by Stephanie Lindberg

Created on: October 05, 2008

Working as an airline employee, I learned not only where some customers prefer, but also a few tips on how to get those seats. Picking a seat is a very personal thing to some people. The number one thing to keep in mind is if you prefer one area of the plane over another, you should try to reserve your seat in advance. A lot of people buying tickets through a discount web site such as Orbitz, CheapTickets, or Priceline, might be asked for a seat preference, but I can't tell you how many of these customers show up at the airport and find their seat preferences were not added to their reservations. If you absolutely have to have an aisle or window, make sure you give the airline's reservations a call before you fly. While they might not be able to honor all requests, they have a much better chance of saving a non-middle seat for you.

If you are traveling with an infant and would like to use a car seat on the flight, as long as the flight is not completely full, most airlines are able to block a seat to give you the extra space. The infant block blocks a middle seat so there is a very rare chance that someone will try to select that seat for their own. When traveling with a child it is important to remember to reserve the seats so you have the peace of mind that you are both seated together. Seats in the middle to front of the plane are ideal for children because they provide easy exit off the plane at the end of the flight. Passengers with younger children are often allowed to board early, so while the rear of the plane is boarding, settling in and putting carry ons
in their place is much easier for you and your kids. But if you imagine a lot of trips to the rest room during the flight for your small-bladdered traveler, seats near the back are a better option.

Passengers with disabilities often like to be in seats in the first row of the main cabin, the bulk head seats. These seats, directly behind first or business class, provide a little more leg room and also have the added benefit of having no one in front of them leaning their seat all the way back. If the passenger has a lot of carry ons
that must be accessible during the flight, the next few rows of the cabin are also suitable, using the aisle seats. These seats can also be reserved.

If you are a long-legged type, or simply like to stretch your legs out in front of you, an exit row seat is a good option. Most of these seats are only available upon check in, but can be easily requested at check in or at your

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