is not completely filled, so it becomes possible to comfortably sit on three chairs at the same time and sleep. According to statistics, during the crash among the survivors, about seventy percent sat in the tail of the aircraft.

First rows of seats

Some passengers deliberately choose seats in the front rows of seats. They have a lot of advantages: no one will throw back the seat in front of your nose, and the wall or partition in front creates a certain atmosphere of privacy even in a full cabin of an aircraft.

The best places to travel with children

If you are traveling in full force, then the information about which seats on the plane is better to choose - after all, it is quite difficult to fly with a child, you see, is not an empty phrase for you. This section of the article will be useful to you.

Usually the first rows of seats are called the most comfortable. In them, your child will not interfere with other passengers, for babies there is an opportunity to fix the cradle, the choice of dishes is the widest, and turbulence is felt the least.

Most often, the representative of the air carrier who checks in for the flight takes into account the fact that parents and children should sit side by side. However, it would not be superfluous to recall this, because in the process of work, some employees may not pay attention to the age of the child.

Try to get to the seats in the front of the cabin, because in case of incomplete loading of the liner, you can always change to the tail and put the baby to sleep on three free chairs. Otherwise, you will still have good seats in the front rows, where it is quite comfortable with a child.

What are the best seats on an Airbus plane?

General advice on choosing seats in the cabin may not always be effective, because they do not take into account the structural features of the airliner. This nuance must be taken into account when thinking about which seats on the plane are better to choose. Airbus, for example, is a fairly popular aircraft model among Russian airlines. It has several modifications, each has its own characteristics.

The Airbus 319-100 airliner provides for the sale of tickets in two categories: business and economy. For passengers of the second group, the seats in the third row will be the most comfortable. They are the first and are separated from the other cabin by a curtain, which makes it possible to sit very comfortably while traveling. The tenth row is often called "seats of increased comfort", because there is an emergency exit in front of them and travelers are accommodated with great comfort.

The configuration of the cabin of the aircraft "Airbus 320" suggests that the most convenient places are those that are in the third, tenth and eleventh row. The economy is counted from the third row seats and there is a partition in front of them. This eliminates the reclining of the seat in front due to its absence. The tenth row is distinguished by a wide passage from one row to another. However, do not forget that the position of the chairs is securely fixed, so you can only comfortably stretch your legs. The eleventh row can be considered the most suitable for long flights, the backs recline here, and the distance in front is quite enough for even a very tall passenger to sit comfortably.

What are the good seats on a Boeing plane?

These airliners are also often used by Russian air carriers. Boeing is a popular model. What seats on the plane are better to choose if you fly on board this model? We will reveal this secret to you now.

For passengers, it is a serious confusion that the cabins of these airliners are slightly different from each other. In one embodiment, there is a row with two chairs. Here, the most desirable places will be on the fourth, thirteenth and fourteenth rows. The fourth row starts counting in the economy class cabin. There will be a partition in front of the passengers that does not reach the floor. This allows travelers to settle in any position convenient for them. Flight attendants are starting to deliver food from these places, so you will not have any problems with the choice. The thirteenth row is not suitable for everyone, because behind it there is an emergency exit, which means that the transformation of the seat is impossible. However, there are only two chairs and a lot of legroom. The fourteenth row has the most important advantages over other places: reclining seatbacks and an increased aisle between the rows.

The second version of the interior configuration is identical to the first, but here the numbering is shifted by one and there are no rows with two seats. Therefore, similarly to the previous description, places on the fourth, twelfth and thirteenth row will be convenient here.

We hope that after reading our article, you will be able to easily check in for a flight via the Internet and choose the most comfortable seats for yourself and your family. Enjoy your flight and soft landing!

When registering online. Previously, this could only be done at the check-in counter at the airport (or at the ticket office of an authorized agent, which no one knew about), which forced passengers using this service to arrive early, otherwise there might not be enough seats. What are these places and how much?

