Stuck in Coach? How to Get the Best Seat at the Back of the Bus

The airlines have made seat selection easier than ever. Most major airlines now allow you to look at seating charts and assign your own seat when you book the ticket. Many seating charts are detailed enough to show the lavatories, galley, movie screens and exit rows. They may also indicate which seats are undesirable for some reason - limited recline, etc. Of course, if you are traveling on business, a power port by your seat may be one of your concerns - most airline seating charts indicate their presence as well (typically, if you're traveling in coach, not every seat will have a power port, so check carefully). Apart from the airlines' own websites, several other sites offer all the information you could possibly need about airline seating - two of the best are SeatExpert and SeatGuru.

Exit (for Extra Leg Room)

As any seasoned traveler knows, the exit row is one of the best places to sit in coach, with its extra legroom. Depending on the type of aircraft, there may be two or more exit rows; they are usually located about halfway down the cabin and towards the back. The biggest requirement is age - you need to be at least 15 years old to sit in the exit row. You also need to be able to open the emergency exit door and assist other passengers, in case of an emergency evacuation. If you are requesting a seat in the exit row, the airline reservations agent or travel agent may ask you some basic questions to make sure you are qualified.

The big advantage of the exit row seat is that it allows even a tall passenger to stretch their legs comfortably. One disadvantage is that you cannot put your carry-on bag under the seat in front of you - it must go in the over head. So assuming you are over 15, how do you become one of the envied passengers reclining in the exit row? If you are on a full fare ticket - as most business travelers tend to be - you are entitled to the exit row seat. And if you are a premium or elite flyer with your airline, one of the perks is that you can have an exit row seat - regardless of the type of ticket you purchased.

Bulk Up (for Comfort)

The other seat that many people consider to have more room is the bulkhead seat - the row of seats at the very front with the wall in front of them. The bulkhead seat is sometimes also the exit row. I don't think there is more room in these seats as there is no seat in front of you under which to stretch your legs, but it's all a matter of preference. You also have to put your carry-on bag in the overhead bin during the take-off and landing, although you should be able to keep it down by your feet the rest of the time. Plus, you also have nobody in front of you to lean their seat back into your lap.

Up Front (for a Fast Getaway)

But if you can't get an exit row or bulkhead seat, and your chance of an upgrade doesn't look too good, where should you sit? A seat of the front of coach means that you can deplane before everyone else - useful if you have a tight connecting time. A seat at the back may mean more engine noise and vibration; it's also where people tend to congregate while waiting for the lavatory. Some seats at the back are slightly narrower because of the curvature of the plane. However, you may have more personal space because, in general, airline reservations agents tend to assign seats at the front of the plane first. So if you request a seat at the back, you have a better chance of an empty seat next to you.

If all else fails, ask to change your seat when you check in. Airlines usually hold back some seats to assign at check in; flights are also routinely overbooked as airlines calculate that a percentage of booked passengers won't show up. Just ask nicely and you may be able to get a better seat. In fact, it never hurts to ask for an upgrade too!