Amid warnings that airfares may continue to rise, airline experts have unveiled some insider tips travellers can use to get the best seats without breaking the bank.
Little-known tricks that make the most of technology include searching for prices using a VPN and setting up alerts for when the perfect airline seat becomes available.
Knowing what to look for when considering available routes will also guarantee a chosen flight is comfortable and good value for money.
These include avoiding the ‘double excuse me seat’, knowing which aircraft operate at lower cabin pressures and comparing airline performance for the best flying experience.
“We hope our insider tips gleaned from decades of experience in the fly cruise sector will help passengers get the best value flights for them,” said James Cole, Founder and Managing Director of Panache Cruises, who compiled the list.
The tips are:
1: Compare flight-searching tools and airline websites
Flight-searching tools such as Skyscanner can help you find the best deals. Airline websites also make it easier for customers to identify the cheapest days to fly using easy-to-navigate calendars.
2: Search using a VPN
It can also pay to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) when searching for flights – the price displayed in one country might be very different to another. VPNs allow people to search the internet as if they were physically located in another country to find better deals.
3: Use seat maps and traveller photos
Seat selection tools like SeatGuru can help passengers identify poor-value seats using seat maps of most aircraft in operation alongside photos submitted by fellow travellers.
Few flyers are aware that certain seats have bulky inflight entertainment hardware stored under them restricting legroom. Other seats may have no recline, reduced legroom, a blanked out window or be near to toilets.
Frequent flyers use these tools regularly to ensure that they don’t book a bad seat.
4: Avoid the ‘double excuse me seat’
On many long-haul aircraft, the seat in the middle of the central section of five seats is known in the aviation industry as the ‘double excuse me seat’ as are window seats that sit in a block of three.
It is commonly accepted that two seat blocks are the most convenient. A flight without disturbance can make all the difference.
5: Don’t sit down the back
Many commercial aircraft suffer from an aerodynamic phenomenon called self-induced oscillation. This can make people who don’t usually get airsick feel unwell when seated at the rear of the aircraft.
Always sit in front or near the wings for the smoothest possible flight conditions.
6: Set up seat alerts
Airline seat booking tools such as ExpertFlyer can be invaluable when booking flights, especially when looking for a specific seat type to become available.
7: Choose your seat in advance
Pick your seat as early as possible to get the one you want and avoid sitting separately from family and friends. Most basic tickets require you to pay to choose your seats otherwise you will be allocated a seat once check-in opens.
8: Consider indirect flights
Choosing a flight with a stop at a large ‘hub’ airport en-route can work out cheaper. A stop-over on a long haul sector also has the advantage of punctuating the trip thereby helping to manage jet lag.
9: Research aircraft types
If arriving at your destination in tip-top shape is important, consider choosing a flight schedule operated by either an Airbus A350 or Boeing 787 which operate at much lower cabin pressures, thereby reducing jet lag and associated fatigue.
Most airline websites will list the aircraft type that is expected to operate each flight.
10: Upgrade at a bargain price
The right seat for some won’t always be the cheapest and many people don’t realise that they can bid for an upgrade near the flight departure date or even on the day of departure at the airport.
Arrive at the airport early, head straight to the ticket desk and don’t accept the first price quoted!
11: Review airline performance
Most people choose the cheapest option when booking flights, but the old adage, “you get what you pay for” shouldn’t be ignored.
Look at ‘on-time arrival’ statistics and compare satisfaction levels at airline ranking sites such as Skytrax to make sure the ticket you buy is worth the price.
