A family travel blogger has revealed the secret to sitting an entire row on a plane, but solo passengers seem to disagree.
Jess Darrington, an Idaho-based creator behind “Where is Briggs?”, which specializes in travel tips for parents with children under the age of 4, shared her now-viral seat-selection tip on TikTok, where it has been viewed more than 8.1 million times.
Before sharing his airplane seating tips, Darrington said at the start of the video that this “sometimes” works.
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Darrington said he could choose a row of aisle and window seats and leave the middle seat open, hoping that no one books the middle seat.
Jess Darrington, a family travel blogger from Idaho, has been going viral after sharing some airplane seating hacks that she says frustrate solo travelers. (Jess Darrington/@where.is.briggs)
In the video, posted under Darrington's handle @where.is.briggs, her family ended up booking four seats across two rows, with no one booking the middle seats, meaning they had both rows to themselves on the 11-hour flight from Amsterdam to Salt Lake City.
Darrington said he's tried the hack several times over the years with mixed results.
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“The first time I tried this, I had only had one child and he was a lap toddler. My husband and I were on a plane to Europe with our lap toddler. The flight was empty when we booked the tickets. [was] “There's no one there,” Darrington said.
Darrington said flyers can purchase an aisle seat and a window seat and leave the middle seat open, but hopefully no one will book that seat, which would result in an entire row being filled between two passengers. (Jess Darrington/@where.is.briggs)
“So I thought, 'If I put myself and my lap toddler in a window seat and my husband in an aisle seat, will the middle seat be free?'”
Darrington and her husband repeatedly checked the airline map to see if seats were filling up, only to find that there were still 50 seats available, giving them an entire row to enjoy by the time they boarded the plane.
“It was a bit of a gamble, but when I got on the plane there was a middle seat available so I had a bit of space which was really nice,” she said.
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Darrington said the hack is useful if it works, but it doesn't always go according to plan.
“If you're willing to take a few chances, and keep checking the odds to see how many seats are available on the flight leading up to the day, you might get lucky, as we've seen a few times.”
“Families need to understand that this is not a guarantee. If they want to be sure their baby has a seat on the plane, they have to buy one,” she said.
Darrington acknowledged that if someone has booked a middle seat, they are out of luck this time and said they need to be respectful of their fellow passengers.
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“I also think that as a traveling family, you shouldn't get upset or annoyed if the middle seat is taken, because it can happen. But if you're willing to take a few chances, and keep checking the odds on how many seats are available on the flight up until the day of, you might just get lucky, as we've experienced a few times.”
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An Idaho mom has sparked debate online after sharing a hack on TikTok to help her choose her airplane seat, with some families and solo travelers arguing that the hack is “gambling.” (Jess Darrington)
Darrington said he knows most people don't like sitting in the middle seat on a plane, much less being squeezed between two strangers on an international flight.
The best thing she suggests is to give up one of your two seats to the middle passenger so that they can get an “upgrade” so you can sit next to your travel companion.
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“I've yet to meet anyone who's unhappy about the loss of the middle seat, you know what I mean?” she said.
“It's so important to be considerate on your travel days.”
Not everyone appreciates Darrington's tips for choosing your airplane seat, especially solo travelers who are forced to sit in the middle seat.
“I honestly can't stand that someone would do this and ask me to move or switch seats,” one TikTok user commented on Darrington's video.
“Here's a great idea – sit next to each other,” wrote another.
“I was on standby and sat in the middle seat and my family was mad at me??? I was happy to move seats so we could sit next to each other so why are they mad at me?” one woman commented.
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Travel creator Meredith Pierce (@meredithonthemap) shared a video on TikTok, expressing her frustration with couples attempting this trick.
“When you travel alone, you often find yourself in sedentary situations. [among] “On long flights, we see couples and families, who sometimes book an aisle or window seat in the hopes that no one will sit in the middle seat, which confuses couples when a solo traveler ends up in the middle seat,” Pierce, who lives in Georgia, said.
“In my opinion, couples have two options: either offer to swap seats with the solo traveller so you can sit together, or stick to your assigned seats.”
Darrington and his family of four were able to fly with two entire rows of seats to themselves. (Jess Darrington/@where.is.briggs)
Pierce said she found the experience “harrowing” as she was sandwiched between a couple who were constantly chatting and passing around sweets on the flight.
“If you do take advantage of this 'hack', be aware that someone may be sitting between you and be prepared to offer to switch or give that person the space and quiet they deserve. Being considerate on your travel day is so important.”
Rosalinda Randall, a California-based etiquette expert, said choosing your airplane seat in hopes of getting the “perfect placement” is akin to “tossing a coin in a fountain and hoping your wish comes true.”
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“When I'm on a plane, I try to best accommodate my needs within the confines of the small space I have,” Randall told Fox News Digital. “What can I do to make myself as comfortable as possible without bothering other people?”
Some solo passengers find this trick frustrating, as not all couples are willing to give up their seats to be closer to their travel companions. (iStock)
Randall said that if the middle seat is taken, there are “common courtesy” that other passengers should observe, such as not interrupting the middle seat occupant with a conversation or disturbing their sleep in order to talk.
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“Flyer anger is becoming more and more common, with some of these incidents occurring over minor inconveniences,” Randall added.
This airplane seat hack, aimed at families and couples, is sparking online debate among solo travelers who hate sitting in the literal middle seat. (Jess Darrington/@where.is.briggs)
Randall and Darrington shared some tips that might help.
They suggested trying this trick if you're planning on booking a seat near the back of the plane, which isn't ideal for solo travelers who don't want to wait long to get off the plane.
They also suggested trying this hack while traveling on a less busy day.
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“Choose a route that's less popular during the season you plan to visit,” Darrington says.
