Airplane Middle Seat Rights

Did you know that airplane middle seats enjoy special rights?

 What seat do you prefer when flying? Studies show that just over half of us opt for the window seat. In fact, a 2016 study by Expedia revealed that 34% of travelers are willing to pay extra for the window seat’s prime real estate. Window seat passengers enjoy a great view, control the window shade, have a wall to lean on, and (hopefully) no one is trying to crawl over you. The rest of us opt for the aisle seat where passengers have easy access to the rest room and stored bags, the ability to stretch your legs in the aisle, and faster deplaning.

Everyone’s last choice? The dreaded middle seat. No one enjoys being trapped in a tight space for hours between two strangers. The good news? Since the middle seat has literally no advantages, the middle seat passenger has the right to bear arms—both of them! That’s right, the middle seat passenger has the right to use both middle arm rests. If you find yourself stuck in the middle seat, take solace in the fact that at least both your elbows have a place to rest.

When you are lucky enough to score the window or aisle seat, be kind to the middle seat passenger. Keep the window shade up during take-off and landing to allow everyone to enjoy the view, keep your feet and belongings out of the middle seat’s limited space, and happily allow the middle seat passenger access to the aisle when they request it.