An Educated Seat Selection On Your Next Flight
Often when we are selecting a seat we simply think about window, aisle or the dreaded middle seat. However, besides the aforementioned and your cabin choice, there are more options to consider.
There’s bulkhead, exit or emergency row, premium and whether the standard seat has limitations or unpleasantries.
What is a bulkhead?
Bulkhead is the wall of an airplane that separates the cabins or sections. The bulkhead seat is located right behind that wall.
Why a bulkhead seat is a good choice?
The bulkhead seat typically has more leg room and because there’s no seat in front of you, you don’t have to worry about someone reclining into your lap. Since it’s a partition, it’s either towards the front of the plane on a smaller aircraft or at worst in the middle on a larger aircraft.
Why a bulkhead seat is a not so good choice?
The downside to the bulkhead seat is you can’t store your personal items in front of you. All items must be placed in the overhead bin during taxi, take-off and landing. The armrest typically is not movable and the tray table is in the arm and sometimes smaller than normal. On long flights, it’s where families are seated because of the bassinette hooks.
The exit or emergency row
Self-explanatory, it’s the row or rows near the door or over the wing of the aircraft that is used for an emergency exit.
Why is the exit or emergency row seat a good choice?
The exit or emergency row seat has more space between your seat and the one in front of you, therefore providing more leg room.
Why is the exit or emergency row seat a not so good choice?
The exit row seat comes with restrictions and responsibilities. You must be 16 and older to sit in the row and you must be willing and able to assist in case of an emergency. In addition, arm rests may not be flexible and there may be limited or no recline.
What is Premium Economy?
Premium Economy seats are seats within the economy cabin that offer upgraded seats and amenities.
Why Premium Economy seats are a good choice?
Premium Economy seats are typically larger with more leg room. They also come with priority boarding or at least an early boarding group. Some airlines offer other amenities as well.
Why Premium Economy seat could be a not so good choice?
These seats come at a premium cost. However, you can always upgrade if it’s available and sometimes, the price can go down closer to your flight date and time.
What are the other seat options?
Well, these are really seats to know about and possibly avoid. These seats are limiting and in high traffic areas. For example; seats that are in the last row of a cabin or selection can have limited or no recline because the back is in front of or against the wall. Seats that are near the lavatory have high traffic and the area can be odorous. However, if you need quick and easy access to the lavatory, you’ll want to choose a seat nearby. The seat or row in front of the exit row can have limited or no recline as well.
How do you get the best seat available?
SeatGuru.com is a site that provides aircraft type, seat maps, and breakdowns on most airlines. Simply put in your flight number and date of travel for details on the seats on that airline and aircraft. Because seats can go quickly, you can open seatgur.com in one tab and your reservation in another to work on them both at the same time. Once you find the seat you want on seatguru.com, go to your reservation and select that seat from the seat map.
Using seatguru.com for information, you are now prepared to make an educated seat selection for your flight.
Yours truly,
Ja’Vonne Harley, aka, The Traveling Culturati