Window or aisle?

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Capetonian

Window or aisle?

#1 Post by Capetonian » Wed Oct 25, 2017 3:29 pm

Science explains why people who prefer the window seat are more selfish

Ask any stranger on the street whether they prefer the aisle or the window seat and you can guarantee a quick-fire response.

There is no grey area in this comically divisive debate. Window-devotees consider people who favour the aisle to be barking mad, and aisle-devotees are just as incredulous. Try it. Ask the person next to you which camp they fall into and they'll not only answer without a second thought, they'll most likely launch into a much-rehearsed soliloquy as to why.

Mark Vanhoenacker, British Airways pilot and author of How to Land a Plane, remarks: "When I ask friends to describe what kind of air traveller they are - window seat or aisle? - they usually respond with a certainty that suggests they figured out this air travel lark the very first time they got on a plane."

Of course, there are pros and cons to both. Window seat passengers have a solid surface to curl up against and unbeatable views to gaze out over, but they're also barricaded into their seats - forced to make a nuisance of themselves every time they need to get up and use the bathroom.

Passengers with an aisle seat, on the other hand, have the freedom to move around the plane as often as they desire, plus a little more room to stretch their legs out into the gangway. But there's always the danger that when they'll finally managed, against all odds, to nod off on a long-haul flight, they'll be woken by a neighbour who needs to clamber over them – or have their kneecap shattered by an errant drinks trolley.


No-one in their right mind, of course, would opt for the middle seat - the worst of both worlds.

Travel expert Gilbert Ott, the man behind God Save The Points and a keen proponent for the window seat, thinks he's found the winning formula.

"With the curvature of most aircraft, you do actually have slightly more space in the window seat," he says. "But the magic spot is the bulkhead or exit row window, where there's often enough legroom to tiptoe past your neighbours without spilling their drinks."

What does your choice say about you?

Practicalities aside - most admit that their seating preference all comes down to one thing: whether they'd prefer to wake or be woken, disturb or be disturbed.

Some can't bear the awkward and apologetic exchange when they must disturb not just one but invariably two fellow human beings should they need to escape the confines of their seat, while others have no problem with it.

Dr Becky Spelman, chief psychologist at Harley Street's Private Therapy Clinic said: "Passengers who favour the window seat like to be in control, tend to take an 'every man for themselves' attitude towards life, and are often more easily irritable. They also like to 'nest' and prefer to exist in their own bubble."

It makes sense then, she says, that those who prefer the aisle are more likely to be of a reserved nature, less irritable and more considerate of others. That, or they're a claustrophobe or simply the victim of a weak bladder.

Behavioural Psychologist Jo Hemmings agrees.

"Champions of the window seat tend to be more selfish," she says. "As well as less anxious, seasoned flyers who are more confident in disturbing others.

"Aisle passengers are often more sociable and definitely more amenable as people. They are also more likely to be restless flyers and less adept at sleeping on planes."


Whichever camp you fall into, however, it's the source of much contention.

"A lot of arguments erupt on planes due to seating arrangements," Dr Spelman remarks, "not to mention delays at check-in counters because people are so forceful and time-consuming in their negotiations."

According to Airline Weekly analyst Seth Kaplan, it's almost an even split.

"Based on one (anonymous) airline's statistics, and having spoken to others in more general terms, the distribution is remarkably even," he says. "In the case of the airline's figures, windows were preferred over aisles by just about one percentage point."

A study conducted by Expedia in 2014 found that 55 per cent of their customers chose the window, versus 45 per cent who opted for the aisle. In 2016, the company further revealed that 34 per cent of passengers were willing to pay extra to secure a window seat, compared to just 15 per cent who would shell out for an aisle seat.

A Quartz report presented almost identical results in terms of preference (just over 50 per cent in favour of window), but interestingly noted that men were more likely to prefer the aisle seat than women.

The conclusion? It's far from an exact science, but indications have the window seat as the winner in the popularity stakes, only by a narrow margin.
Which is the safest seat on a plane?

In 2007 Popular Mechanics analysed all crashes since 1971 and found that the rear seats (behind the wing's trailing edge) were safest – survival rates were 69 per cent as opposed to 56 per cent over the wing and 49 per cent for those at the front of the plane.

A study by easyJet in 2014 pinpointed 7F as the most in-demand seat among European fliers. On easyJet's planes, these are the closest to the front that can be reserved for the cheapest price.

How to snag the seat you want

Check in online as soon as that email alert hits your inbox, usually 24-48 hours before the flight, and make your seat selection. Don't wait until you show up at the airport - everyone else will likely have beaten you to it.

Use the ExpertFlyer app, a free tool with up-to-the-minute seating charts that allow users to play musical chairs right up until final boarding, based on which seats become free. If the flight isn't full, you can sometimes even score an entire row to yourself.

Travelling with someone? Don't book neighbouring seats, book a window and an aisle. The middle seat will probably stay empty if it's not a full flight, so you'll both get more room to spread out. And if someone does pick the middle seat, chances are high that they'll be willing to swap with one of you.

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Re: Window or aisle?

#2 Post by Alisoncc » Wed Oct 25, 2017 10:05 pm

If you travel up the sharp end you get a window seat and aisle next to you, plus if lucky you get paid to be there. Downside you can't just relax and snooze, you actually have to work, but you can't win them all.

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Re: Window or aisle?

#3 Post by Bob » Thu Oct 26, 2017 3:50 pm

It's MY window seat...now f@ck off!!!!!
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Re: Window or aisle?

