The Middle Seat: Dealing With Airline Seating

In my time working as a Customer Service Rep for a major airline the most common customer issue I ran into was seat assignments. I heard numerous complaints from customers about being separated from their party, being too far in the back of the plane, and of course everyone wants to avoid the dreaded middle seat. As a gate agent working a full or oversold flight, I would always do my best to accommodate customers and get the the best seats available, or sit them next to other members of their party, but better options were not always available.

A typical narrow-body aircraft, which are used by most major airlines worldwide, has one aisle and three seats on either side of it. One third of the seats are middle seats. If the plane is full, you have a one in three chance of getting a middle seat, and you may not have options to switch on the day of travel. Unfortunately for the customer, airlines always have the option of changing your seat, even if it was assigned ahead of time. There is never a guarantee that you will get the seat that you want, but there are some things you can do to increase the probability of not being split from your party, and avoiding an uncomfortable middle seat.

- Call The Airline
Odds are you are buying your airline tickets online. Very few travelers use travel agents or phone reservation systems anymore. Booking online with a site that offers a variety of airline choices can help you get the best deals on airfare, but you will rarely get to choose your seats, even if they take your seat request at booking.
The best way to get your seats reserved with an airline is to call them. Once you have booked a flight, track down the airline phone number through their website and talk with someone. The phone agent can take a look at available seats on your flights and 'hold' your choice in the reservation. As long as the aircraft type of seat configuration is unchanged between your call and the flight, you should have your chosen seats assigned when you check in.
Dealing with the airline direct is the best way to secure the seats that you want.

- Book early
The earlier you book your flight, the better chance you will have of getting preferred seating on the plane. If you book well ahead of your flight date, there will be less seats already sold and held so you can call the airline and get a good selection of seats to be held.

-Avoid "Basic Economy" Fares
"Basic Economy" is a product that many airlines are selling these days. The fare is typically lower than a regular fare, but often carries many restrictions, including an inability to get a pre-assigned seat. If you are buying a "Basic Economy" fare on a major US carrier you can expect to get whatever seats are leftover when you check in. This can sometimes work in your favor, but you should expect a middle seat in the back of the plane in most cases.

- Ask the Gate Agent
If you have checked in for your flight and gotten a cruddy seat assignment, or have been split up from your party, you can always ask the agent that is working the flight for a seat change. The worst answer you can get is a, "No other seats are available." Gate agents are regularly changing seats and looking for better assignments or trying to put people together. If you ask the agent to move, there is always a chance that they can get you something better than you were assigned.
If you are looking for a seat change at the gate; don't press the gate agent right when they arrive at the gate, you are likely to get a rushed and unfavorable answer. Let the agent get signed into their computer and make their initial flight announcements before approaching. You can also wait until the end of boarding to make a seat change. Airlines often have no-show passengers, if you hold off boarding, you can have your pick of the unfilled seats if their are no-shows. Make sure to ask the agent what is available before just jumping into a vacant seat on the plane.

-There's Always Southwest
Southwest Airlines is a polarizing figure in the airline industry. Most people either love flying Southwest or they can't stand them. Southwest does things their own way, and they are highly successful. Southwest doesn't have pre-assigned seats, you will pick your seat when you get on board the aircraft, like boarding a public bus. If you board the plane early you have a great chance at getting a good seat, board late and you'll deal with what's left. If you don't mind rolling the dice on seating, Southwest could be a great option for you.

Planning your seats ahead of time with the airline is always the best way to get the seats you want, but remember that the airline will never guarantee the seat that you want. At the very least you can always check for a seat change at the gate to avoid that middle seat near the lavatory.

Have you had an issue with airline seating, or any other problems with an airline? Let me know your issues down in the comments section, and I'll see if I can help you out. I have over 14 years of experience in the airline industry. I know all of the tricks for dealing with the airlines to help you get what you want when they screw up your travel experience.