We’re always a sucker for another travel hack, and one going around TikTok at present is the ‘Get a row on a plane for yourself and a friend’ hack. It’s not perfect and won’t always work, but it’s certainly worth a try!
Step 1: When booking your flight and choosing seats, you’re looking for a free row, where you can select the window and the aisle seat. For example, on this Qantas flight, I’ve selected 20A and 20C – the window and the aisle.
The idea is that people won’t want a middle seat stuck between two others, and will try for another row or seat elsewhere on the plane. The less appealing your row is to others, the better.
The TikTok recommendation is for you to go for a row people may also consider unlucky – eg row 13, or undesirable, like towards the back or near a bathroom. Unfortunately on some planes row 13 is an exit row and you’ll be unable to select it, but work with the plane you get for your flight and plan accordingly.
@cheapholidayexpert This actually works!! Row to yourself travel hack 💺✨ #cheaptravel #budgettravel #travelhack #britishairways
Step 2: Board the plane with fingers crossed. At this point one of three things will happen. Either a person will already be in the middle seat, or you’ll take your allocated seats, and someone will come along and sit in the middle, or nobody will come at all.
Obviously, the third option is ideal – you’ve got your row of three to yourselves! If however option one or two happens and there’s a person – just be polite and offer them the window or aisle seat (most people will happily switch from middle!) and you’ll be able to sit with your companion like normal.
There is a tiny risk that you’ve encountered someone adamant that they want their middle seat and there’s no way they’re swapping for the other ‘nicer’ seats. Be polite – it is their right, and it’s the risk you take. But odds are good this won’t happen.
Step 3: Once boarding is completed and the doors are closed, if that middle seat is empty it’s time to celebrate!
