To not book a seat on a longhaul flight?

[DecemberPlusFebruary]

I'm travelling alone. Flight is 10 hours. Adding seats to the (economy cheapest) booking raises the price by about £70 - £85/flight and it's round trip. Economy cheapest means I am allocated a seat randomly - no choice even at check-in. Price without a seat: £425. With seats: £602!

I have a half hour drive on arrival at destination, but a route I know well, and even if I don't sleep at all, timings mean I will be okay to drive. No driving on return.

But... I like an aisle seat. I stand up and move like once/hour. Crawling over people is pretty unpleasant, for everyone involved - though I would do it anyway.

Hmm. Aibu to just hope for the best on allocation?? How bad can it be? £175 seems insane to pay for seats.

Some airlines ( British airways inc) charge a hefty whack even in business class for seat selection

If you don't book and fly alone, then if they need to bump people off the flight as overbooked then you will be 1st on the list, which can also have advantages but depends how important being on that exact flight is for you.

This. I’d book an aisle seat for the reasons PPs have stated.

Be aware now that the latest “thing” with two people travelling together is to book the window and aisle (on the 3 seat arrangement) and leave the middle seat free in the hope that no-one will book it. You then get stuck between them yapping over you for the whole flight - it’s incredibly annoying!

Just choose a seat at check in 24 hours before your flight. What airline is it?

See if id be wanting to sleep id book the window seat so I didn't have to keep getting up for people. 12f usually on short haul as that tends to be extra legroom as well do I can get out of needed. Fortunately I have one world status so get free seat selection

You would be silly not to book as you do have a clear preference.
I wouldn’t book as I don’t care where I sit, I hate flying anyway so no particular seat would make me feel better. I also don’t get out of my seat unless the flight is 8+ hours and then I might need to go to the toilet once. Going 10 times in 10 hours would be infuriating to everyone around you! Maybe ask for a toilet seat 😂😂

I would pay...aisle seat in the middle of the plane. Far away from toilets.

If you're not prepared to stay seated in a middle or window seat and will still get up ten times, pay to book the aisle. It's not fair on other people otherwise.

I get the window seat If I have my DP with me as he doesn’t mind moving for me, obviously. When flying alone, I book the aisle seat. I can’t be feeling hemmed in. But I much prefer the window. I always book my seat. I fly economy so far, so at the very least, I need to sit in a seat that suits me the most.

"Economy cheapest means I am allocated a seat randomly - no choice even at check-in"

FFS. It's the third sentence!

It’s because of people like the OP that I’ll only fly business class long haul. Can’t be dealing with inexperienced, selfish travellers.

After flying back from Australia next to the baby bassinets containing two babies who tag teamed screaming for the entire flight, I would pay to be far far away from them.

I travel alone for worn a lot.
I usually dont book seats. 9 times out of 10 i get a good seat.
A trick is to go on last. Then sit anywhere thats free.they wont usually check.

I would book. It's really unpleasant to be on a 10 hour flight trapped in a seat.

I never book a seat on a flight. Sometimes my bf insists on sitting together but I do my best to talk him out of it. You will likely get a middle seat, but you are entitled to go for walk. Will it sucks for the person in thw aisle seat? Yes. Will they probably call you names under their breath? Propably yes. Does it really matter? That's up to you for £175, i might be happy to be a hated twat 😅

I remember suffering through a 14 hour flight in an aisle seat trying to sleep as I had meetings when I arrived, and the man next to me kept waking me up to walk in the aisle because he "had a bad back." In the end I asked him to swap seats because I couldn't keep being woken up

I wonder if this is what OP was hoping for ...

Entitled to go for a walk? Absolutely. Entitled to disturb at least one person up to 20 times in a flight? Selfish as fuck.

Of course it is selfish. And if someone did it, I would absolutely be fuming and telling everyone about how shit the perosn next to me was. However, ive come across so many selfish people when traveling that i expect it to be the norm. So can't be bothered with expecting people to be considerate and therefore put the limit on how considerate i would be 🤷🏼‍♀️ im not one who gets up in the middle of my flight unless absolutely necessary. But also £175 is absolutely ridiculous price to pay.

If I needed to get to the loo, I used to climb over people who were sleeping - when I was young and rather more agile I found the armrests made ideal stepping stones. I never woke anyone up.

Nowadays I make very sure to book an aisle seat.

I guess the risk is the person in the aisle seat was also randomly allocated it and they are like me, who sleeps so deeply you would have to physically climb over me. Hopefully in that situation though they would swap 🤷‍♀️ aisle seats are wasted on me, I certainly wouldn't pay for one!

It makes perfect sense. If YOU want to get up and down every hour, book and pay for an aisle seat so you don't disturb others.

Probs takes her own egg sandwiches to save a few quid there too 😂

Virgin
Tui
air Canada

can't remember the last time we didn't pay for seats!

Can you not understand how utterly selfish it would be not to pay for an aisle set given you intend to get up every hour?

I'm not surprised that your DH likes the window seat!!.

It might be worth asking your DH for his honest view on this? If he had deliberately booked and aisle seat and someone with your flying habits had the inside seats, how irritated would he be by the end of the flight?

Don't book the seat. If you end up middle or window give your seat mates the option of swapping with you if they dont want to be disturbed. If they don't want to swap trample over them guilt free.