I use it whenever I fly.

I usually go for Alaska also, and they allow you to select seats when you are checking your bags at the airport, so you have one last chance to try to find a seat that has an empty middle seat next to it.

@TedSez: This has been my experience too, I haven't actually seen them entirely empty, but asking to sit there (for free) usually gets you laughed at. That being said, after my flight back from Paris seated between two bathrooms (btw, 90% of people don't close the door after using an airplane bathroom) in a seat in which there was literally no way for anyone over 6' to be comfortable (unless they're a sadist who enjoys having their knees crushed), I'll be paying for "premium coach" from now on. They successfully made my trip so unenjoyable, I've become an upgrader.

@HogwartsAlum:

No, you have to find out when you fly, the list is super extra national security secret - in spite of the fact that there are a lot of, for example, dead people on it.

How can you find out if your name is on it? Do you just find out when you fly, or is there somewhere you can look it up?

3 minutes after the window for my flight to Vegas opened, and I was already in the B group, luckily they put me in the A group for my connecting flight.

@mxjohnson: I wonder if their changing your seats isn't their petty revenge. Does your booking need special "handling" because your name is on the watch list? I wouldn't put it past them to flag you just for making them "work extra" and make your trip as difficult as a petty, low-level clerk possibly can. Which, unfortunately, can be pretty miserable in all kinds of little ways that add up to making you much more exhausted by the end of the day than was really necessary. It would be especially mean-spirited if they're doing that when they see you're taveling with a child, especially when they find out it's just by happenstance that your name is the same as one of the persons on the list, but the case has nothing to do with you.

@StutiCebriones: I book on the airline's site after comparing on a couple of general sites to find the best flight. I'll look at seatguru if I remember, otherwise just select the best available seats on the chart when I book. It's true they're not "guaranteed" but I can't remember ever not getting them.

When we travel as a couple, if 3-across is all that's available, we choose an aisle + window. I'd say about 70% of the time, the middle seat stays empty - score! And if it does fill up, that passenger is always more than happy when he (or she) is unexpectedly offered a choice of either a window or aisle seat after they board, when they were already resigned to being miserably squeezed into a middle seat for the next few hours. We end up sitting next to each other in any case, and the third passenger in our row is a happy camper too.

I've never had to pay for the privilege of choosing seats in advance. I've seen the option for those airlines that hold back some "premium" seats in economy that they sell for a surcharge of $10 or $20 (extra legroom or whatever), but I've never seen a charge for booking a regular ol' economy seat.

My girlfriend and I had a very comfortable flight on the way up.

We also got lucky on the way back: our flight on the way up was to Cuba directly, but on the way back we had to drop some people off and pick some people up in the Dominican Republic. So we had to take different seats, and we couldn't choose. We happened to get 3 seats to ourselves, and because there was no one in the seat next to us she could stretch out over my lap and lie down!

If you can avoid it, don't sit over the wing... it's boring to look at.

We're flying from LAX to Sydney this week, via Delta. We booked the tickets months ago, but to save $40 we booked the two adult tickets online, and the child's fare on the phone. We picked three seats together, including a window seat. The Delta rep confirmed we were sitting together, and it's all spelled out in email.

But because we've had so many seat reassignments recently, we double-checked our seats a couple of weeks after booking the tickets. Good thing we did: my son's seat, the single one, had been moved to a completely different row. They also apparently lost the request for a kid's meal. No surprise, right? "Delta" means change.

Fortunately, we caught it in time, and were able to find another three adjacent seats. Unfortunately, we lost our precious window seat.

Talking to people on the phone might work. But some airlines charge more to book tickets over the phone. Delta charges $25 per passenger, and American charges $20, for example. If you book a United flight on Travelocity, simply calling United will trigger a $25 call center fee.

We've flown a lot, and all airlines have let us down one way or another. This recent spate of reassignments is yet another irritant, and I'd be surprised if it's just a coincidence. That's why I posted my response in the first place. I assumed it was an unintended consequence of fuller flights and pricing premiums for certain seats and rows.

I've never had much problem leaving my "assigned" seat to take a better one, after everyone is on the plane. If anyone complained, I'd just move back. No problems.

Sometimes, calling and speaking to a human can help, and these seat choices tend to "stick" a bit better than online seat preferences (I guess because they're usually assigned for medical reasons, etc). Mention your young son and your previous issues and hopefully you will get some help.

