AN experienced traveller who has been on 20 flights this year already says they know which is the best seat to book on a budget airline.
Among the countries Marielle Descalsota has flown to include Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam, all on cheap flights.
Writing for Insider, she said that the flights are usually bare-bones and only come with a randomly assigned seat and baggage allowance for a small carry-on.
While Marielle admits it’s not the most comfortable way to fly, she thinks the rock-bottom prices are worth the trouble.
However, she recommends if you can book a seat, go for a front-row window one, as she thinks this is the best seat on the plane.
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While no budget airline is particularly comfortable, she says this seat improves the experience.
A more ‘premium experience’
In June she paid just £14.70 ($18) to sit in 1F, a front-row seat by the window on a Scoot flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.
Marielle described it as one of the most comfortable flights she’d been on with Scoot.
She enjoyed it so much she booked the same seat again with Scoot on a flight from Jakarta to Singapore recently.
It cost her £22 ($27) to reserve the seat for the two-hour flight.
Marielle says the biggest perk of having a front-row seat is the legroom.
Budget airlines usually use smaller planes and back in as many seats as they can, which limits the space you have to stretch your legs, but instead of the usual 28 inches of legroom she got 34 inches.
Later on, she also reclined her seat, making her even more comfortable than on a typical budget flight and worth the extra fee.
Getting your meal first
The cost of a budget airline ticket doesn’t usually include meals so invariably you’ll have to pay if you find yourself in need of something to eat.
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Marielle says that the good thing about sitting right at the front is that if you do order food you get served first.
As well, it helps being in the front row near to the galley as this makes it much easier to attract a flight attendant’s attention if you need anything like an extra napkin or even more food or a drink.
Other perks
Marielle said there are two other great perks you get when sitting in the front row.
You get called to board first and get first dibs on the storage compartment.
She said that she usually travelled with multiple carry-ons and found it convenient to have an empty compartment to stow her gear.
Not only that, by sitting at the front it meant she was able to get off the plane first, which was especially useful in avoiding the long lines at immigration and baggage claim.
Another benefit she said was that you had easy access to the toilet, if needed.
Access to two windows
Marielle said that while there are two window seats in the front row, 1F was the better option.
It was hidden behind a plastic wall facing the galley, while the other seat on the opposite side faced a clear glass giving a view of the toilet.
She says there was two windows next to her seat, giving her great views of the sunset over the airport and the runway lighting up at night.
There is a downside
Marielle did warn though that there is a downside to sitting right up front – not having direct access to her things as nearly everything has to be stored in the compartment above.
She said that now she wraps any precious items in protective material when she’s stowing her bags to prevent damage.
She also advised travelling with a small bag that she wears close to her body where she keeps her essential items like passport, phone and wallet.
Usually, she said, the cabin crew allow her to still wear this during take-offs and landings although sometimes they ask her to store it under her seat, which still give her easy access to it.
Overall though she thinks seat 1F is the best one to go for when flying with a low-cost airline, saying it “makes me feel like I’m flying a more premium airline.”.
