Flight attendant names the best and worst seats on an airplane

Choosing the wrong seat can turn an airplane flight into a living hell. Especially if the flight is long and you have to sit for a long time. Not enough legroom, the proximity of common areas, and even the location of your neighbors can ruin your travel experience.

Exclusively for Insider, former flight attendant Beth Windsor told us about the best and worst seats on an airplane. She spent 10 years observing passengers and here are the conclusions she came to.

The best seats

The row near the emergency exit

No wonder these seats are available for an additional fee: there is almost the most legroom here. In addition, there is a good chance that you will not have neighbors because the rest of the passengers decided to save money on this option. However, the impression can be somewhat spoiled by the fact that the seats near the door are usually colder than the rest of the cabin, and those who need to stretch their legs usually flock to this area. And in the event of an emergency landing, you will have to help the staff with the evacuation of passengers

Double rows

Not all airplanes have such rows. In economy class there are three usually seats in a row. But if you see that this option is available on your flight, choose it. In this case, there will be more space between you and your traveling companion.

The front part

In the forward section of the plane, there is less shaking and less noise from the engines. In addition, you'll be among the first to receive your food and drinks, so you'll definitely have a choice if the flight offers a choice of meals.

The middle section

The section located directly above the wings is the most stable part of the airplane and the center of lift. If you choose these seats, you will feel the least turbulence even when you enter the turbulence zone. The downside is that you can hear the engines more.

Any seat near a window

Only a person with a very strong fear of heights would give up a place where you can admire the scenery. They are impressive and calming. In addition, it is very easy to isolate yourself from other passengers in these seats: just turn to the window.

The worst seats on an airplane

Seats directly in front of or behind a partition

In such seats, you will not have a choice of where to put your belongings as you will have to use the overhead compartment. You also won't have a folding table in front of you. It can be replaced with a side table, but you will need to ask the staff for it. Also, baby cradles are often placed here, so if you are annoyed by baby crying, try to avoid seats near the partition. However, there is an advantage: there will be no passengers in front of you who may decide to recline their seat back into your space.

Seats near the toilet

First of all, there will probably be a whole line of people who need to use the restroom above you, which can be very annoying. Secondly, you'll have to endure the toilet smell, hear the flushing noise, and if it's a night flight, suffer from the bright light every time someone opens the door. The only advantage of such a neighborhood is that you will always know whether the toilet is free and whether there is a queue for it, and you will be able to get to the restroom at the most convenient time.

Seats near the kitchen

Most often, the kitchen in an airplane is located in the front and rear of the cabin, and in large airplanes it can be in the middle. Since all food for the flight is stored in metal boxes, noise is unavoidable. Also, at least one crew member is on duty in the galley during the entire flight, which means that the lights are on all the time. The worst seat in the kitchen row is the aisle seat: you'll probably be bothered by food carts and people walking by you.

The back of the plane

The tail of an airplane is the most sensitive to turbulence, so people who get motion sickness will suffer here indescribably. It can also be very noisy due to the close proximity of engines in some aircraft models and auxiliary power units.

Any middle seat in the row

A window seat allows you to admire the scenery, an aisle seat allows you to get out quickly if you need to, but the person in the center has none of these advantages. In addition, they have a competitor for the armrest on each side, not just one. And it's the hardest place to fall asleep. This is absolutely the worst option.