At the moment, the airline offers 4 categories of seats provided for an additional fee:
"Space +" - places with increased legroom, mainly at emergency exits; it costs 1000-3200 r. for domestic routes and 15-55 euros for international ones (depending on the duration of the flight - there are three gradations:<3, 3-6 и >6 hours).

"Space + Upper Deck" - places with increased legroom on the upper deck of Boeing-747, it costs 3000-5600 rubles. on domestic flights and 75-90 euros (or $85) on international ones.

"Front Rows" - seats in rows 1-4 of Boeing 737-800 (300-500 rubles on domestic flights and 5-8 euros ($10 on international flights).

"A-zone" - seats in the bow of the Boeing-747 (the first cabin on the lower deck for 55 seats): 700 rubles or 12 euros ($14).

It is worth noting that all innovations relate to flights of Rossiya (FV5501-5900), which are operated without a code-share with Aeroflot; for check-in, DCS Astra (Sirena-Travel) is used here, and not Saber, which does not have such a function: only a platinum-level passenger can choose comfortable seats in Aeroflot not at the counter, and for free. Privileges for bonus cards of elite levels of Aeroflot on these flights of Rossiya are not valid, so you can get these seats for free only by chance, coming to the counter at the airport at the very end of check-in.

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An uncomfortable seat on an airplane can make you feel uncomfortable during the entire flight, and cause fatigue and fatigue at the end of the journey. But this can be avoided if you find out in advance which seats on the plane will be the most convenient and comfortable for you.

Place near the porthole

• If you are flying during the day and plan to read, good lighting will be a plus.
• You can enjoy the view from the window, but this also depends on the flight time - at night, unfortunately, you can't see much.
• Here, your neighbors will not squeeze through your place to theirs and cause you additional inconvenience.

• From such a place it is more difficult to get up and go, for example, to the toilet. You yourself will have to squeeze in and disturb your neighbors.

Aisle seat

• From this place you can freely get up, go to the toilet without disturbing the neighbors.
• Here you can stretch your legs into the passage - this is especially true during a long flight.
• After the plane has landed, you can get to the exit a little faster than others.

• You will have to get up every time the neighbors want to get up and go out.
• Other passengers and flight attendants will walk around you with carts that can hit you.

Seats in the middle of the row

Seats near emergency exits

• These seats are the most attractive and comfortable in terms of space - the distance to the next row of seats is slightly increased here, and some aircraft do not have a row of seats at all in front of the emergency exit seats. This allows passengers to calmly stretch their legs, get up and go to the toilet without disturbing the neighbors.

• In order not to block the approaches to the emergency hatches, the backs of the seats in these rows have a small angle of inclination or can be fixed at all.
• Despite the increased space, hand luggage that you took with you on board cannot be placed here - you cannot block the access to the hatches with hand luggage.
• Elderly people and passengers with children should not be in these places - often these places are given to physically strong men. This is because in the event of an emergency evacuation, such a person is more likely to be able to open the escape hatch and help the crew evacuate people.

Seats located in front of the cabin

Advantages

• Traditionally, seats in the front rows are considered the most comfortable.
• There are no more chairs ahead, no one will recline the back of their seat on you, so there is enough space to stretch your legs.
• If you are traveling with small children, then it will be easy to place a cradle or stroller here.
• Usually food and drinks are served from the front of the cabin, which will provide you with a wider selection of drinks and food.

• Since the seats in the front rows of the cabin most often go to passengers with children, there will hardly be silence in the front of the cabin.

Seats in the tail

• There is an opinion that the safest places are located in the tail section of the aircraft (according to existing statistics, of all the passengers who survived the accident, 67% sat in the tail).
• It happens that passengers are released simultaneously from the bow and tail sections. In this case, you will get off the plane faster.
• On unloaded flights, the seats in the tail are usually empty, and flying without neighbors is much more pleasant - you can not only get out freely, sit by the window, but even sleep on 3 chairs at once.

