If you’re heading overseas make sure you choose the right seat
Passengers can book seats with extra legroom without paying extra, according to experts.
Discomfort while on a plane is not a pleasant experience, but according to consumer experts at Which? there is a way around this dilemma.
Researchers found that some airlines have removed front storage lockers to squeeze in another row of paying passengers on one side of the plane.
The report stated: “Seats towards the front of the plane aren’t actually the same size, with those on the right (seats D, E and F) often offering between an extra half-inch to inch of legroom versus those on the left.”
On Ryanair flights, almost all of the airline’s planes are Boeing 737s. On the right hand side of these planes, seats D, E and F in rows 3-15 are the largest standard seats on the plane. If you book these you can get that sweet extra legroom for no extra cost.
As for easyJet it’s a similar story. If you’re flying on the Airbus A321neo – one of easyJet’s newest planes – and you want an bit of extra wiggle room then it’s best to choose the right-hand seats (D, E and F) near the front (rows 3-13) for a 29-inch seat pitch which translates to that delicious extra legroom.
EasyJet revealed to Which? that you’ll get a full inch more than on the left (rows 6-17 ABC) or at the back of the plane (rows 30-40), which both offer 28 inches.
For British Airways there are a couple of tips to secure the best seats. On BA’s most common long-haul plane, the Boeing 777, the back rows are in pairs – perfect if you’re travelling with a friend or loved one.
But on most configurations of the Airbus a320 BA’s main short-haul plane, its tail tapering leads to an inch less legroom at the back. If you can, avoid row 30 and its tight 28-inch seat pitch.
The report added: “One way to guarantee extra legroom on BA is to upgrade to Premium Economy. But our research has found it’s not worth it. The service, which includes priority boarding and ‘better’ food, as well as seven inches extra legroom, only received a 57% customer score in our latest survey.”
However, the trick of selecting your perfect seat will not work for WizzAir – but there are still a few things you can try to get more space. You can play a game of check-in chicken, which entails waiting as long as possible before checking in to your flight in the hope that you will be assigned a better seat, as airlines tend to fill the smaller seats first.
This isn’t without risk though – leave it too late and you could miss it entirely or face being bumped from an overbooked flight.
