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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 10:42 am
  #16  
 
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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.
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 10:43 am
  #17  
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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
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 12:29 pm
  #18  
 
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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.
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 12:41 pm
  #19  
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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.
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 1:01 pm
  #20  
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Aisle!

-Mark
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 1:08 pm
  #21  
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For long haul definitely aisle. For short haul who cares.
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 3:19 pm
  #22  
 
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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.
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 3:31 pm
  #23  
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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!
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 3:43 pm
  #24  
 
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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.
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 4:44 pm
  #25  
 
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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.
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 5:14 pm
  #26  
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Originally Posted by FLYGVA
It depends, which class I fly and which time.

If I am in Business I prefer window on (to me) new routes and if it is a day flight, because I could get out easy (o.k. not in the old LH C) if I want to walk. If it is a night flight, I prefer aisle.

In Economy, I take nearly every time an aisle seat, as I have more space and could get out the row at every time. As I normaly do not sleep in the plane (at least nor for a long time), I could walk in the plane without disturbing the passengers in the seat next to me.
That's exactly how I handle it.
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Old Sep 15, 2004 | 6:33 pm
  #27  
 
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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.
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Old Sep 16, 2004 | 8:14 am
  #28  
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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.

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
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Old Sep 16, 2004 | 10:47 am
  #29  
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Originally Posted by CApreppie
Never a middle--unless I am forced to!
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

Last edited by danM; Sep 16, 2004 at 10:55 am
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Old Sep 16, 2004 | 10:26 pm
  #30  
 
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Narrowbodies - any aisle
Widebodies - middle block aisle.

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