• Vibration is felt more strongly in the tail section of the aircraft.
• There are sometimes long queues for the toilet.
• Flight attendants usually get to this part of the plane with carts that are already empty, so passengers in the tail section of the plane are usually limited in their choice of an assortment of drinks and food.
• Most likely, the backs of the seats in this row do not recline or are very limited in this.

How to get the best seat on a plane

If you nevertheless received a ticket for a not very convenient seat, then immediately after landing you can try to take a more convenient seat (if there are empty seats in the cabin).

An experienced traveler, even before boarding the plane, is sure that he will be comfortable flying. He knows how to extract the right information from a seating plan and book the most comfortable seat long before he arrives at the airport.

He takes into account a lot of nuances and as a result enjoys the journey. Yes, in order to be able to do this, you need to make a lot of flights - or read the Kidpassage article once.

It contains everything you need to know about the best airplane seats and how to book them. Our review will be especially useful for parents with babies: they definitely need to know how to choose a seat on an airplane so that the flight goes smoothly.

Aircraft seat classes

The comfort of the seats and the range of services on the plane depends on which class you are flying. All seats in the cabin are divided into three main classes - economy, business and first class.

Most often, tourists buy economy class seats. In terms of comfort, they can be compared with modern buses: seats are installed in the cabin, between which a small legroom is left.

People of average height will be able to get comfortable, but long-legged passengers need to know which seat is best to choose.

Parents with restless children will also need a life hack for choosing seats in economy class: who would want a child to stomp on their feet for several hours of flight?

However, flying in economy class does not mean depriving you of all amenities. You will definitely be fed on the flight, besides, many airlines offer free baby food - ask how to order such a service (usually you need to inform about such a need 24-48 hours before the flight).

For babies, you can reserve a hanging cradle. Often, air carriers give small tourists gifts - toys, coloring books, stickers: new entertainment will help the child pass the time in flight. Each seat can be equipped with a TV.

Note that an economy class ticket imposes a baggage restriction: most often it is allowed to carry up to 20 kg of baggage per person free of charge. You can take hand luggage into the cabin by placing it on a special shelf or under a chair.

Business class seats on the plane are somewhat more comfortable. The distance between the seats is greater, and the seats themselves are usually arranged so that during the flight you can relax.

Business class passengers are offered more plentiful and refined meals, and the free baggage allowance is increased. Also, seats in business class are equipped with sockets, so that passengers can charge their smartphone or connect a laptop.

Sometimes planes have first class seats. This is the most comfortable class for long-haul flights, but also the most expensive. A common bonus for first and business class passengers is a separate check-in counter for boarding.

Please note: some airlines introduce their own gradation of seats on the plane, creating extra comfort seats in economy class.

Where is the best place to sit on an airplane?

You will be surprised, but travelers do not have a single opinion on which seats on the plane are better. Preference is influenced by various factors, from the height of the passenger to his ideas about safety.

We propose to consider several options for accommodation in the cabin in order to find out their advantages and disadvantages.

1. Seats along the sides of the aircraft. Convenient if the child wants to look out the window or you are going to read, draw with the baby, do other things that require good lighting.

If your family takes up all the adjacent seats, you will have two additional advantages: you will not disturb the neighbors if you need to go to the toilet, and the tallest member of the family will be able to straighten his legs in the aisle.

2. Aisle seats. Suitable if you have a restless child - he will have the opportunity to at least stretch a little in the aisle. With a baby who will sleep in your arms, it is better not to choose this place: on the one hand, you will be disturbed by fellow travelers who need to go to the toilet, on the other, by flight attendants delivering food around the cabin.

3. Front row seats. The most comfortable seats on an airplane for flying with a baby: usually it is in the front row that mounts for a hanging cradle are provided. Since there are no seats in front, no one will lower the back of their chair and take away your space.

Also, passengers in the front seat are usually the first to receive food and can choose from any of the proposed menu options. But there are also disadvantages: a bag with children's things that will be needed during the flight cannot be pushed under the seat in front.

