In my case, an aisle seat typically means people brushing against me as they walk down the aisle. I don't much like to be touched, so that constant brushing sensation disturbs the hell out of me. Window seats are my favorite as I can lean against the window and no one touches me at all. A middle seat means I only have to deal with two constant touches rather than a series of touches.

No middle seats. I'm broad shouldered and take the aisle so as to not be always touching the person next to me. It's polite.

The only time I will pick a middle seat is if it's the exit row. I had a middle seat 7,500 miles from LAX to SYD. That's what you get when you book your tickets less than 3 weeks in advance. At least we had the exit row on the return flight!!!

I guess I don't mind the middle seat, assuming my wife and my son is beside me.. My son likes to watch out the window when we ascend and land.. so I'll switch him once we are up in the air, that way we all have leg room, and my wife and 1 year old is settled in comfy.

On a ~3 hr flight (Australia domestic) operated by a 737, I was in Y in a window seat when a bloke offered me $50 to trade seats with him so he could sit with his mates (occupying the two seats next to me). His seat was further up the cabin, but it was a middle seat. And I am not a skinny guy (but I fit in the seat without bulging out of it).

Hey, it was $50!

Apart from that, middle seats aren't usually my cup of tea. Upgrades and travelling with companions are excepted (although in the latter case I'll jockey for the non-middle seat).

No, but now that I know (from some replies here!) that some people prefer the front so that they can deplane quickly, I am thinking maybe the back middle seats are the last to go. Therefore maybe my first choice will be the back (aisle or window) with the hope that the middle seat does not get taken!

I am usually in no rush to get on or off, but I always want to be comfortable!

I was flying BOS-DEN-PHX a few years ago and took a VDB to fly BOS-LAX-PHX. They offered me 33A (second to last row on the 757) or 9B which was in the door 2L exit row so it had infinite legroom and the chance to get up and walk around when I needed it. I figured the middle seat choice was the far superior one.

+1^ good strategy.. I'll probably just let the airline pre-select seats together since I take up a whole row usually with my family.. but back of the bus, I don't mind neither. We wait to board last with the family so we can drag carryons, pop open stroller that's checked, get the baby installed into the stroller, install bag onto stroller.. all takes about 10 minutes.. poor crew, we always have 5 of them standing over us waiting for us to leave.. but that's the beauty of going last though.

I'll take a middle seat in order to avoid sitting next to a couple. I often travel solo and I feel inferior/lonely when seated next to a couple.

An alternative and better strategy is selecting the other non-middle seat when the only taken seat is a window or aisle.

So the overall strategy is to avoid being in a row where two contiguous seats are open or already taken :)

Never - unless there is absolutely no choice when booking.

Someone prefers a middle bulkhead here...


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