For a long-haul journey like flights to India from London, it makes complete sense to opt for seats that are comfortable and have enough legroom. Paying extra and researching well are some tricks that can get you such seats.
Flying for some is a means of just travelling from one part of the world to another, while for others it is an experience that needs be just perfect!
Comfort is one factor that scores over all others when it to comes to flying. And especially when it is a case of a long-haul journey, say flights to India from London, the requisite for comfortable seating options just cannot be ignored. A keen holiday maker who has planned an Indian break would never like to travel in a crammed or uncomfortable manner.
Keeping flights to India as our reference point, let us take a look at different aspects of airline seats – their types, how to find the best ones, which ones to avoid, etc.
The Cost of Comfort
Comfort often commands a price and it is no different in the airline industry. Travellers who desire a comfortable flight to India can pay up extra to make sure they are not crammed up during the flight. Especially for tall fliers, it makes sense to go for seats with extra legroom, unless they want to end up all worn-out at the end of the flight! Of course, paying extra for your ticket reservation is not going help your cause if cheap flights to India are on the priority. But there is no point finding cheap flight deals if you have to be crammed up during you entire 10-hour flight!
Research the Options
Most travellers would perhaps prefer looking around for different options in terms of airlines, flights, schedules, etc., and then make their bookings. This not only finds them cheap flights but can also assist them in landing up with good seating arrangements. Proactive travellers can check out websites that offer an illustration of the aircraft you are booking tickets for (aircraft type can be found from the airline website, mostly). Loaded with illustrative information it becomes easy for India-bound travellers to decide where they would like to sit.
Types of Seats
For those who are not too familiar with on-board seating arrangements, here is a brief overview that is likely to assist them in their pursuit of comfort after they have planned an Indian tour and are looking for an enjoyable journey.
Emergency Exit Seats
For most, emergency exit seats remains the only way to score seats with free extra leg-room. No wonder, they are snapped up quickly! However, one must keep in mind that not everyone is entitled to make a reservation for these seats. A traveller who seeks an emergency exit seat needs to be physically capable of operating the emergency doors, in case the need arises. Also, check-in staff is required to see the person physically so as to assign these seats.
Bulkhead Seats
Bulkhead seat is another option for people who are looking for extra legroom on their flights to India. Bulkhead seats are the seats that are placed behind the partitions that divide travel classes from one another. With comparatively more legroom, these seats, no doubt, offer comfortable seating alternative; however one should be ready to face crying and screaming of babies as bulkhead seats are also popular with fliers with infants.
Other Factors to Consider
A finicky traveller can pay attention to several other factors to ensure that his travel on India-bound flights is as pleasant as it can be.
Turbulence
Those with nervous disposition would surely like to avoid that unpleasant (and sometimes more than that!) turbulence an aircraft faces in air. It is generally agreed that seats just behind the leading edge of the wings are best for people who wish to experience such bumps as little as possible.
Noise
Most experts agree that on modern jet-engine aircraft, the back of the aircraft is the nosiest place one can be at. Travellers who are sensitive to noise and would prefer to avoid too much of noise should make it a point to find a seat as forward as possible on the aircraft.
Individual plane layouts
This is a significant factor that can truly assist a traveller in finding seats with extra legroom. Airlines customise the on-board seating arrangement as per their own requirements. This means a British Airways Boeing 747 will not necessarily have the same seating arrangement as say a Virgin Atlantic 747. It seems logical to deduce that in a same plane type, a carrier that is offering fewer seats is most likely to have more legroom, in comparison to the one that is providing more seats in the same aircraft.
Other Considerations
Travellers can also avoid seats that are located in front of the exit rows as these cannot be reclined back. Also, one can give a miss to seats near the washrooms in case you do not want people hovering around you.