I'll have to put it at my feet, and this will take up space. Another drawback is that, as a rule, the armrests of the seats in the first row do not rise, so you cannot turn neighboring seats into a solid sofa.

4. Seats in the middle row in wide-body aircraft. Not a bad choice if you manage to occupy three adjacent chairs. If the flight is relatively short, then the flight attendants and passengers passing along the rows will not annoy you.

5. Seats in the tail. According to statistics, these are the safest places on the plane. If your fear of air travel is great, dive deep into the cabin and switch to dreaming about what family entertainment awaits you in a few hours. But if you are not afraid to fly, it is advisable not to choose seats in the tail of the aircraft - the cons greatly outweigh the pros.

The backs of the seats in the last row do not recline, and a long flight can be a torment. Also, at the end of the salon, a small queue of people who want to get to the toilet usually gathers.

Almost all the information you need about the benefits of a particular place can be obtained by studying the plan of the salon. You will find it on the websites of air carriers or on aggregator websites offering a search for air tickets.

For example, the SeatGuru service allows you to find an aircraft by flight number and study the cabin layout. A description is given for each place on the plan: the width of the chair, the distance between the seats, the location of the portholes, sockets, and toilets are indicated.

If the air carrier offers extra-comfort seats, they will also be marked on the diagram.

Aircraft emergency exit seats

Emergency exits in the aircraft are located, as a rule, on both sides in the middle part of the cabin. If you manage to get into the seats in front of which the emergency exits are located, then in flight you will feel very good.

The main advantage of these seats is the increased distance between the seats. The child will be able to move without leaving the main aisle, it will be easier for you to get out to the toilet, and the lowered backs of the front seats will not be particularly bothersome.

But it should be noted that usually next to the emergency exits they try to put strong passengers who, in case of an emergency, will be able to help other people get out of the cabin. Children under 12 and pregnant women are not seated in these places.

Even if there are a lot of empty seats on the plane, and you manage to get next to the emergency exit, you will have to put your hand luggage on the top shelf.

Please note that some airlines offer emergency row seats for an additional fee.

Where is the best place to sit on a plane with a child

With all the pros and cons, the best place on an airplane for a flight with children is the front rows of seats. It is important that there are much more pluses: increased space in front of the chair, the presence of fixtures for the crib, the ability to choose food.

In addition, there is less shaking in the front of the aircraft if the aircraft enters a turbulent zone.

It must be said that the employees who check in for the flight often try to allocate seats on the plane for children under 2 years old in the front.

This means that there may be several babies next to you, not each of which will sleep peacefully all the way. If silence is more important to you than a hanging cradle, ask for a seat in the middle of the cabin.

In the case when you are flying alone with a child over 2 years old (and such a traveler needs a separate seat), try to take first and third place in a group of three seats.

If the flight is not loaded, it is possible that no one will be put in an empty seat between you. And you will have an extra seat - on an airplane with a child, it is better to have at least a small island for games and recreation.

When choosing a seat on an airplane, do not try to get into the tail section with children. But if there are a lot of empty seats in the liner, then after the announcement of the end of the landing, you can move to the tail and take three adjacent seats. It is quite possible to put a child to sleep there.

Please note: check-in staff do not always pay attention to the age of travelers and may give seats to parents and children in different parts of the cabin. Therefore, during check-in, ask to be placed next to the children.

How to choose a seat on an airplane using an electronic ticket

There are two ways to sit in the cabin of the aircraft that you like the most. The first is to find the location of the seats on the plane before departure, study their benefits, be at the check-in desk two hours before departure and ask to be seated in the selected seats.

The front desk clerk is likely to meet you halfway unless those seats are already filled. The fact is that advanced travelers try to book a seat on the plane immediately when buying an electronic ticket.

Advance booking of seats in the cabin is the second way to ensure your comfort during the flight. We recommend that you choose your seats on the plane online immediately after you have bought an e-ticket.

