Passengers flying in economy no longer need to suffer in silence and endure an uncomfortable lack of legroom.
While economy is the answer for those after cheap flights, often if you want extra legroom you'll need to pay for the privilege, with extra fees for selecting seats (especially the comfiest ones).
Luckily, you won't need to fork out on a First Class ticket for a bit of extra comfort, as there are some easy tricks to bagging the best seats at no extra cost.
In fact, recently a canny traveller explained a system he had worked out for bagging himself a free seat change when flying with Ryanair.
The method won't work on full flights however, leaving customers with the option of forking out often considerable sums of money to get a bit of extra legroom.
Thankfully for those looking to stretch their lower bodies out rather than their wallets, there are other ways get more legroom.
Travel Lens has compiled a list of ways to bag the perfect seat for your flight.
Plan ahead
If you’re travelling with a partner or friend, then you have a good chance of having a row to yourself for free, if one of you books the window seat and the other books the aisle seat.
Using this method means it is unlikely another passenger will choose the seat between you, meaning plenty of extra room to spread out your belongings.
It's important to note that the method won't work on very busy flights or economy carriers like Ryanair, as all the seats will be filled regardless.
If you do this, it’s highly unlikely another passenger will book the seat in between you, so this is a good tip to keep in mind.
Use frequent-flyer schemes
If you travel regularly and often use the same airline, it’s worth asking whether they have any schemes which reward returning customers.
Many airlines do this and once you book your ticket and input your unique passenger code, you’ll have access to member perks such as additional legroom at no extra cost.
The rewards for being loyal are often significant, as one lucky Singapore Airlines customer recently discovered.
Get seat notifications
It's always worth being on the ball ahead of your flight to see if there is any scope for an upgrade.
There are apps and websites available, such as ExpertFlyer, which send you notifications when a better seat becomes available on a flight.
If it is time to check in and a roomier seat is available, there’s no harm in asking staff members on the desk if you could move to this seat, as they may agree to it.
Choose a front-row seat
Most airlines will charge extra for seats on the front row, but this isn’t always the case for larger planes which have separating walls between classes.
Most people don’t want to pay for extra legroom, only to be sat facing a blank wall for the duration of the flight, so these can be scooped up for a bargain.
With this in mind, carry out some research and see if seats in these rows have more space and for no extra cost.
Avoid checking in early
If you’re flying alone or with someone but are fine sitting on your own, then it’s worth taking a risk and checking in once the majority of other passengers have,
There may be seats with extra room available which the airline is then happy to allocate to the remaining passengers for free.
It can also make for a more relaxed airport experience, as you won't be stuck in a long queue to get on the plane at the boarding gate.
