airplane

A flight attendant with over five years of experience has shared the ideal seats to book on long-haul flights for maximum comfort – and which rows you should avoid at all costs.

Few experiences test human endurance quite like a marathon economy flight.

Squeezing into those minuscule seats with barely any legroom whilst the journey drags into double-digit hours can push anyone to their limits, yet several strategies can help make the ordeal more bearable.

When embarking on a distant adventure, ensuring your experience is as comfortable as can be is paramount, and industry insiders have shared exactly how to achieve this.

Travel medical insurance specialists at AllClear have collaborated with a seasoned Virgin Atlantic flight attendant to unveil optimal seating choices, areas to steer clear of, and crucially, techniques for snatching some shut-eye during those marathon journeys.

The crew member, boasting over half a decade of flying experience, revealed that nervous flyers should prioritise booking seats positioned above the aircraft’s wings.

They explained: “Seats over the wings usually offer the smoothest ride during turbulence, and the further forward you sit on the aircraft, the less you’ll feel the impact of it.

“Likewise, sitting over the wing is often one of the smoother spots on the plane. Being closest to the aircraft’s centre of gravity, you tend to feel less movement and vibration compared with seats further back.”

Regarding securing some rest during extended flights, striking the right balance proves particularly challenging.

Finding a peaceful spot for slumber becomes essential, though this can prove elusive, the aviation professional warned.

They explained to the Express.: “You can never truly predict the quietest spot on a plane, as it depends on the passengers around you. But the aft [rear] of the plane can be a bit noisy because toilet flushes are quite loud.

“The seats at the back on all our aircraft recline, so that’s not a problem, but sometimes light catches through the galley curtains on a night flight, and it can be noisy as the crew are working. So, I also wouldn’t choose back row seats.”

For the ultimate in-flight experience, the cabin crew member suggested one particular area to aim for when selecting your seat: “The ideal seat would be around five rows from the back, or five rows from the front.

“Crew work front to back simultaneously, or two carts from the front of economy to the back. So, five seats from the front is best as you’ll get your first meal choice.

“It’s also closer to the front for turbulence, as if you’re five from the back you’ll feel it more, and being closer at the front means you’ll get off quicker.”

Ever wondered what happens if you accidentally forget to put your phone on airplane mode during a flight? One pilot shared the consequences of skipping this safety precaution

There are many safety precautions that come with travelling on a flight. Not only do you spend ages passing through security, then finding your all-important gate information, there’s quite a procedure on-board the flight too.

You’re sat down waiting for your plane to leave the gate, but first, you must have your armrests down, windows up and phones on airplane mode. Now have you ever wondered why you should always put your device on airplane mode? One pilot explained what actually happens if you forget the safety precaution in a YouTube post shared by WKYC Channel 3.

The cabin crew member claimed it’s simply “not a conspiracy” and that it’s hardly the “end of the world” if you were to forget.

He said in the video which scooped more than 26,000 views: “This is just a friendly PSA the airplane mode button on your phone is not a conspiracy.

“So if you forget to put your phone on airplane mode, no it’s not the end of the world, the plane will not fall out of the sky and it won’t even mess with the systems on board.

“However, it does have the potential to mess with the headsets, if you have an aircraft with 70, 80 or 150 people on board and even three or four people’s phones start to try to make a connection to a radio tower for an incoming phone call, it sends out radio waves, there’s the potential those radio waves can interfere with the headsets the pilots are using.”

The pilot also explained a situation in San Francisco where he experienced an “annoying buzz” with his headset when one traveller forgot their phone during take-off.

Describing it as a “mosquito”, he said: “And as soon as we started to get the directions, we got this really annoying buzz with the headset.

“Not the end of the world but definitely annoying when you’re trying to copy down instructions and it sounds like there’s a wasp or something lying around you. So if you’re ever curious why you get put on airplane mode, that’s why.”

Why should you put phone on airplane mode?

Interferes with aircraft: Your phone sends out radio waves and when there’s a large number of devices involved, it could disrupt sensitive cockpit communications and navigate equipment. This could create a buzzing sound or other noise in a pilot’s headset.

Air traffic control: Having your phone on airplane mode could interfere during take-off and landing when pilots rely on clear communication.

Battery life: Without airplane mode, your phone constantly searches for cell towers which can drain your battery.