I GO U SEE

2008 年十月初在 " 華爾街日報 " (The Wall Street Journal) 網站上的 " The Middle Seat Terminal " blog 裡看到這篇有關如何選個最好的飛機座位的文章,   在此與大家分享 .....




HOW TO PICK THE BEST SEAT ON THE PLANE

Posted by Matt Phillips 
The Middle Seat Terminal
blogs.wsj.com
The Wall Street Journal


As airlines stay on the prowl for ancillary revenues, some are starting to look at your seat.

In May, US Airways began charging customers between $5 and $30 for aisle or window seats. Fee charts show AirTran, United, Northwest, JetBlue, Midwest and even fee-averse Southwest also have some form of seating charges. 

So if you’re paying to pick a prime seat — or if you just want to avoid getting stuck in a bad one — how do you choose wisely? 

For some help, we picked the brain of Huey Lee, who founded  SeatExpert.com  in 2002. For years, Lee — an information technology analyst and veteran road warrior — had amassed a collection of cocktail napkins on which he’d scribbled notes about the best seats on different planes, which eventually became he basis for the site.

Today,  SeatExpert  offers color-coded seat maps of aircraft operated by a range of domestic and international carriers. And using information gleaned from airlines, frequent travelers, and industry sources, the site warns you of seats that don’t recline, abut the galley, or have been shoehorned into the rear of the plane. Here are some key tips and takeaways from Lee’s quick chat with the Terminal.:

–Aim for a seat in the front of the plane. You’ll feel the least impact from turbulence, and food service will reach you first, so you’re practically guaranteed your choice of meal. On international flights, sitting in the back usually means that you’ll wind up at the end of the line for immigration and customs. And if you if you prefer to avoid kids, airlines tend to seat families together in the back of the plane, probably because there are more groups of open seats there. 

–Different kinds of travelers prefer different kinds of seats. In general, Lee finds business travelers prefer aisle seats, which allow them to exit the plane most quickly. Leisure travelers often opt for windows, since they’re less concerned about getting a head start to the gate. 

–Beware exit rows. A lot of people pick exit-row seats, thinking they’ll get more legroom. But in many aircraft, especially Airbus A380s and Boeing 737s — seats in the first of the two exit rows do not recline fully, and some don’t recline at all. It’s a common complaint.

–Seats at the back of the plane may be more cramped because the fuselage narrows  toward the back. In some cases, seats in the last few rows can be as much as an inch narrower than seats in the front. Also, the overhead bins in the back are often reserved for the cabin crew’s equipment. 

–Re-check the availability of seats before you fly. Airlines often upgrade elite customers in the days before a flight, so check online to see if a better seat has opened up. (Tip: After you’ve bought a ticket, some airline Web sites won’t let you check the seat map. An easy way around that: Begin the process of booking another ticket on the flight until you get to the screen where it permits you to choose your seat.) 

–Opt for aisle seats on the bulkhead.  There’s more legroom, and you don’t have to disturb other travelers if you need to get up. But they’re hard to snare. You’ll likely have to pay extra, or at least be a low-level frequent flier to be able to snatch one of these primo spots. 

–Use the charm offensive if you’re plopped in the middle seat. Be polite and nice to the flight attendant. The crew often needs people to move around to help them seat families or couples together. By being friendly, you improve your chances of getting picked to move on up. 

–Remember, not all window seats have windows. You can use SeatExpert.com to check out which ones do and which ones don’t. 

–Print out a seat map from a Web site before going to the airport. Sometimes you can change your seat when you check in.

Readers, where do you like to sit on the plane? Got any tips or tricks to share about snagging a good seat?



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