I’m A Flight Attendant — This Is The Worst Part Of A Plane To Sit In

When booking a flight, there is always so much to consider.

Will you need to be in close proximity to a toilet? Would you prefer to sit at the window or enjoy the ease of an aisle seat? Are you tall enough to need a little extra legroom, no matter the distance you’re travelling? Do you need to sit with your travel companion or can you save some money by sitting apart?

With all of this to consider, it’s a miracle we manage to get anything booked at-all, really.

However, according to one flight attendant, MarlemGlobetrotter, there are actually rows you should avoid entirely when planning your plane seating arrangements.

Posting on her TikTok account, the travel expert says: “The worst [row] is the one before the emergency exit row. This is because not only do you not have extra legroom, but it also doesn’t recline.”

“The second worst is the first of the two exit rows, because this also doesn’t recline!”

TikTok user Robbie comments saying: “Last row. No extra leg room, limited recline. Noise from the galley and toilets. -10/10”

While there was some debate in the comments about whether reclining was ‘rude’, one person made a fair comment saying: “we flew in a no recline aisle for 2.5 hrs and my back hurt after. I just need that slight tilt after injury. so now I book as far out as I can to avoid that.”

2.5 hours of non-stop discomfort does sound terrible.

On a the /r/TravelHacks subreddit, user Sherbet93 strongly advises aisle seats: “Personally I’m in team aisle seat – especially for a long flight.

“I like having the option to get up and walk up or down the aisle when my legs need it, and I also appreciate being able to go to the bathroom without asking others to get up. You also can stretch out by putting a leg or two into the aisle.”

However, if this doesn’t sound like exactly what you need, the travel experts at Booking.com have a plane seat guide to help you to decide.