What could airlines do to convince you to choose a middle seat?

[Mattg]

I'm sure I'm not alone in disliking the middle seat on planes when travelling solo. In fact, unless I really needed to be somewhere urgently, I would probably choose to change to a different flight rather than voluntarily sitting in a middle seat.

For those who also dislike middle seats, is there anything airlines could offer to convince you to choose these by choice? E.g. what if the middle seats were cheaper, wider, or you got free wifi or an extra free drink or something for choosing to sit there?

This is purely hypothetical, of course.

 

[flyingfan]

Make them 30% cheaper. But of course airlines will charge 30% more for aisle/window.

I’d rather sit in the last row of Y in an aisle/window than the first row of Y in a middle seat. But I’ll accept a Y if it means going home sooner.

 

[exceladdict]

Given many of my flights are transcon to/from PER, that's a long time between people. But, for double SCs...

Make them 30% cheaper. But of course airlines will charge 30% more for aisle/window.

Exactly. I fear middle becomes the base price while others are just made more expensive.

 

[Mattg]

Given many of my flights are transcon to/from PER, that's a long time between people. But, for double SCs...

Oh, that *might* just bring me over the line...

 

[AIRwin]

I’d rather sit in the last row of Y in an aisle/window than the first row of Y in a middle seat.

I don't mind middle seat in row 3 on VA...

 

[Mattg]

I don't mind middle seat in row 3 on VA...

Would you take that over a window/aisle seat in row 6?

In this case, you're at least getting a trade-off of more legroom

 

[AIRwin]

Would you take that over a window/aisle seat in row 6?

If I don't have a choice...

 

[RooFlyer]

For those who also dislike middle seats, is there anything airlines could offer to convince you to choose these by choice? E.g. what if the middle seats were cheaper, wider, or you got free wifi or an extra free drink or something for choosing to sit there?

Um, no. I don't even do economy any more, unless absolutely no choice (like my recent GET-PER)

 

[Hvr]

Maybe if you got both middle seats in the bay of four? I don't drink alcohol so that's not a consideration. Wi-fi doesn't interest me.

DSCs very interested.

 

[kpc]

Keep the aisle and window seat free

 

[JohnK]

I don't mind middle seat in row 3 on VA...

But you are very skinny.

Can you imagine 3 people my size sitting in a row of 3 or 4 people my size sitting in a row 4? Extremely uncomfortable. Put simply they will not fit.

Before reading @kpc's comment I was going to say I'd be happy with sitting in middle seat if one seat either side was vacant.

It seems lately I've been getting the bulky person sitting next to me.

 

[VPS]

Nothing

 

[AIRwin]

But you are very skinny.

It seems lately I've been getting the bulky person sitting next to me.

Thanks! We should fly together...

 

[Duffa]

Elle McPherson on one side and Bob Hawke on the other!

Post automatically merged: Oct 8, 2022

Nah, bugger it, David Boon

 

[clifford]

I once opted for a middle seat on an EK 388 flight from LHR to DXB, because it was the only seat I could get in Y with an empty seat next to me.

Turned out to be disastrous, as the guy next to me on the other side kept getting me a miniature of red wine.

So much so that I fell asleep in the lounge at DXB and missed my flight to SIN (but that's another story).

 

[Forg]

Maybe a 2-5-2 layout where I’m in the very centre of the 5 and they don’t sell any others apart from the aisle seats … ?

 

[frodo]

Something like what they do on the shinkansens - make the middle seat a little wider than the window/aisle seats.

Although I still wouldn't choose it...

 

[Captain Halliday]

I’ve only had the middle seat once.

It was an op-up on QF2 and I rather enjoyed the middle seat.

 

[usmantk]

Remove middle seat in front row and maybe last to have more leg room for all middle row , they will be slightly out of alignment which won’t be a bad thing , maybe it can be done for front and exit row so alignment doesn’t become impractical…..

 

[Daver6]

The only middle seat I'm going to voluntarily choose is a motorbike.