BingBongBoy

Operated a flight today, and because of turbulence, was sat at my seat at door 3 on the A321 at a few points for 10-15 minutes at a time, at varying points as instructed by the captain. Whilst there, on one of the occasions, I overheard a couple having a little "discussion" about why the lady had sat at the window, when the man wanted the window to look out of, but she had closed the window blind and wanted to sleep.

So, I am curious.

Do you prefer a window or an aisle seat? And why?

I am a window seat man, through and through. Even if it is just the ocean, I still am in absolute awe that I am up there. I fly every day for a job, and never get to really look out of the window and miss so many sights... So, as a passenger, the chance to sit and watch the world go by, quite literally, I adore it. I have a bladder akin to a large oil tanker, so can go pretty much all the way on a long haul flight without need to visit the facilities.

Discuss, but don't fight. ^

rossmacd

Aisle EVERY time! Even in CW! ^

Easy access to facilities, quicker to leave aircraft and ability to stretch out in aisle when there are no service trolleys moving around.

I should add I feel claustrophobic when in a window/middle seat.

Padmeister

I am with you BBB Windows seat through and through ^

I just prefer it far more than an aisle seat i like to look out of the window before take off and during, and then thousands of feet in the air even though sometimes all i see is clouds

ardboe

Window, I can't help looking out at all the activity at the airports and trying to recognise any landmarks I might spot on a clear day or nearer to the ground.

oxtailsoup

Window on upper deck so I get the extra shelf and storage for somewhere to place my glasses (both reading and of the alcoholic liquid vessel type)

pinkcat

Window if there is going to be an easy escape route, eg CW or next to someone I know
I like to look out of the window and sleep against it,
Aisle if I am in a 3 wide packed economy/coach class so I dont get squished

I am a bit of a fidget and get up quite a lot to stretch my legs or pop to the WC and I dont like disturbing people beside me.

BingBongBoy

But that to me, is still a bit "magical"...

I came back from TLS as a passenger a month or two ago, and as we took off and climbed, we entered a mass of cumulonimbus clouds, but just happened to be, our flight path took us in-between these towering masses in the sky... and it was like flying through some magical world... It was amazing!

God, I must sound like a complete twonk...

HIDDY

Wife at the window me at the aisle with a complete stranger in the middle cause we're selfish sods.


Seriously, my wife always takes the window seat because I'm a gentleman and let her take her seat first.

corporate-wage-slave

Window in CW for all the reasons you mention, plus the fact that because I don't drink alcohol I don't normally need to use the bathroom mid flight, even to HKG - some co-pax seem to go every single hour. Consequently I can sleep solidly rather than face the hourly drunken lurch that an aisle seat would engender. Finally it is safer facing backwards.

FearFree

I prefer the aisle, as I like to stand occasionally, and tend to have a few drinks which encourages me to use the lav. I can understand wanting to be next to the window for sleeping, as it tends to be a much better headrest than a seatmate I may or may not know.

ardboe

Yep, especially when you know the names of clouds.

BingBongBoy

Oi! Cheeky... I just happened to be good at school...! Heaven only knows how I ended up in this line of work...

Swanhunter

Aisle in ET and CE unless I can guarantee an empty row. Easy access to stuff on overhead locker inc Plane Food picnic, lavs etc.

Club will depend on plane, availability of extra legroom seats, nearness of galley, lavs etc. That is all about getting a good nights kip.

Window in F, the centre pairs stink

I have reached the point of both familiarity and snobbery that given a seat map I can run through the top5 seating options and why in the click of a mouse.

Scots_Al

Dom: Aisle, as I just want to get away quickly, and without fuss (by same token, I'll take a window in row 2 over an aisle in row 13).

Short-haul: Window, particularly if flying over Alps, for example (unless I have a need to get away particularly quickly).

Long-haul Y: Aisle without question - access and space most important.

Long-haul CW: Window - aisle is too exposed, especially when sleeping.

Moomba

My flight memory tells me 567 window, 2 middle and 7 aisle. That sort of indicates where my preference lies.

Why? I never tire of staring out of aircraft windows.