A keen traveller has shared a clever “middle seat hack” that could significantly increase the chances of you and your travel companion having an entire row to yourselves.
Being crammed into a plane is never pleasant, which is why it’s wise for flyers to pre-select their seats to ensure they’re happy with their location.
It’s less of an issue if you’re travelling as a trio and are familiar with the people you might be encroaching upon – but it can become quite awkward when there’s an unfamiliar face wedged between you.
However, @holidayextras has divulged a “hack” that might just offer you “extra leg room” if you play it right.
Some critics have called it “more of a gamble,” though. There’s no certainty in this strategy, as you might encounter a bold solo traveller who doesn’t mind occupying the middle seat.
Nonetheless, it’s certainly worth a shot if you want more space on your flight. She described the trick as “such a game-changer,” particularly when “travelling with one other person”.
For those who “hate your space being invaded,” a common issue on flights, she advised: “When you get to the point where you book your seat, book the window and the aisle.”
She asserted that “unless the plane is really busy, no one’s going to book that middle seat,” suggesting that you could end up with three seats for the price of two.
But there’s a potential downside for those attempting this hack, as some commenters admitted they deliberately seek out and select random middle seats just to be difficult.
One passenger shared: “I booked the middle seat between two friends, and they asked if I’d move so they could sit next to each other. Er…no!”
Another individual confessed: “Ha ha, I literally look for those middle seats to be weird and make people uncomfortable”.
A third suggested that the “airline may just randomly assign it to someone,” especially if they’ve booked a flight for just them.
A TikToker wrote: “No cos a couple did that, and on a full flight, I got randomly allocated the middle seat, and neither of them wanted to move”. A frequent traveller stated that they’d “never been on a plane with empty seats”.
Someone else labelled people who try this hack as “incredibly selfish”.