Definitive guide to which passengers get the middle armrests on a plane

Who gets which armrest during a flight can be a controversial topic but there’s an unwritten rule that should help clear things up and save you some awkward elbow jostling on your next holiday

Let’s be honest; nobody really wants the middle seat on planes.

After all, you are sitting in what is arguably the least comfortable of the three seats; you don’t get a window view or the side of the cabin to lean on, and you don’t get the aisle space to stretch your legs or feel a little less enclosed. (Plus, you have to hope the aisle passenger stays awake if you want to get out to walk around, or at least be kind enough to keep moving if you need to use the loo!).

However, there’s unwritten plane etiquette that means the middle seat might not be as uncomfortable as everyone assumes, and it’s all to do with the armrests. It can be a contentious topic, and if someone gets it wrong that could lead to some awkward elbow jostling with the person next to you.

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Luckily, cabin crew have shared their advice over the years, and it turns out that it’s generally accepted that there are unofficial rules about who gets what, especially when it comes to whoever’s been stuck with the dreaded middle seat.

If you’ve booked the window seat, you get the armrest by the window (it would be awkward if you didn’t).

If you’ve booked the middle seat, you get both middle armrests, as compensation for the fact that, let’s face it, you’ve got the worst of the three options.

As for the aisle seat? You get the aisle armrest.

Just last year one flight attendant caused a stir online after suggesting that every passenger should only use the armrest to their right, leaving the aisle armrest essentially unused to keep the aisle clear in general when the drinks trolley was being pushed down it, or people were walking up and down the plane. However, their method didn’t go down particularly well with holidaymakers who claimed they’d made up their own rule.

Of course officially there are no rules on who is entitled to which armrest, but considering we passengers already have to deal with people walking barefoot and annoying cabin crew with rude habits, it might be worth just giving up the armrest if you already have the window or aisle to make your journey that little bit more comfortable!

The armrests aren’t the only age-old debate on flights. Passengers reclining their seats has always caused tensions – especially if they lie back as far as possible and stay that way for hours, meaning the person behind them has a cramped space for the duration of the journey.

One cabin crew member recently revealed that she has had to “split up grown adults” who were arguing about whether or not they can recline their seats on multiple occasions. Explaining her thoughts in a video posted to TikTok, she said: “If the seat function has a seat recline, they are allowed to recline it.”

However, she did agree that it is generally considered polite to keep seats upright during meal service, allowing passengers to use their tray tables to eat. In those circumstances, she added that it is deemed acceptable to ask someone not to recline.

Do you think there should be official rules on armrests and reclining seats on planes? Email us at [email protected].