It’s easier said than done to sit comfortably on a long-haul plane. First of all, you need to choose a good seat. Each seat has certain advantages depending on your height, medical history, seat preferences, and other factors because, in long-haul flights, different situations will produce different optimal seats in different parts of the aircraft.
But the best seat on the plane has always been a question with a variety of answers, because the top seat on the plane depends entirely on your priorities as a passenger, so choosing the best economy class seat can be confusing. We offer some tips and pieces of advice on aircraft seats for frequent flyers, and you can make special adjustments to maximize comfort.
1. If You Need a Better Sleep
It’s hard to fall asleep at 35,000 feet, because there’s a lot of stuff plotting to stop you from dozing off: The noise of children; the buzzing of the engines; the beverage cart hits; the passengers next to you need to take the toilet; the turbulence of the air flow; your seat has no neck support. If you want to get on a plane and sleep with as little interference as possible, the window seat in the front of the plane is better suited to close your eyes than anywhere else. A window seat allows you to control the window shade and rest your head. It also means that when the passenger next to you needs to go to the bathroom, you don’t have to wake up every time and get the final privacy.
You can lean your body and head against the wall, which is much more comfortable than using a neck pillow. You can also simply put a rolled-up blanket or a spare sweater on your shoulder, or place an airline pillow on the armrest to cushion your sleep. It may not make you sleep well all night, but it may be better than sitting in the middle or in an aisle seat, because someone next to you may wake you up when going to the toilet.
However, keep in mind that the distance between the seats and windows of some aircraft is too large to lean cosily. The cabin walls of some planes are more curved than that of others, while the window seat gives the impression that it has less shoulder space than the regular seats.
2. If You Want a Larger Space
Exit row seats have more legroom than most seats, as do bulkhead seats. However, these kind of seats are in great demand and have some disadvantages.
Some airlines now have to charge extra to sit in the exit row seat.
In case of emergency, passengers in the exit row must be willing to assist in evacuating the plane. You will not be allowed to keep any carry-on items in your seat or floor during landing and departure times.
The exit row seats don’t have a PTV entertainment screen on the back of the seat in front. As a result of this design layout, you may find that the actual seat width is smaller than the normal seats, and the use of PTV and tray tables can be cumbersome.
Bulkhead seats are usually a great place to gather and chat, do stretching and so on, and are also a place to provide a bassinet for families with infants, so it turns out to be noisier.
You may find that the space in front of the bulkhead is used as a cross-over passage for passengers to go to the bathroom and so on. So it is recommended that you choose a bulkhead seat in the middle, which means that other passengers will not step on you on their way to the restroom.
3. If You Wish for a Smooth Ride
Flying has never been a pleasant task. If you are a nervous flyer, choose the right seat and be prepared, you will have an easy trip. Some seats on the plane will not feel so bumpy, under the force of lift, torque, wind, gravity, resistance and thrust, the closer the airplane is to the center of gravity, the easier it is to fly smoothly. So sitting in the middle of the plane, above the wings, when the plane encounters turbulence, the wings can help the aircraft remain stable.
4. If You Hope for a Delicious Airline Meal
If your flight offers snacks, drinks or meals while you want to eat, then sit at the front of the plane. Most airline trolley cart starts at the front of the plane and then return. The dry air in the cabin and the loud noise from the engine make it impossible for us to taste and smell food and drink. The closer we sit to the cockpit, the better. It is quieter and the air is wetter, which will make the food taste better. Plus, if you need extra help, you will usually get the service first when you are sitting closer to the crew.
5. If You’re Ttraveling with Kids
Traveling with children, especially small kids, may be an unknown thing, and children may be restless. Try to find a row of bulkhead seats when traveling with children.
The bulkhead seats provide extra space, so children can stand up and move once in a while when the seatbelt light goes out. More space also means children won’t disturb the passengers in front of you.
Bulkhead seats are also often close to the restroom, making last-second toilet emergencies easier. Once you have a bulkhead row, you ‘d better let your child have a window or middle seat and avoid a seat near the aisle. Windows are a healthy way of distracting children. More importantly, they can prevent children from falling into the aisle, being hit by airline service trolley, passengers running to toilets.
6. If You are Focusing On Safety
Your position on the plane will actually significantly affect your chance of survival. In the plane crashes in the United States, passengers sitting near the tail of the plane were 40 % more likely to survive the crash than those sitting in the front rows, the study found. As a result, passengers in the back of the aircraft are the safest. If you have safety awareness, try to choose the back seat of the plane. These places are also close to the washroom and kitchen, where you can buy extra snacks or an airline amenity kit.
7. If You Like a Fast Exit
Sometimes, the last 10 minutes feels the longest when you wait to get off the plane. You want to maximize the time you spend at your destination and minimize the time you spend on the plane. Obviously, on most planes, those in front can leave first. To exit quickly, you need to get a seat in the front left of the aircraft, which is where the exit is and where passengers leave the plane, and that means the fastest time to get off the plane.
If your plane has two aisles, select a seat in the front row and enter the aisle on the left. The plane’s main exit door is almost always on the left, and that aisle tends to move faster than the right aisle, so passengers from that side can get out of the plane rapidly.
8. If You Demand the Excellent Service
There are many factors in our choice of the seat on a plane. They may vary depending on the time we book our seat, our preference for window and aisle seats, or our fear of flying. But among all these essential factors, there is a question that most of us may miss: where can we get the best service? While you might guess that first class or business class enjoy the most benefits, there is an unexpected place in economy class that may also be suitable for a variety of needs.
Although most passengers often choose seats in the front of the plane, so that they can get off the plane first and have a better chance to get their favorite dining choices. However, if you sit near the rear of the plane, you will receive the most careful service. For example, when you want an extra drink, it’s much easier.