This service is provided by many airlines, as well as aggregator sites. When there is no line of people who want to check in for a flight behind you, you can safely study how the seats are located on the plane and choose the most convenient ones.

It is enough to mark the necessary seats on the interactive diagram, and the airline will receive information about the seat reservation. Then at the airport you will be sure that you will be accommodated in the cabin with comfort.

Sometimes at the time of booking it turns out that the best seats are already taken. Do not rush to get upset: this may mean that the airline holds the most comfortable seats until check-in opens.

Often they are left in order to accommodate passengers with babies or tall people. In this case, we recommend using the first method - come early to check-in and ask to be seated comfortably.

Important: not all airlines provide the possibility of booking seats before check-in opens. It is also not possible to book seats on low-cost flights.

Now you know what needs to be done to make the flight go smoothly. Let's share a few more little things that will help you get the most profitable seats.

• Do not be lazy to study the scheme of the aircraft. So you will know in advance how not to be in an uncomfortable place - for example, next to the toilet (and in large liners, bathrooms are located not only at the tail of the aircraft).
• Look for testimonials from travelers who have flown the same type of aircraft you will be flying. From there you can get useful information: from the temperature on board to small services that make the flight easier.
• Try to get on a less busy flight - there will be more chances to get a good seat. Usually, flights on weekdays, except Friday, have fewer passengers than on weekends.
• During registration, ask to be placed in the places you like. If you are undecided on a seat, simply say that you would like to sit next to the window, or in the aisle, or in the front row. You can also ask for a "quiet place": the plan of the aircraft does not provide information about the location of the engines, but the employees know where the hum of the engines is heard the least.
• If you still got unfavorable seats, transfer to the best ones after the announcement of the end of boarding.
• Do not take places behind which emergency exits are located. These chairs usually do not have reclining backs or the backs recline slightly.
• Some airlines provide passengers with the most comfortable seats for a surcharge. You can resort to this service to play it safe. But if you use our advice, then in most cases you can comfortably get on the plane and at no extra charge.

Not everyone can afford to fly in business class and take up a little more space than a standard seat. Those who fly often know that the chance of landing with a large person or someone with different ideas about hygiene is very high. It is impossible to avoid this, but you can try to sit near the window or in the aisle, if it will be more comfortable for you to survive the hardships of the flight.

Russian Forbes gives practical advice on how not to miscalculate with a seat on an airplane.

1. Learn more about the model and seating arrangements on the aircraft

You can find out on which model of aircraft a particular flight is made on the airline's website. Aircraft of different airlines are quite different from each other in terms of cabin comfort. The websites SeatGuru, SeatExpert have all the details about the layout of a variety of aircraft: the presence of electrical outlets and TVs in the backs of the seats, the location of the toilets, the spacing between the rows (usually it is 80 cm, but some companies, such as JetBlue, have increased it by 5 cm) - this seemingly small difference is very noticeable during long flights.

The first row behind the business class is considered the most convenient: there is more legroom, no one is sitting in front of you - which means that no one leans back on you, you will be the first to get food, drinks, newspapers, you will get blankets and pillows, for traveling with small children, it is possible to attach a cradle for babies to the wall and put a child seat. But even here there are drawbacks - because of the tables hidden in the armrests, it is impossible to raise these armrests and turn the chair into a sofa, or put a sleeping child on your lap. And if, for example, you are going to work or prepare for a business meeting on the way, it is hardly worth striving to sit in the front rows: neighborhood with children (and they are usually the most here) is unlikely to contribute to concentration.

Seats at emergency exits are also held in high esteem by experienced travelers: the row spacing here is 15 cm longer than in the rest of the cabin, but depending on the layout of the cabin, the seatbacks often do not fall down (on long flights, you will regret this) and you can’t keep a hand on the floor luggage. The rules prescribe to plant only tall adults in these places.

“Honestly, for obvious reasons, the first thing they look at at registration is that this person would be physically strong, energetic and, how should I put it, quick-witted,” says Boris Rybak, director of the consulting company Infomost. “In the event of an emergency, he must open the door and help the crew evacuate passengers.”

