In the halcyon days of the 20th century, air travel was designed to be comfortable for all passengers—not just the ones in first or business class. Those days are long gone for we plebes in economy, unfortunately. The seats are small, the legroom nonexistent, and the refreshments subpar or nonexistent.
Savvy travelers have turned to various tricks to make plane rides more palatable. Some are common-sense strategies like dressing in layers and booking early. Others are only known to seasoned travelers, like skiplagging. These aren’t without risks, however.
A couple on an Air Canada flight to Australia recently tried their hand at a lesser-known technique for a superior flight experience. Emily (@emdwyaa) documented the experience in an 8-second TikTok.
“Having a panic attack because we tried the aisle and window seat trick for a 14-hour flight,” Emily writes in a text overlay on the post.
She captions it, “The most stressful boarding process before a 14 hour flight to Australia.”
Her post has people fighting it out in the comments over whether the trick is a savvy move, an unnecessary gamble, or just bad behavior.
Emily didn’t respond to an inquiry sent via TikTok direct message.
How does it work?
The aisle and window seat trick is simple: two people traveling together book the aisle and window seats in a row with three seats. Because middle seats are less desirable, they arguably increase their odds of getting the entire row to themselves.
In Emily and her husband’s case, it was a success. Several seconds into the TikTok, she films the empty middle seat. A text overlay reads, “It worked.” In the caption, she describes the maneuver as “DIY business class.”
Because it worked, the couple got to spend an entire 14-hour flight to Australia in their own private row. If it hadn’t, they could’ve ended up elbow to elbow with a stranger for over half a day.
Not everyone is pleased with their stroke of good fortune, however.
Tips for successful air travel
The aisle and window seat trick is a gamble. You both could end up next to a flatulent, shoeless, snorer for the entire flight, after all.
There are some ways to increase your chance of success.
A full flight means even those undesirable middle seats will be booked. So don’t bother trying the hack if you’re traveling during peak times, like the holidays.
Similarly, as most prefer to sit further up, select two seats in the rear of the plane. This increases your odds that the center one will remain empty.
“I put Dramamine in the seat and hold the puke bag,” a commenter named Leigh offered. “Hope this helps.”
Another suggested putting a personal item there, like your phone.
Fair game versus foul play
There is no policy against reserving an aisle and window seat in the hopes that no one takes that middle seat. Nevertheless, some cried foul.
One vowed, “I’m taking that middle seat and farting for 14 hours straight.” Another charmer shared that he farts and takes his shoes off during flights.
Someone else wondered why people have a problem with the aisle and window seat trick. “Because it creates a forced uncomfortable scenario when somebody does book that seat, and the couple proceeds to manifest unwanted conversation across this person for 14 hours,” explained a detractor.
A second countered, “Actually it doesn’t. You just don’t talk to your travel partner bc it’s rude.”
A third noted that the travel companions could simply offer to trade seats with the person in the middle.
This solution didn’t please everyone. As one mocked, “‘Hey, my partner and I were really hoping that our greed would be rewarded, and now we’re awkwardly reaping the fruits of our labor—can you help us course correct by giving up the seat you ultimately paid for, for our comfort?'”
A few noted that most people would rather have a window or aisle seat, so, rather than being greedy, they’d likely be doing the person in the middle a favor by switching.
Several said they’ve been the unlucky middle seat dweller in a situation when the two companions didn’t ask to change seats. They described people talking over them throughout the flight and treating them as their personal lazy susan.
One said a father and daughter were so obnoxious they asked them to leave “me the [expletive] alone.”
Not everyone blames travelers like Emily.
“Airlines have made economy travel so uncomfortable that we have to resort to this,” a woman wrote. “Just make seats more comfortable.”
@emdwyaa The most stressful boarding process before a 14 hour flight to Australia ? DIY business class ✔️ #travel #diybusiness #aircanada #brisbane #longhaul ♬ Ode to Joy- Symphony No.9 in D Minor 'choral' – Lorne Balfe & Russell Emanuel & Steve Kofsky
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