As thousands of Brits jet off abroad during the summer holidays, a travel expert has revealed the best row families should book on the plane - and it's not where you might think.
We all have our personal preferences for where we sit on the plane; some like it by the window and others in the aisle. But what about when it comes to travelling as a family? It can be tricky to determine where's best to sit on a plane when you're jetting off abroad with young children or as part of a larger group. Many parents like to be as close to the front as possible, while others prefer to be tucked away at the back and near the toilets. But it turns out, some parts of the cabin are better than others.
Middle of the cabin recommended
In a bid to help families this summer, travel expert Ricky Durrance of Teletext Holidays has revealed the best spot to book on the plane. "For positioning, the middle of the cabin usually makes most sense," he exclusively said.
"The middle of the cabin offers a good balance between stability and easy access to the toilets. And while the bulkhead is always appealing on long-haul flights, on short-haul, there's no bassinet, so row one is usually sold as a premium extra-legroom seat."
Seat selection advice
He added: "If you're booking a package holiday, seat selection is usually available as an optional extra during booking. So, check with your travel agent for advice."
Ricky also warned families that on some airlines, they might not be seated together, unless they select the seats themselves. "Most parents assume that their kids will automatically be seated with them, but this isn’t always the case," he explained. "There isn't a UK law guaranteeing that children will always sit directly next to their parents. However, UK aviation guidance recommends children under 12 should be seated in the same row segment as, or very close to, the accompanying adult whenever possible."
Ryanair policy change
However, earlier this year, Ryanair made a significant change, updating its policy to allow adult passengers flying with kids to receive a free seat allocation, rather than having to select one and pay. These seats will be randomly allocated after they check in for the flight, making it easier for parents travelling with kids.
In a statement released by Ryanair in June, it read: "This minor policy tweak will align Ryanair’s family seating policy with that of most other EU airlines, which responds to the desire of Europe’s regulators to stifle innovation and progress. The tweak will be revenue-neutral for Ryanair while families will continue saving billions of euros every year by choosing to travel on Europe’s lowest fare airline."
