Window. I hate the feeling of people brushing against me as they walk down the aisle. At least in a window seat I can move close to the window and not have to deal with the person next to me pushing me into the aisle. As a side note, I'd almost rather have a middle seat over an aisle seat, again because of the people walking down the aisle brushing against me. It just really creeps me out.

Aisle for me as my taller half typically gets the window.

Taller half voluntarily downgraded from LGW-DFW on Monday because they put her in the middle seat on the 777. She got her window back in coach, but they couldn't find me a seat that wasn't a coach middle seat, so I stayed in Business.

All she wanted from me was my ipod and my pillow. Both I happily relinquished.

lala

As a wheelchair user, I go for the window seat.

It's for my benefit, as it ensures that as one of the first people on the plane, I do not get smacked on the shoulder by every single oversized bag people drag aboard.

It is a courtesy to the others in my row, who do not have to climb over me to get in and out.

Almost always aisle.

Exceptions are:

• Short-haul flights where I know I'm going to sleep.
• Flights where I know it's worth it for the view.
• When I have the luxury of flying in a premium cabin long-haul, and know I'm going to have free access to/from the seat. For example, 1A/K on KLM's WBC or the last row rear-facing window seats in BA Club World.

Aisle! :)

-Mark

For long haul definitely aisle. For short haul who cares.

Aisle for long haul. I drink lots of water and don't sleep. Window for short haul as I like to look at the changing view.

I always take an aisle seat except:

1) Red-eyes
2) Short-haul, less than an hour
3) Where I know I can get to the aisle without inconveniencing others

Never a middle--unless I am forced to!

Window
 

Window all the way! Having something to lean on AND not having to get up when others need to exit is the way to go.

Window usually, but the fiance loves aisle. I love the sights outside, she loves the freedom.

There's only been one time, when I've sat window and just couldn't "hold it". It was murphy's law to the fullest - full plane, I was bursting at the seams, at my fullest capacity in years. I had been taking advice to "drink more water". Middle and aisle seat pax were both snoring away. I awoke them with my sincerest apologies, and felt bad when they didn't return to sleep when I settled in again.

That's exactly how I handle it.

Window. I can lean against the wall to sleep. I also feel a bit more comfy cozy. I like the feeling of being tucked tightly into my own little space, whereas on the aisle I must be concerned with everybody's comings and goings, from my row and up and down the aisle.

Aisle, on all flights if possible:

1. That way I can drink as much as I want or need and get up without worrying about climbing over bulky or sleepy seatmates every hour to get up (once per hour is my average if I have a glass or two of wine or coffee and take my diuretic blood pressure medicine :) . Once on a red-eye where I got stuck at a window on an upgrade, I unfortunately landed in my sleeping aisle seatmate's lap in a very compromising position when I was discretely trying to climb over him and we hit some turbulence at an inopportune momemt. :eek:

2. I can access luggage in my overhead compartment as often as I want (e.g., computer, extra clothing, etc.) without having to carefully plan ahead what I will need.

3. I can stand up and get out of the plane faster when we're late arriving and I have a tight connection.

4. I can "people-watch" more from aisle seats when I'm bored.

What I don't like about aisle seats is that the under-seat storage space in front of you is often very small so I can't fit in my computer backpack or small carryon, have to use the overhead compartment which doesn't always have room by the time I get on. And of course I always carry a change of clothing in case the FA or kid running in the aisle spills something on me (I've been assaulted by water, wine, pasta sauce, a slurpy, orange juice, and a mud-covered kiddie backpack, among other things :)

A couple of years ago I was booking a (solo) ticket, and the agent asked if wanted "window, aisle, or middle"...

I asked him if anybody had ever asked for "middle", and he laughed and said no. Since then, I've noticed that the agents I've dealt with have never asked if I wanted a middle seat (if there's nothing left but middles, they obviously don't ask, they just say that).

BTW, I'm a view-from-the-air addict, so for me it's window whenever possible (and I get really bummed when I get the window seat with no window...). Some of the things you see from airplane windows are just astounding -- beautiful beaches and volcanoes in Hawaii, the majesty of the Canadian Rockies and the icy fjords of Greenland on LHR->LAX, ships waiting for their turn at the entrance to the Panama canal, Yosemite, the SF-Golden Gate flight path in/out of SFO... Of course, there's also hours and hours of the Pacific and the Atlantic as well :). It tends to keep the wonder of air travel alive for me (and it is a really amazing thing).

Dan

Narrowbodies - any aisle
Widebodies - middle block aisle.

Old HKG airport, back then, right side window. ^ what an experience!!!