Money-saving expert Jordon Cox, known as The Coupon King, has shared a two-minute hack that helps Ryanair passengers avoid the dreaded middle seat without paying the airline's seat selection fees. The trick involves freezing unwanted seats using a dummy booking on the same flight.
How the Hack Works
According to Cox, passengers should first check the seating plan about five to six hours before departure to identify seats they want to avoid—typically middle seats or those near toilets. Then, open a second browser tab and start a new booking for the same flight, entering fictitious passenger names to match the number of unwanted seats. Assign those seats to the fake passengers and proceed to the payment page without completing the purchase. This holds the seats for a few minutes while they remain in the basket.
"These seats are then frozen for a few minutes while they're in someone else's basket," Cox explained in a video. He added in the caption: "Hopefully the only ones left are the aisle and the window." Finally, return to your original booking and select random seat allocation. "And boom, you've avoided the middle seat for free!" Cox said.
Context and Limitations
Ryanair is known for its low base fares, often under £20 to European destinations, but adds fees for extras like seat selection, which ranges from £4.50 to £36.50 depending on the seat and legroom. The airline updated its Family Seating Policy after a Competition and Markets Authority investigation, but passengers aged over 11 still must pay to sit together or avoid middle seats.
Commenters on Cox's post noted limitations: "Only works if the flight isn't full," one wrote. Another warned: "They'll cop on to this and we won't be able to do it." Other Ryanair passengers have shared hacks on social media to dodge baggage fees or secure extra legroom.