Some Canadian guy who was stuck on that list and frequently traveled into the USA for business actually changed his damn name so he could have some peace and get to where he was going - and changing his name worked! Maybe Osama changed his name to John Smith and that's why Bush's crew lost his trail...

@sleze69: Another good one is airlinequality.com It rates airlines' seats, service, planes, etc.

I would expect and forgive reassignments when the aircraft changes, but that hasn't been the case recently. It has been downright egregious. Three of the last eight flights we've had it happen. We have the email and printouts from when we book the tickets, showing how we really, truly, demonstrably did not select three middle seats in three different rows. (From Heathrow to LAX, no less.)

I never thought of the J-seat being iffy. I usually pick whichever side will get less sun.

It means that on the flight out, I can't check in online, or do self check-in. I have to give the airport kiosk a go, then let the the computer tell me to stand in the special Assistance line for travelers with unusual problems. Invariably, there's a couple people ahead of me, each of which takes 20 or 30 minutes (half of those people I feel sorry for, but half of them are just wasting everybody's time, arguing over baggage fees.)

Finally I get to the front of the line. They look at my drivers license, and compare my birth date to the data on their closely guarded screen. Then they apologize and check me in. And they laugh and ask if it happens every time I fly, and I say yes.

It really takes all of two minutes once I get to the counter, but sometimes I have to wait an hour just to get to the counter. Usually once I take care of it on the flight out of here, I'm cleared for the return flight.

Unfortunately, my middle initial isn't really X. I just use it for internet stuff because it's one of the few permutations of m + johnson that isn't already taken everywhere.

One thing that should be noted is that most airlines are charging fees for advance seat selection online. You got to pay to play in this market.

I speak more gooder in RL, trust me... :-)

@StutiCebriones:

...I don't understand that at all. I have flown a ridiculous amount on NWA over the past 13 years or so...have been Platinum Elite before, but at Silver at the moment. Never, ever, no matter what my status with the airline, have I ever seen them not honor a seat assignment that I did online. Or with any other airline on the occasion when I haven't flown NWA.

Yep, and recent experience (data point of 1 :-) ) indicates that it's smart to check in exactly 24 hrs ahead. My kid was flying from DC to Orlando, I checked her in on-line one minute after the window opened. She got boarding assignment A-29. Granted, some of those folks might have been "business select" pax that already had a higher priority boarding assignment.

From now on, I'm going to check in to all Southwest flights as soon as the window opens, unless someone else sees a reason not to that I'm missing.

I've earned silver status on continentals elite, and I'm among the first to get to select exit row seats.

ALSO with continental check in exactly 23 horus and 59 minutes before your flight, MOST seats will open up, and you'll be able to snag a previously reserved seat. I've done this with the great row 14 (exit row with leg room AND reclining seaT) and seen people walking past me with the "that was MY seat look"

Finally, loyalty pays, and continental has one of the best rewards program. I've got just under 100,000 miles in and seem to get a free first class upgrade about 60% of the time

Oh one last note, if you have achieved elite status (as on contiental, for example) fly into or out of non hub cities, as these are where you'll likely have people with way mmore miles than you getting an upgrade

For example: Houston to Newark (2 continental hubs) will likely mean no upgrade for a silver status on a discounted fare

but Austin to Newark or JFK and your chances are better. I once went Houston to Austin to Newark on and got an upgrade with no prob. Not much time added to the itinerary

and yes, check the seatguru or the plane type, so you can choose a plane with more first class seats also check the time of day.

finally, be lucky. ok no control over this one, but once I flew out of orlando to houston in a 767! the plane was changed last minute, resulting in an upgrade to first and getting to sit in the captain kirk center chair in first class (aisles on either side of you)

(Know what makes strangers really judgy? When the wife carries all the luggage.)

(On the theory that God doesn't kill nuns in plane crashes.)

When I get seated near the front of the plane, I usually end up sitting next to some poor 6-foot-tall guy who wedges his legs in my space (I'm 5 feet tall).

No matter how hard you try, there are issues that may not appear until you have boarded - such as screaming toddlers or extremely obese people who can't fit unless they raise the armest and invade your space.

If you are flying Southwest, print your boarding pass online (this can be done as early as 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure). This will almost insure you'll be in the first group to board. When you find an open row, grab the aisle seat and place a newspaper or magazine on the middle seat. It creates an illusion the middle seat may be occupied - if the flight isn't full, it's less likely someone will ask if the seat is taken and the fact you're blocking the middle and window seat makes it less tempting for someone to join you.

