are there people who actually prefer to sit in the middle seat on 8+ hour flights?
Jan 22, 2018, 4:10 pm
#16
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: DUS
Posts: 30
I have recently been unfortunate enough to be stuck on that very same seat, but on a MIA-DUS. Strangely, when OLCI for this flight opened the seat map was already showing 0 available seats, all of them had been assigned in advance. Never seen something like that. I have never felt so canned in my life!
Jan 23, 2018, 8:55 am
#17
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I have recently been unfortunate enough to be stuck on that very same seat, but on a MIA-DUS. Strangely, when OLCI for this flight opened the seat map was already showing 0 available seats, all of them had been assigned in advance. Never seen something like that. I have never felt so canned in my life!
Jan 23, 2018, 9:15 am
#18
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Prince Edward Island
Programs: Air Canada P25K, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, MGM Gold
Posts: 1,582
I once took a middle seat when traveling with my mother since she wanted the window seat. About an hour into a five-hour flight, I just couldn't take it anymore and abandoned her to move to an empty aisle seat a few rows away. Never again.
Jan 23, 2018, 9:24 am
#19
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: It's hot here
Posts: 4,286
I think most people have sat in the middle because of lack of choice or flying with someone.
But as for actually preferring it, only met one of those one time. She was next to me and absolutely terrified of flying. I and the guy on the aisle asked if she would be better in the window or aisle and she said the middle was best for her. She felt safest. Short flight, thankfully. Poor girl, she really was trying.
But as for actually preferring it, only met one of those one time. She was next to me and absolutely terrified of flying. I and the guy on the aisle asked if she would be better in the window or aisle and she said the middle was best for her. She felt safest. Short flight, thankfully. Poor girl, she really was trying.
Jan 23, 2018, 10:19 am
#20
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Gold, Marriott Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 39
Perhaps a strategic choice? Many couples book aisle/window hoping the middle seat stays empty. Sounds like booking a middle seat in an empty row is the inverse to that approach when traveling alone.
If someone books middle perhaps they hope others will avoid the window/aisle seats in that row leaving them with a set of three seats?
If someone books middle perhaps they hope others will avoid the window/aisle seats in that row leaving them with a set of three seats?
Jan 23, 2018, 10:40 am
#21
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: PBI/MIA
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My daughter, who's best described as petite, doesn't mind the middle seat. "I SHOULD be the one there--I'm small!" She just started flying frequently for work on WN. I'm sure she's making someone down the boarding line very happy!
Jan 23, 2018, 12:23 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PHL
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Posts: 2,379
I think most people have sat in the middle because of lack of choice or flying with someone.
But as for actually preferring it, only met one of those one time. She was next to me and absolutely terrified of flying. I and the guy on the aisle asked if she would be better in the window or aisle and she said the middle was best for her. She felt safest. Short flight, thankfully. Poor girl, she really was trying.
But as for actually preferring it, only met one of those one time. She was next to me and absolutely terrified of flying. I and the guy on the aisle asked if she would be better in the window or aisle and she said the middle was best for her. She felt safest. Short flight, thankfully. Poor girl, she really was trying.
Jan 23, 2018, 12:31 pm
#23
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Jan 23, 2018, 12:46 pm
#24
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: It's hot here
Posts: 4,286
She was so sweet, too. She apologized ahead of time and warned us she might grab. Giving us plenty of time to move or say nope if we were really bothered by it. She grabbed our arms many times but I didn't mind as she was doing her best to conquer her fear and see the world. We were flying LHR to AMS and she was just determined to get out there and travel. I hope her fear has subsided over the years. I guess she got lucky, too, as all three of us were very young Americans on a far away flight.
Jan 24, 2018, 6:44 pm
#26
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Programs: IHG PC, Marriott, SWA A-List Preferred with Companion Pass
Posts: 58
I prefer a middle seat if the other two seats are empty.
The window seat means your arm is touching the cold wall, the wall is curved and just about touches your hair.
The Aisle seat means you'll get a bruised shoulder or elbow from the drink cart, people backpacks and purses hitting you in the head during boarding, and people running to the bathroom during the flight.
If travelling with my wife, she wants the window seat. I take the aisle seat and lift up the armrest between the aisle and middle seat. I then sit half and half on the two seats to protect myself from bags hitting me during boarding. I sit enough on the aisle seat that other passengers think I am in it. If no one wants the middle seat (flying on Southwest - open seating), then once the flight takes off, I move to the middle seat and leave the aisle seat empty. Aisle seat tray table becomes my drink table, so i don't spill on my laptop or iPad which is on middle seat tray table. Of course, if someone wants the middle seat, then I give them the Aisle instead. Don't want them hitting on my wife the whole flight
The window seat means your arm is touching the cold wall, the wall is curved and just about touches your hair.
The Aisle seat means you'll get a bruised shoulder or elbow from the drink cart, people backpacks and purses hitting you in the head during boarding, and people running to the bathroom during the flight.
If travelling with my wife, she wants the window seat. I take the aisle seat and lift up the armrest between the aisle and middle seat. I then sit half and half on the two seats to protect myself from bags hitting me during boarding. I sit enough on the aisle seat that other passengers think I am in it. If no one wants the middle seat (flying on Southwest - open seating), then once the flight takes off, I move to the middle seat and leave the aisle seat empty. Aisle seat tray table becomes my drink table, so i don't spill on my laptop or iPad which is on middle seat tray table. Of course, if someone wants the middle seat, then I give them the Aisle instead. Don't want them hitting on my wife the whole flight
Jan 24, 2018, 9:05 pm
#28
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Jan 25, 2018, 10:05 am
#29
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Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,808
I prefer a middle seat if the other two seats are empty.
The window seat means your arm is touching the cold wall, the wall is curved and just about touches your hair.
The Aisle seat means you'll get a bruised shoulder or elbow from the drink cart, people backpacks and purses hitting you in the head during boarding, and people running to the bathroom during the flight.
If travelling with my wife, she wants the window seat. I take the aisle seat and lift up the armrest between the aisle and middle seat. I then sit half and half on the two seats to protect myself from bags hitting me during boarding. I sit enough on the aisle seat that other passengers think I am in it. If no one wants the middle seat (flying on Southwest - open seating), then once the flight takes off, I move to the middle seat and leave the aisle seat empty. Aisle seat tray table becomes my drink table, so i don't spill on my laptop or iPad which is on middle seat tray table. Of course, if someone wants the middle seat, then I give them the Aisle instead. Don't want them hitting on my wife the whole flight
The window seat means your arm is touching the cold wall, the wall is curved and just about touches your hair.
The Aisle seat means you'll get a bruised shoulder or elbow from the drink cart, people backpacks and purses hitting you in the head during boarding, and people running to the bathroom during the flight.
If travelling with my wife, she wants the window seat. I take the aisle seat and lift up the armrest between the aisle and middle seat. I then sit half and half on the two seats to protect myself from bags hitting me during boarding. I sit enough on the aisle seat that other passengers think I am in it. If no one wants the middle seat (flying on Southwest - open seating), then once the flight takes off, I move to the middle seat and leave the aisle seat empty. Aisle seat tray table becomes my drink table, so i don't spill on my laptop or iPad which is on middle seat tray table. Of course, if someone wants the middle seat, then I give them the Aisle instead. Don't want them hitting on my wife the whole flight