Although there are cases when even a fragile girl could convince an airline employee that she needed to fly in this particular row.

In the middle of the cabin, for a significant part of the flight, you find yourself “locked” in carts with food, drinks, newspapers, and duty-free goods. In addition, rows 8-20 are usually the noisiest zone in the aircraft, all the noise of engines and turbines is concentrated here. But there is no such information on websites and cabin maps, and only airline employees at check-in can help you find a quieter place - different types of aircraft have different noise distribution schedules.

At the tail of the plane, the seats are a little narrower (such is the geometry of the plane) - it’s closer to sit there, it shakes harder, a small selection of food, newspapers and magazines (according to the principle - what’s left), next to it is a toilet, which most often has a queue - which means noise. The only plus is that the tail seats are considered safer.

2. Book in advance

Advance booking allows you to choose your seats on the plane long before the flight. This is especially convenient for those who fly in large companies - it is difficult to expect that you can all be seated side by side. British Airways has introduced an additional booking fee since October this year: now economy class passengers will have to pay £10 ($16) on European flights and £20 ($32) on long flights, and £20 ($32) for the opportunity to choose a convenient seat. ) and 60 pounds ($98) respectively for business class passengers. But most air carriers (with the exception of low-cost ones, which charge everything) still provide this service for free when buying tickets both on the Internet and at airline offices. But few people know about it - because for some reason neither the carriers themselves nor the agents particularly advertise it.

When booking a seat in advance, you can also order special food for yourself (which few people know about either) - all air carriers have different lunch options. Transaero, for example, offers a choice of about 30 different meals - vegetarian, kosher, Muslim, low-calorie, diabetic and others, plus 2 types of baby food.

3. Use online registration

You can also choose a seat convenient for you during online check-in, this procedure is becoming more and more popular - you can check in at the airport at special kiosks, and even on the airline's website. Thus, you save a lot of time (you can arrive at the airport at least 50 minutes before departure), however, there are a number of restrictions - you must travel without luggage, without small children, without animals. In general, this option is suitable for a businessman traveling light. In addition, some companies, such as Delta or Air Berlin, do not display seats near emergency exits (and they are considered good by travelers) in the online check-in system, holding them for tall and large passengers. The second point is that in Russia not all companies have online check-in counters, and so far only in Moscow - in Dodomedovo and Sheremetyevo-2.

In the near future - the creation of a single group boarding pass that will allow you to get seats next to each other, for example, a large family or a group of passengers - for this they will not have to be all at the airport at the same time, 1 person will be able to register the entire company: the data of several travelers at once will be stored on the chip of one ticket.

4. Arrive early for check-in

Do not neglect the simplest and most proven way to get the desired seat in the cabin: do not be lazy and arrive at the beginning of registration. According to the director of the press service of Transaero airline Sergey Bykhal, "the airline's employees at check-in always try to accommodate passengers and take into account their wishes." For those traveling alone, this option is also possible: take a chance and play the lottery - arrive, on the contrary, at the very end of registration: if you are lucky, you can be given a seat in business class, and if you are not lucky, you will get a seat from which all other passengers already refused.

5. Choose Low Traffic Days to Fly

Experts recommend, if possible, to schedule flights on the days and hours of the least busy airports - these are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. The busiest days are Friday and Sunday. The busiest flights are in the morning and in the evening. In the half-empty cabins of “weekday” flights, the flight attendants themselves will offer you to transfer to unoccupied rows - it’s quite possible to sleep on three chairs.

6. Try the "unofficial ways"

A few years ago, the practice of getting good seats on board or getting into business class for a bribe to airline employees was widespread (500 rubles invested in your passport can still open your way to an emergency exit seat, but we do not recommend this). American Forbes.com tells the story of a passenger who, on a flight from New York to Germany, was helped by a hundred-dollar bill to get into business class. True, on the way back with the German airline staff, the same trick did not work.