Plan "B" is to grab the window seat in a row where the aisle seat has been taken by someone using the above strategy. Again, use a newspaper or magazine to "occupy" the middle seat.

If you're on an airline with assigned seating and it's a non-stop flight, stash anything larger than a purse or briefcase in the overhead bin. Scan the plane for open seats. If you're jammed in and you see open seats, either ask the flight attendant if you can switch (right before the plane leaves the gate) or - once the seat belt light is off in flight, make a quick trip to the bathroom with your small bag and, when returning, help yourself to a better open seat.

Sigh, nowadays the jumbo jet is waiting in SFO and the ORD-SFO leg is all MD-80's. :(

If your itinerary is what it looks to be, you're likely to be okay; it's the first flight out in the morning, so they're not waiting for the plane to come in to Buffalo. Good luck!

Ask the check-in person for an exit row seat ahead of time. More often than not, assuming you are qualified for it (read: reasonably fit) they will give it and all that sweet, sweet leg room to you.

You can lose seat assignments if the aircraft type is changed, so I usually try to select seats that exist on the various types of aircraft used on the route flown for the airline I am using. I find this information from www.seatguru.com. An example of this is that if an airline uses A319 and A320 aircraft on a route, I would choose seats that exist on both types. (Row 25 & 26 exist on A320 but NOT A319 aircraft for United.)

Also, I favor seats on the ABC side versus the other side. If an aircraft is changed from a 767 to a 757, then I would probably retain my seat if it were 22A but would lose my seat if it were 22J since 22J doesn't exist on a United 757.

Probably that there's a "M[ichael] X[avier] Johnson" out there who has pledged his life to destroying the Great Satan, and the poster has the misforture of sharing a name with aforementioned nefarious person.

Wow, that has literally never happened to me (they changed my seat assignment without telling me) over hundreds of flights and hundreds of thousands of miles.

Well....this might be an issue. I am flying US Airways. I really hope I don't miss that one flight because I doubt they will be kind enough to give us an alternative flight.

I know the door is in the front, I just wasn't sure if they let people out from the front or not. Though I don't think its an issue on my flight from Buffalo to Phil. I'm in row 4 according to orbitz. I'm just not liking the short layover, it seem perfect before I booked it. I can't believe I forgot how sucky airplane travel is now.

Your name is on the watch list??? What does that mean?

Is this the cape air thing?

We can't be the only ones who experience this more and more frequently! It's especially annoying because we travel with our young son. We book the tickets, we get three seats in a row. We check in at the airport hours early (my name is on the Watch List so I can't check in online) and discover our seats assignments have changed. And then the airline counter folks say Gosh no, they can't reassign seats on a full flight! And we say, A) you already did, and B) you can't put our six year old in between two strangers. And then we wait for ten minutes while they figure out what to do. Occasionally they make us go to the gate and start over. Sometimes they get all three of us back together, but sometimes they best they can do is two seats together.

Anyhow, an aisle seat near the back? Ick. The back five rows you'll spend the flight with people standing at your elbow in the queue for the potty. Or just hanging around the galley, chatting with the crew.

Look for domestic flights configured for international travel, the ones out of major hubs that then connect to international destinations.

Roger on that -- especially for First Class. I booked a First Class ticket out of PHX to PHL on US a few weeks ago and it ended up being a 737-200 continuing on to Europe. That meant Envoy seats instead of the usual crap FC seats on their Airbus planes. 80" seat pitch instead of 38" ... was sweet!

The front. The door is in the front.

I hope you aren't flying US Air.

@Brian Rutzen: Seatguru.com

Then, I flip to the back of the plane and select the furthest back row that's not the last row but for which the other window/aisle seat has been claimed, but the middle hasn't. That eliminates parties of two being sat next to you, and guarantees only on a really, seriously, full flight, where someone has to take the dreaded middle seat all the way near the back of plane, will you end up with someone sitting next to you.

If you're a road warrior who times their departure from airports to the second, that won't work for you, because, of course, it also means you're stuck at the back of the plane, but I'd rather be comfortable for 3 hours and spend 10 extra minutes waiting to get off the plane than be uncomfortable (and making other people uncomfortable, since I'm a large person) for 3 hours just to get on the road a few minutes faster.

Book on the airlines website and pick the seat yourself...