WE have all sat in a rather small airline seat coveting life beyond the curtain, and wishing we had been given a First or Business Class upgrade.
Life in the back can be cramped, if not downright uncomfortable as airlines try to squeeze every last drop of revenue from their reluctant clients. It is, after all, a game of real estate; the airlines play a constant game in finding the elusive balance between comfort, or lack thereof, and passenger willingness to sit on the seats.
This does not matter much on a short flight within Canada, but once the aircraft is launched to Europe, or more vitally to Asia or the South Pacific, space becomes more important.
The good news is that not all seats are created equal, and there are ways to prise a few additional square centimetres to call your own.
First, of course, there are the exit rows or the bulkheads. The difficulty here is that airlines rarely assign exit rows prior to departure because they can't see if you belong to one of their restricted categories; the good news is that if you check in early, you have as much chance as the next passenger of getting one if you ask.
Bulkheads are double-edged swords though, as the additional legroom is counteracted by a fixed armrest between you and your neighbour, and a rather tiny table.
One can, of course aim at new aircraft. When airlines buy new equipment, the seats get better and the entertainment more sophisticated. After eight hours on an elderly B767 there will be little spring in your step compared to those who have just emerged from a new B777 or A330. Ask your travel agent which plane is on offer and pick the newest.
Then there are some real tricks.
Boeing 747s have a unique characteristic that plays to your advantage. Right at the back, a place that few choose to sit for some reason, the aircraft tapers. This means the last three rows on the window sides have only two seats instead of three. This offers much more space beside you, and a little more privacy.
Climbing on board an Air New Zealand 747 for the long haul from Los Angeles to Sydney, I had been assigned a seat in the second last row. I passed through the absolutely full forward economy cabin. By the time I reached my row, I found I was the only passenger in it. I had the luxury of stretching out over four seats and sleeping most of the way down to Australia.
The lesson? Simply that most folks want to be near the front: if there are seats left over, they are most likely to be at the back.
Nobody will ever make a 10-hour, economy-class flight comfortable, although I have to say that United Airline's B777s flying between Chicago and London are really good. You can increase the odds of an extra square foot or so by checking in early and insisting that your travel agent (your only real friend in this exercise) gets you the best seat in the house that is available when you book.
Airline tickets are not just about price, they are also about real estate; and we all know the most important aspects of real estate are "Location, Location and Location"!
Max Johnson is the president of the Great Canadian Travel Company.
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