Goodbye Window Seat
 

My whole life I have been a window seat person, every since i was about 5 years old I wanted to sit in the window, well that continued into my adult life, I wanted to control if the shade was up or down, and I could lean on the window to catch a quick nap. Well my last few flights I have sat in the aisle, mainly becuase I have had a lot of CRJ flights were I can strech my legs in the aisle since there is no first class. In short has anyone else switch from Window to Aisle or Aisle to Window after years of sitting the the same seat.

Yes, I'm an all Aisle guy now. When I first started flying for work, I was a window man. But I always felt bad having to get up on long flights and disturb/wake the person next to me if I had to use the bathroom. Or reaching over them for my food/drink etc.

Now I'm an aisle guy.. I can get up as much as I want, and not worry about it. If I want 10 drinks and then have to use the bathroom a bunch, well I'm not cheesing anyone off with small bladder syndrome. :D

If I'm on a domestic flight and get upgraded, and placed at the Window, that's cool.. I appreciate the free big seat.

Yep, my story is pretty much the same as pbj's. I always choose an aisle seat now. Occasionally I will sit in a bulkhead window seat in F, because there is usually enough room to maneuver without disturbing the seat mate.

I had always enjoyed looking out the window. There is just so much to see in this world of ours. But now that I fly a lot, the novelty of the view from 35,000 ft. has sort of worn off.

It depends. I used to like windows, but now I'm almost all aisles, on the left side of the plane, so I can stretch my leg and work on my computer without elbowing the person next to me with my right arm when I move my mouse. And I can get up whenever I want. The only time I will consider a window is on a red eye when I want sleep, but only if I can get a bulkhead or exit row with extra legroom.

I like a window seat, with the adjacent aisle seat empty.

I used to be all window, all the time. Now, I usually pick the aisle, with one exception - domestic redeyes.....I love to sleep against the window. Also...if there is a particularly scenic arrival, I will opt for the window.

Edit to say that the E175 and CRJ900, I love the A side....best of both worlds in F.

This is not a DL topic so I am moving this thread over to TravelBuzz.

RSSrsvp - Moderator

Former aisle guy
 

I started out as an aisle guy, because I used to get a little (ahem) gassy on flights and would have to go to the restroom frequently to relieve the pressure. (tmi? sorry.)

Now that problem seems to have gone away as I have flown more and more.

Window is my preference especially because I can board early and relax knowing that I don't have to get up to let the window and middle seat into their spaces, and I usually don't need to get up on flights of less than 3-4 hours, so I don't get bothered by folks getting up.

Yes - sort of. When I was regularly flying ERJ-145s out of MCI and EWR on CO, I would go for seat 2A or 3A - which as you know are both aisle and window seats.

I digress. I always preferred aisle seats as I could get up to rest room/stretch etc without disturbing other pax. I then flew CO flights MCI-IAH-EZE (also did the Buenos Aires Metro to Iguazu too) and return. Had never crossed the Tropic of Cancer, Equator , Tropic Of Capricorn before and I wanted to see out of the window going across the Amazon jungle etc. OK -I know they are night flights you can not see much, but I wanted to. Since that day, I always try and get window seats. SCENERY. Did not regret one bit when last summer I did SEA-WRG-KTN-JNU on AS metal using DL Sky Pesos

All depends if I'm flying 1st class or coach where a window seat makes me feel trapped especially if someone is sitting in the middle.

I started out using aisle seats and liked the flexibility of getting up and down. But, as I am young and don't need to use the bathroom that often (or can hold it well) I decided to try out window seats and I don't regret it one BIT. Like Gralistair, SCENERY. Oh yeah, I love seeing the scenery and taking pictures of it to bring back to my family who may never get to fly much. I love flying into the sunset or sunrise, it's just so gorgeous.

I go back/forth with this choice.

Recently discovered the bulkhead aisle on DL 738's since feet can sneak under FC curtain and you don't get as many pax walking to the lavatory and/or drink carts banging into your shoulder.

Otherwise, don't really care too much anymore.

I've done the reverse! going from aisles to windows... so that I can 'control' the shades!! got too tired of all the threads on here about window passengers saying they will keep the shades open, regardless, and despite passengers trying to watch inflight entertainment. they always finished their posts with 'if you don't like it, book a window'... so I now do! :)

So how does that help you when another pax opens his shade?

When the cabin is meant to be dark, these [edited by moderator] that open the shades are inconsiderate jerks. Particularly in TPAC flights where most want to sleep.

Maybe in a few years we will all have the 787 windows and not have to put up with these retards.

Then what's your opinion of pax who use reading lights on overnight flights? Should those with different sleep patterns from yours just sit there in the dark and do nothing?

It's each passenger's responsibility to be prepared for the likely eventualities of air travel, including noise and light at inopportune times. No reason to blame others if you're not adequately prepared.

I love looking out the window. Especially at take-off and landing time, but in between too. I love the view.

Imagine my horror when recently I boarded an AF A321 for the first time and finding out that my exit-row window seat, 23A, was positioned such that from that seat it was impossible to see out any window anywhere, with the exception of the small round (distorting) window in the emergency exit on the other side of the plane.

Which reminds me, I should check if seatguru updated their info about that yet because when I checked to see what seats would be good, they made no mention of it.

well - I generally get to control 3 to 4 windows... so I can watch my screen! That's what's important! :)

I mean - it gets to the extent on some flights that window passengers, with their shades open, are using the inflight magazine to shade their PTVs. I just don't understand how it doesn't occur to them to just lower their shade... not only for them.. but so anyone else might watch too!

