How to nab the best seats on a plane for free

If you want to score a window seat with legroom you might have to pay for it as more airlines charge for seat selection, but there are hacks to avoid the charge, without ending up in the middle of the back row by the toilets.
Frequent flyer Megan Singleton has a rule when flying: “The middle person has right of way on both armrests.”
Recalling a journey where the passenger next to her used her “like a travel pillow”, falling asleep on her shoulder, being in the middle in a row of four in the centre of a plane on a long haul flight is often considered one of the worst seats, she says.
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Other bad seats are the ones at the back of the plane, she says.
“Reason being they are close to the galley where the crew notoriously chat all night forgetting that we can all hear them. And you’re invariably beside the toilets.
“Although you might also find yourself beside the toilet further up the aircraft too.”
As a travel blogger and regular flyer, she has noticed the practice of airlines charging for seats becoming the norm.
“I have noticed allocated seat prices increasing. I guess it’s just another way the airline can clip the ticket while offering general sales on flights… airlines are struggling financially, engine issues don’t help, causing some companies to lease other aircraft,” Singleton says.
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The seats charged at a premium are generally considered the best, including bulkhead seats or exit rows which offer extra leg room, as well as letting you put your travel bag near your feet after take off, she says.
Choosing seats in bulkhead or exit rows are good for long-legged people. And if you want to put your feet up, you can pop your cabin bag there – once the seatbelt sign is off.
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First could be arriving early to check in, and simply ask for the seat you want.
If you are travelling with a partner, one hack is for one person to ask for a window, and the other for an aisle seat in the same row.
“The middle seat is unlikely to be filled unless the plane is chocka. However, you can’t secure those seats on the same booking, you’ll need separate bookings to do that – or ask at check-in – in your sweetest voice,” Singleton says.
When travelling alone, at check in pick or try asking for a seat in a row with another solo flyer, and hope the rest don’t fill up to leave you some extra room.
Being an airline’s loyalty member can help. On Air NZ, for example, Gold and Elite passengers get to choose those premium seats without paying anything.
For everyone else there’s the ‘poor man’s first class’ seat gambit of booking out a row and then cancelling all but one seat at the last minute to still get the refund.
Another hack is to wait until after take-off, and if you don’t like your allocated unpaid seat, grab a spare one once you can.
“They fill up the sections from the front first, so if there are any spare seats, they are likely to be down the back of the plane, and as soon as the seatbelt sign goes off, you can lunge for a row and spread yourself out,” travel blogger Singleton said.
Careful though as last month nine passengers were removed from a flight after a row over the swapping of seats escalated into a mid-air brawl.
And spare a thought for The Corrs star Sharon Corr who said she was “humiliated” on a Ryanair flight when her violin could not have a seat.
Last month a New Zealand flyer debated in an online chat group whether he should pay $19 each for his family of six, or risk them not being seated together on a flight to the US.
“It seems pretty nickel and diming to charge $19 on an $1800 ticket when I’m not fussy about where I sit, and I just want to sit beside my kids. This whole thing feels pretty unpleasant.”
While airlines may vary, an Air New Zealand spokesperson said, “Our airport teams will always endeavour to seat families and travel companions on the same booking together, even if they haven’t selected their seats in advance.”
“Parents travelling with kids under 12 should let our team know who is on their booking when they’re checking in so we can ensure they can sit together onboard.
“We always do our best to sit groups together, however from time to time, groups on larger bookings may be split across nearby rows.”
General manager of Flight Centre New Zealand, Heidi Walker always chooses the bulkhead window seat when travelling.
“It’s near the front of a cabin section and usually results in more leg room and can allow for a quicker exit when disembarking.”
Any seats that have extra legroom are always “hot real estate on a long-haul flight”, and as such people are willing to pay a premium.
The cost of premium seats vary according to position and airline, with some of the best seats over $100 on some airlines.
“For a long-haul flight, to get a more desirable seat it often has a price tag and the further to the front, the more expensive it usually is.”
Travellers might be able to score a good seat at check in, choosing it without paying, which is causing a trend of people arriving at the airport early.
“We are seeing more of our customers do so early as possible to avoid missing out. It also means your check-in process is a lot quicker.”
However more people are willing to pay, she says.
“More of our customers are choosing their seats well in advance prior to check in, as they recognise it can make a big difference especially when flying long-haul.
“If you don’t do seat selection, you do run the risk of being allocated one of the less desirable seats eg near the toilets, or in the dreaded middle seat.
Air NZ’s general manager, customer experience Kylie McGillivray-Brown, said its seat selection is “incredibly popular”, with pricing calculated on the type of ticket purchased.
“Customers can purchase Seat Select at the time of booking or up until three hours prior to departure for international flights and up to 30 minutes prior for domestic flights, and if they don’t, they are allocated a seat based on weight and balance of the aircraft.”
Those needing certain seats because of reduced mobility or extra assistance requirements should indicate this when booking, she says.
Customers travelling with infants can select bassinet row seats at the time of booking, subject to availability.
For the rest of us, hankering stretching out in a window seat, not only selection is the way to go, but book early too.
“If a customer has their heart set on a special seat, we always recommend booking early to increase the likelihood of that seat being available.”
This article was originally published by Stuff and has been reproduced here with permission.