#4 Post by Capetonian » Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:05 am

I got lucky on a flight early this morning ......... there were about 6 empty seats on a 320 and I had next to me until someone came and took the aisle seat.

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Re: Window or aisle?

#5 Post by A Lutra Continua » Sun Nov 05, 2017 5:23 am

It's an unwritten law that those who prefer window seats have a bladder the size of a raisin and BO that would stop a clock.

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Re: Window or aisle?

#6 Post by Capetonian » Sun Nov 05, 2017 7:14 am

That's correct. I make a point of not washing myself or my clothes for two weeks before flying long haul, and eating as much stinky flatulence and fart inducing food as possible.

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Re: Window or aisle?

#7 Post by Pontius Navigator » Sun Nov 05, 2017 8:06 am

Just back 787. We chose centre section, aisle and centre. SWMBO got centre. I got freedom of movement. Big aircraft but centre is further from the noise at the window. Simples.

Airline rule, no laptops on during flight. Practical rule, no sodding space to open laptop and get it further away so I could operate it.

Prat ahead of me reclined his seat so my reading light shone on his head - pluses and minuses I guess.

Our Barbadian bus driver told us all to tuck in big at the restaurant en route as we had hours and hours between meals. Then ensure we fahrted for relief once airborne - one thing we V-force guys were encouraged to do, and clear ears :)

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Re: Window or aisle?

#8 Post by Ex-Ascot » Mon Nov 06, 2017 8:20 am

Don't get much choice. As I have had window seats for most flights in my life, both side and front, 'er indoors get the window. Not a problem as she is the one who sleeps, I am the one wandering around chatting to the girls. Only usually two abreast anyway. Talking about seating not the twin squirrels.

She did cause some consternation on one occasion top of decent in to ATH. We were sitting by the big jet thing on the wing. All of a sudden she shouts, 'Look' pointing out of the window. All the passengers around were suddenly very alert expecting to see flames, sparks, smoke, engine missing or whatever. 'It's our 'ouse' she says.'. Absolutely correct, about 5 nms abeam. As clear as anything, up in the mountains of Amorgos. After the lynching....
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Re: Window or aisle?

#9 Post by flynverted » Sun Apr 29, 2018 3:42 am

I always pay extra for a window seat Because I have trouble sleeping in planes. If I do sleep I have something to lean against to sleep. If I can't sleep, I have a window to look out while everyone else sleeps. caught a red eye hnl -syd a few years ago & bought 2 bottles of scotch at duty free, said scotch was delivered to the gate prior to dep. And I carried it on board and put in overhead compartment. Midway I couldn't sleep, so summoned cc for a glass of water. Drank half the water and topped off with scotch then downed the scotch and water ;)
Done that two or 3 times then fell asleep, spilling the last scotch and water into the purse of the lady pax behind me who put her purse beside my seat...
Always wondered what she thought when she got to std why her purse contents were wet and smelled of laphroaig...

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Re: Window or aisle?

#10 Post by unifoxos » Sun Apr 29, 2018 8:04 am

Weak(ish*) bladder so aisle seat is a must. Even if I didn't need to pee every hour or so I would still choose the aisle as it means easy access to the galley if you want to score an extra brandy after dinner.

*Actually it's not so much the bladder as fluid retention in the bad leg, which gets pumped out with the exercise of self-loading, and then gets pumped out again with the exercise of every visit to the bog ready for the next one.
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Re: Window or aisle?

#11 Post by Sisemen » Sun Apr 29, 2018 8:41 am

In business one always gets an aisle AND a window seat :-bd

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Re: Window or aisle?

#12 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Sun Apr 29, 2018 9:06 am

Only one seat on any aeroplane worth considering - furthest forward, top left.

Wifey and I now tend to pick the back row, either side, these tend to be down to only 2 abreast instead of 3, nearer the toilets, and no bother about wondering if you are annoying anyone by reclining, and can justifiably get angry if the idiot in front attempts to recline his/her seat !

Exit row, bulkhead, emergency exits are OK, except for the lack of table and funny screen arrangement, but usually now at a premium price, stuff that, bad enough having to pay for a seat anyway these days. 35+ years having the best seat in the house does rather spoil one.

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Re: Window or aisle?

#13 Post by Woody » Sun Apr 29, 2018 1:28 pm

Anything is better than the jumpseat at door 5 left on a 747 all the way from CPT :-q
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Re: Window or aisle?

#14 Post by limeygal » Mon Apr 30, 2018 11:39 am

Aisle seat near back end or bathrooms depending on config. On long haul same but centre block of seats. Often, the others in row are empty, so I can spread my crap out if I want to and lay down. Don't know why I bother as I can never sleep on flights-except when I was in uniform. My harness stopped me falling on the floor a few times!

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Re: Window or aisle?

#15 Post by Boac » Mon Apr 30, 2018 1:17 pm

"so I can spread my crap out if I want to" - we think/hope we know what you mean.... :))

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Re: Window or aisle?

#16 Post by izod tester » Sun May 06, 2018 6:56 am

I read recently that there is a significant risk of sunburn and skin cancer for those people who occupy the window seats on airliners. As others have said, we usually try for the two abreast seats at the back and I have the aisle seat so I can stand up and exercise my legs now and again. Thanks for the information that your reading light will shine on the inconsiderate person in front who keeps their seat reclined - I will certainly use that information in future.

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