Window in First class, whenever possible.

Window in coach if I expect to sleep and don't want to be disturbed by seat-mates.

Other than that, aisle for sure, nice to be able to get up whenever you like without having to ask or step over/around someone else.

I was a window person until the airlines began scrunching the seats together in the 1990s. Then I became an aisle person.

Clearly the best option if not in "real" F!

For me it depends. Window in J on the upper deck to get the side storage bins and so I can sleep undisturbed if it's long haul. In the old days it was always a window on the RHS of the plane, irrespective of class, whenever I flew into Kai Tak - that was just the best approach ever!

Aisle for domestic short haul, especially in economy.

Window unless it's a 3-abreast seating (like 757s). Unless I can guarantee that the middle seat will be empty OR if it's a redeye.

If it's 2-abreast (like 767s), I'll take the window, especially if it's a new airport in flying out of/into.

Used to always do windows, on the north side of the plane (when flying transcon) to get better light. I carried various maps (AAA maps will do fine) and learned my way around the country by visual landmarks, and in the process, picked out a number of great locations to later explore on the ground (being a hiker/backpacker).

Also really like to lean my head against the wall to sleep.

But alas, as age has caught up with me, I've switched to aisles as I need to get up frequently, mostly due to bladder issues. I miss the old days of having an empty middle seat, ha.

For me, it depends on the length and time of the flight. If its a shorter flight, I get the aisle. If its a longer flight or I plan to sleep, I get the window.

I always enjoyed a window seat. I had a bad experience one time a fat person was sitting in the middle seat on a long flight and was hanging over my seat. I do hate it when I am in the middle or isle seat and the person at the window pulls the shade down for the entire flight, some even on landing.

I have almost always preferred and requested an aisle seat. I'm 6'2" with long legs and I appreciate some extra room the aisle provides for me, especially when I have a larger person sitting in the middle seat next to me. On a flight yesterday from Santo Domingo, DR to Atlanta (delayed 3 hours) I was assigned a window seat, and I enjoyed it. I don't get up much on short flights like this so it wasn't inconvenient and I enjoyed looking out the window and also the extra shoulder room.

Used to be only window. Now I shoot for the following:

1. Business/First: Always window
2. Short flight (2 1/2 hours or less): Window
3. Longer flight on a narrow body A/C: Aisle
4. Transatlantic coach: Aisle
5. Widebody - Depends on seating config. If it is 2-4-2, I'll take a window. Otherwise, aisle.
6. Have to try to clear customs and make short connection: Aisle

Reading lights are fine on night flights as it doesnt bother as many people.

In a dark interior plane cabin, an open shade window can affect people on the other side of the wide body plane.
Inconsiderate to do that.
That's why there are reading lights.

^

Same here, at least in Y.

I regularly fly PHX-SLC-SEA - that's one exception. I not only want window seats, I'm picky about which side I sit on. I never get tired of seeing Mt. Rainier (and, to a lesser extend, the Grand Canyon).

Otherwise, I start to get claustrophobic, particularly if there's a full-size person in the middle or aisle seat.

In a darkened cabin, it is pretty startling when someone raises the window shade, but one of my most memorable flights was a late departure from NRT. I'd gotten upgraded, meal service was on. We flew through a lightning storm, huge solid seeming clouds like slot canyons with lightning flashes. Simply spell-binding.

It is a nuisance when someone turns on the overhead reading lamp (deliberately or inadvertently) or the personal IFE and then goes to sleep for hours. That can be pretty annoying.

You've heard of eye-shades, yeah?

Aisle for me -I have to sip water regularly (auto-immune condition stops me producing enough saliva) so the side effect is lots of trips to the toilet. I don't like to disturb my seat mate.

I assume you mean when you want the cabin to be dark? ;)

+1

Eye-shades for the win.. although I do find it rude.. or maybe shocking when someone unexpectedly rips open the window shade in an otherwise dark cabin blinding those around.

Now.. if someone could invent an in seat air purifier to help with those PAX around you who should have laid off the burrito bar in the terminal....

Problem for that check skymall they have a air purifier you can wear around your neck.

I always used to sit in the window seat until I lost a significant amount of weight. Now that they don't offer blankets in coach, I get way too cold next to the window even with a sweater/shawl. I don't care if I get upgraded, but if I get a window, I ask for a blanket before take-off!

Ahh, the great seat catch-22. On some of DL's 75's, there's 18D+E, bulkheads with no F seat and near unlimited legroom. Maybe the best coach seats in the fleet. No window to speak of, unless you turn around to look out 19's on the left side.

I basically follow this to a T as well..
except maybe some times I do aisle for a 2-4-2 as well.. definitely on the 2 sides, and avoid 4..

The airlines could also switch their blankets to these:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM4eJ38S7Hw

:)

It depends
 

I can't pin this one down.

Sometimes Window, sometimes aisle. For years I flew exclusively aisle. Then about 4 years ago I started taking windows on occasion. Now I waffle between window and aisle. For Redeyes, windows are my preference as well so I can lean up against the hull and sleep. Otherwise, I usually take an aisle so I can get up, and stretch out more, without anything next to me on one side.

When going some place new or with particularly good scenery, I'll still go for a window. Otherwise, I like the aisle for all the reasons stated above (ok, except the long legs thing, as I'm on the shorter side at 5'9").

When I was young it was window seats. Now that I'm older it's aisle only. Not to mention that years ago load factors were less and your chances of getting an open middle were much greater. I don't mind getting up, by the way - I had a way too intimate encounter recently with somebody trying to climb over me to get out while I had my eyes closed.