Used: Lifetime
I love a good window seat. Really, who doesn’t? Slightly more space under your seat, enough to jam everything up against “the wall”, a plastic hole to check out the ground below and a very hard up-right bed to sleep on. What could be better? Thought I have written about my recently acquired loved for Group C (aka the middle seat) on Southwest I really don’t mind the middle seat when flights are around an hour long, give or take On my flight home from Peru last year, I was given an aisle seat on 2 out of 3 legs which the check-in counter couldn’t change. Oh well, it wasn’t a red-eye and hell, it wasn’t a middle (especially for that 5+ hours flight from SAL to LAX), I’ll see what this fuss is about.
I kind of get why the aisle is awesome. As someone who has minor issues with their knees, I love the aisle for the space is offers. If no one is coming, I can stretch out as much as I want. And for the snoop in me, I love spying on what people are reading, listening or talking about.
But the biggest downside to sitting in an aisle seat (and even middle perhaps) and why I make an awesome window seat companion is my ability to “hold it”. I have the art of using the loo down to a science, especially when I fly. And on flights less than 10 hours, I usually just hold it the whole time. The moment they start to board the plane, I use the restroom and the first thing I do when I get off is find a loo. On long flights, I like to think I am considerate and I can’t remember the last time I had to ask anyone to get up, I just use the loo when the others in my row get up, to ease the process. Heck, I’ll even get up and go when the others do, even if I don’t really have to go, just in case!
My chart for what should be legal uses of using the toilet whilest sitting on any of the internal seats.
Flight time 0-4 hours – ZERO times, just fucking hold it.
Flight time 4-7 hours – 1x
Flight time 7-14 hours – 2x
Flight time 15+ – 3x (no more)
Anymore then the above and you should be required to sit on the aisle.
On my 5+ hour flight from SAL to LAX the person at the window got up TWICE. The first time, I just rolled my eyes, but went with it. But less then two hours later, they got up again and I nearly lost it. I hate sitting and standing and worse, settling back into a warm seat (ewww), I wanted to punch them. Are you fucking kidding me? If you have to pee this much, sit on the fucking aisle. Note: I never pee’d once during the whole flight.
Moral: Is this rant too petty? Guess what, I don’t care. We all have our weird pet-peeves when we fly (don’t really care about paying for ticket changes or paying for checked bags, I could write two posts ranting on those complaints! Hey, watch for those posts coming eventually!) and this just happens to be mine. And fun family side-note: My dad, who LOVES the window (he and my mom got into such a fight over the window when leaving New Zealand, that my sister and I just left the airport, not knowing when I was going to see them again and they barely noticed) has had to give it up recently on long flights because he needs to stretch every hour and use the loo more. He is aware of his needs and changed his wants for your comfort. Too bad more people couldn’t be like that.
I’m with you! I traditionally never go to the restroom on the plane, ever. My husband however, can barely go a few hours without having to go, haha. I did get aisle seats for our flight to San Francisco in August though, because at the time of the fight I’ll be 5 months pregnant, and no telling if I’ll have the ability to “hold it” like normal!
Ohmigod, CONGRATS!!!! Have a great time in SF, it’s been forever since I’ve been.
And of course, thanks for being considerate for those in your row for booking aisle seats:-).
Haha thanks! We’ll be in SF for a long weekend – any good recommendations on things to do/see??
I do normally love the window seat, since I rarely get up. On our flights to Vegas this week, I got up once each way – but the hubs had the aisle seat and I was in the middle. Didn’t feel so bad making him get up!
It’s different when you know the person on the aisle. I wouldn’t feel bad either:-).
Ohmigod, so much to do in SF!!! Lots and lots of walking. Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge. Walk around Alcatraz (touristy, but I love it!). Walk down Market Street to the Embarcadero (you can also take the F Muni down Market). Coit Tower is a hidden gem. Golden Gate Park. Height/Ashbury area is fun. Too much to list and too little time for a long weekend!
Have a great time!!
I think this might have to do with how often people travel. For instance, I just took my longest flight ever, which was 6 hours, and got up twice since I’m not used to sitting still for that long. If I was ever on a 14-hour flight (God help me), I’m sure I’d need to get up at least 4 times to stretch. I’d try to get an aisle seat, but I usually end up stuck in the middle. One thing I do to make things easy on my neighbors is to use the bathroom whenever the aisle seat person uses the bathroom – that way he/she doesn’t have to get up an extra time.
Oh, I am sure it does. The more experienced people know to sit on the aisle and the people that fly maybe once a year and of course, want the window and have no concept what a pain in the neck it is for the others to get up every time they have to use the loo.
I do the same and get up when others in my row go, just to be courteous as well.
Thanks for your comment!!