First time flyers - Q??

[DISNEYmooner2008]

My fiance and I will be flying to Orlando from Charlotte,nc in January for our honeymoon and neither one of us have ever flew in an airplane or been to WDW. So my question to those of you who fly is what is the best area of the plane to sit in?? Front, back, middle, on the wing, ect... Sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but I was just wondering.

 

[bavaria]

Be aware that if you are flying a legacy carrier the preferred seating areas (front, aisles, exit rows) are normally reserved for frequent flyers, so you won't have a large selection of seats.

 

[disneyholic family]

My fiance and I will be flying to Orlando from Charlotte,nc in January for our honeymoon and neither one of us have ever flew in an airplane or been to WDW. So my question to those of you who fly is what is the best area of the plane to sit in?? Front, back, middle, on the wing, ect... Sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but I was just wondering.

there are no "dumb" questions...

on the wing tends to be the smoothest flight, so that's what many people prefer...(although you can't see as much out the window over the wing - since the wing blocks your view)...

 

[DISNEYmooner2008]

Be aware that if you are flying a legacy carrier the preferred seating areas (front, aisles, exit rows) are normally reserved for frequent flyers, so you won't have a large selection of seats.

We are flying US AIRWAYS to Orlando, and Delta coming back to Charlotte,NC. We are allowed to pick advanced seating and the only sections closed are the first class section. There weren't any restrictions and where we could/couldn't sit.

 

[disneyholic family]

We are flying US AIRWAYS to Orlando, and Delta coming back to Charlotte,NC. We are allowed to pick advanced seating and the only sections closed are the first class section. There weren't any restrictions and where we could/couldn't sit.

that's good - Northwest is probably the worst for restricting what you can pick. they save the best selections for their frequent flyers.

Anyway, you also have to decide if you want window or aisle (one of you will probably have to sit in a middle seat if the configuration is 3 seats-aisle-3 seats).
So one of you will be in window or aisle (depending on what you prefer) and the other in the middle seat.

i used to prefer window (so i could look out the window during takeoff and landing), but now that i need the bathroom more, i prefer the aisle so that i don't have to climb over anyone.

 

[disneymd33]

I'm tall, so I usually prefer a seat by the emergency exit, or the very first row of coach. Those seats usually tend to give you a little extra leg room. Enjoy you're honeymoon! You'll have a blast in Disney!

 

[Seahunt]

I always check the "seatguru" website when trying to choose seats- on that site you choose the airline you are flying on from the list and then the class of plane you will be on (737, 757, 767, etc.) and it will bring up a chart that shows which seats are recommended and which are the ones to avoid! It also tells why you don't want to book the ones to avoid, like lack of leg room, don't fully recline, etc. It's a nice tool to use to help you choose your seats when you go back to the airline website or phone to actually book them.

 

[PurpleEars]

Depends on what you are looking for in the seating, this is what I would suggest:

If you are tall or simply want more leg room, I would suggest the emergency exit row seats, the bulkhead seats, or the first row immediately behind business class. I believe there are requirements to be seated in the emergency exit row seats: you need to be able to communicate in English, can lift 60lbs (or around there), no mobility issues, and not travelling with someone who needs extra assistance. (Please note that the requirements are what I remembered from being on a WestJet flight last time - there may be different requirements for a US carrier)

If you want a quieter flight, I would recommend getting seats ahead of the wing. However, depending on the plane you are on, the front part of the plane may also be narrower (which means people may bump into your shoulder if you are seated in an aisle seat).

Usually the seats immediately in front of the emergency exit rows do not recline, so you may want to take that into consideration if you prefer the ability to recline.

One last thing to note is that if you will need to store all your carry-on's in overhead bins if you are seated in the first row of the plane, whereas you have the option to have your carry-on's under the seat in front of you and/or in the overhead bins in the other seats. (This probably won't apply in this case since you said there is a business class)

I would suggest window/middle seat combo for first time flyers, because I always find the takeoff/landing very amusing to watch (looking at buildings and cars getting smaller or bigger). Since you'll be on a short flight, I don't think using bathroom will be a huge issue.

Anyway, I hope you'll have smooth flights to and from Orlando! Congrats on your upcoming wedding!

 

[honugirl]

Be aware that most carriers will not book exit rows until the day of flight (that's been my experience anyway), and they tend to leave bulkhead seats to the day of flight as well. If you want those, be sure to check in EARLY! The only way to reserve exit row seats is to be some sort of emergency personnel (i.e. firefighter, police officer, EMT) and you will have to imform the carrier either yourself or through your travel agent. Also if one of you is disabled and needs extra room, you may be able to book bulk head seats beforehand, but no emergency exit.

I prefer aisle over the wing. I pee a lot, so I hate climbing over people. You have a short flight though, so you're lucky!

The rear is kind of the yucky area because of the toilets, you get people congregating there and sometimes it smells...

Be there early, early, early. Check the TSA website for "Do's and Don'ts". Wear comfy clothes and shoes you can easily take off (not ballet slippers that tie all the way up your legs like I saw on one flight). If you need to bring liquids on board with you, it's 3 oz containers as much as you can fit in a 1 (ONE) Quart Ziploc bag (please do not bring a full bottle of tequila, like the guy in front of me on my last trip home from WDW). Have ID readily accessible up through security. Laptops must be taken out of bags and sent through on their own. I also pack any studded belts, etc. that I want to wear in my carry on, then put them on after security so I don't set the alarms off. Pack anything NECESSARY in your carry on. Medications and such should be carried with you.

Have fun!

 

[DebbieB]

USAirways allows their elite frequent flyers (over 25,000 miles per year) book the exit rows in advance. If any are left 24 hours in advance, you can reserve them during on-line check-in or at the airport.

I would stay away from the back, I prefer the middle to front.

 

[disneyholic family]

yes, seatguru is a good website to check..
they'll tell you if a particular seat is especially good or bad..

their website is www.seatguru.com

then click on "U", then click on US Airways, then click on the type of plane you're flying on..

 

[dreamcometrue]

I always check the "seatguru" website when trying to choose seats- on that site you choose the airline you are flying on from the list and then the class of plane you will be on (737, 757, 767, etc.) and it will bring up a chart that shows which seats are recommended and which are the ones to avoid! It also tells why you don't want to book the ones to avoid, like lack of leg room, don't fully recline, etc. It's a nice tool to use to help you choose your seats when you go back to the airline website or phone to actually book them.

I actually look for seats that don't fully recline for my kids because I always feel bad for the people sitting behind us. The kids mess around with the seat so much. I don't sleep on the plane, I read, so I don't care if my seat doesn't recline!

That being said, I like the front/middle of the plane. I don't know if it's me, but it always seems like there is more space than the back! Shouldn't be since all seats are the same size but it just seems that way...

 

[bavaria]

We are flying US AIRWAYS to Orlando, and Delta coming back to Charlotte,NC. We are allowed to pick advanced seating and the only sections closed are the first class section. There weren't any restrictions and where we could/couldn't sit.

See DebbieB's note above re USAirways. She is one of the most regular USAirways flyers on this website.

Even as a Star Alliance top tier elite I cannot access ALL seats on the US Airways seat map in advance. You may not have seen all seats on the seat map, only those which were available to you.

 

[bavaria]

That being said, I like the front/middle of the plane. I don't know if it's me, but it always seems like there is more space than the back! Shouldn't be since all seats are the same size but it just seems that way...

SOME airlines, such as United, DO have more legroom/seat pitch in the front rows. On United it is called Economy Plus, and is reserved for elite flyers or those who are willing to pay a fee for the extra seating space.

Generally, airlines hold these seats back for elite flyers, and the seats may not appear on the seat map screen to non-elites. Every airline differs as to when it releases those seats for general members.

 

[DebbieB]

On USAirways seating charts, you will see seats marked with a green dot. Those are the ones restricted to preferred level flyers (over 25,000 miles per year). They are generally the exit rows plus some seats in the front of coach (some, not all).

I have been flying them because they are the predominant carrier at PIT. But they have recently announced another reduction in the number of flights at PIT plus closed the crew base. They will be down to 68 flights per day in January, it used to be over 500 per day when we were the major hub. Plus their service has gone downhill this year, especially with their frequent flyers. I plan to move my business to Delta in the new year, they have increased service at PIT and treat their passengers better from what I've heard.

 

[DISNEYmooner2008]

Thanks so much for all of the help you guys!!! We went online tonight and reserved our specific seats. Our flights were pretty full, but we managed to get row 8 on our departure flight to Orlando, and rows 35 and 17 on our return flight to Charlotte (we have a layover in Atlanta and switch planes). Each of the seats (except row 35) are above the wing. I booked through Orbitz.com and they actually have a diagram of the plane that showed the exits, galley, restrooms, ect... which allowed you to choose which seat you preferred. I also booked the window and middle seat for each flight. Now if I could just calm my nerves about flying I will be fine!!!

 

[disneyholic family]

Thanks so much for all of the help you guys!!! We went online tonight and reserved our specific seats. Our flights were pretty full, but we managed to get row 8 on our departure flight to Orlando, and rows 35 and 17 on our return flight to Charlotte (we have a layover in Atlanta and switch planes). Each of the seats (except row 35) are above the wing. I booked through Orbitz.com and they actually have a diagram of the plane that showed the exits, galley, restrooms, ect... which allowed you to choose which seat you preferred. I also booked the window and middle seat for each flight. Now if I could just calm my nerves about flying I will be fine!!!

sounds great!

have a wonderful trip!