A family travel blogger has revealed the secret to taking an entire row with her on a flight, but solo travellers are against it.
Jess Darrington, the Idaho-based creator of Where’s Briggs?, which specializes in travel tips for parents with kids under 4, shared a viral seating hack on TikTok that has been viewed more than 8.1 million times.
Before you share airline seating tip, Darington said at the beginning of the video that it works “sometimes.”
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You can choose an aisle seat and a window seat in a row, leave the middle seat empty, and hope no one books the middle seat, Darrington said.
Jess Darrington, a family travel blogger from Idaho, has gone viral for sharing a tidbit about airplane seating that makes some solo travelers nervous. (Jess Darrington/@where.is.briggs)
In the viral video, posted under Darington’s handle @where.is.briggs, her family booked four seats divided across two rows, and no one booked the middle seat, which meant the entire two rows of the 11-hour flight from Amsterdam to Salt Lake City were for them.
Darrington said he has tried this method several times over the years and has seen varying results.
“The first time we tried it was when I only had one child and he was an infant at the time. So, me, my husband and the baby, we were all flying to Europe. And when I was booking the ticket, the flight was empty, like there was nobody on board,” Darrington said.
Darrington said a traveler might buy an aisle and a window seat on an airplane to leave the middle seat open, hoping no one books it, leaving an entire row empty for two passengers. (Jess Darrington/@where.is.briggs)
“So, I thought, ‘I wonder if I can find a way to protect myself and baby sitting on lap “I will sit at the window and my husband will sit at the aisle seat… if the middle seat is left open.”
Darrington and her husband kept checking the airline map to see if the seats were filling up. Then they discovered that 50 seats were still empty, and when they boarded the plane, they were able to enjoy the entire row.
“I took a bit of a risk. But when we got on the plane, the middle seat was empty and it was great because we had some space,” he said.
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Darrington said this hack is helpful when it works, but it doesn’t always go as planned.
“If you’re willing to gamble a little bit, and if you check your chances to see how many seats are still vacant on a flight up until the day of the flight, you might get lucky, as we have been several times.”
“Families should understand that this is not a guarantee. If you want a certain seat on a flight for your child, you will have to purchase it,” he said.
Darrington said that if someone books a middle seat, you have to accept that you weren’t lucky this time, and be a respectful passenger.
“I think so too, like, like a traveling family, You can’t get angry or upset if the middle seat is full because it can happen. But if you’re willing to take a little risk and if you check your chances to see how many seats are still empty until the day of the flight, you might get lucky as we have been many times.”
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A viral video of an Idaho mother’s airplane seating hack on TikTok has sparked debate online. Some families and solo travelers disagree with the trick, arguing it’s “a gamble.” (Jess Darrington)
Darrington said she knows most people would say they don’t like sitting in the middle seat on a plane, and that’s far from it. an international flight Stuck between two strangers.
He suggested that the best thing to do would be to give up one of your two seats to the middle passenger, so they could get an “upgrade” and you could sit next to your travel companion.
She said, “I haven’t met anybody yet who is disappointed that they don’t have a middle seat anymore. You know what I mean?”
“Being considerate on travel days is so important.”
It appears that Darrington’s airplane seating hack isn’t appreciated by everyone, especially solo travelers who find themselves stuck in the middle seat.
“Honestly I can’t stand it when people do this and then expect me to change my seat,” one TikTok user commented on Darington’s video.
Another person wrote, “That’s an idea. Just take seats next to each other.”
One woman commented, “I was on standby and was made to sit in the middle seat and the family got angry at me??? I happily moved my seats so they could sit next to each other, but why are they getting angry at me?”
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Travel creator Meredith Pierce, @meredithonthemap, shared a Videos on TikTok in which he expressed his disappointment in couples who tried this trick.
“As a solo traveler, it’s very common to be in a situation where you’re seated between couples and families on a long-haul flight,” said Pierce, a Georgia resident. “Couples will even book aisle and window seats in the hope that no one gets a middle seat. And when a solo traveler ends up sitting in the middle seat, they’re surprised.”
,In my opinion, the couple has two options. One, offer to switch seats with the single traveler so they can sit together, or both of them should stay in their assigned seats.”
Darrington and his family of four had the chance to fly in a two-row airplane. (Jess Darrington/@where.is.briggs)
Pierce said during the flight she was stuck between a couple who kept talking to each other and passing food to each other, making it a “miserable” experience.
“If you choose to bet on this ‘hack’, you must be aware of the possibility that someone may come in between you, and be prepared to change or give that person the space and peace they deserve. It is very important to be considerate on travel days.”
Selecting your airplane seat hoping for the “perfect set-up” is akin to “tossing a coin into a fountain and hoping the wish comes true,” said California-based etiquette expert Rosalinda Randall.
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“When I fly, I try my best to consider my needs within my small space,” Randall told Fox News Digital. “What can I do to feel somewhat comfortable without disturbing others?”
Some solo travelers find this frustrating, as not all couples are willing to give up their seats to be closer to their travel companion. (iStock)
Randall said if someone is sitting in the middle seat, there are some “common courtesies” that fellow passengers should follow — like not talking to the person in the middle seat or disturbing them from their sleep so you can talk.
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“Passenger outbursts on airplanes are becoming more common,” Randall said. “Some of these incidents are caused by minor inconveniences.”
This viral airline seat hack for families and couples has sparked debate online among solo travellers who literally don’t like being stuck in the middle. (Jess Darrington/@where.is.briggs)
Randall and Darrington shared some tips that may be helpful.
Both recommended trying this hack if you’re booking a seat at the back of the plane, as these seats aren’t ideal for solo travelers who don’t want to wait long to deboard.
He also suggested trying this hack when traveling on less busy days.
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“Choose a route that isn’t as popular for the season you plan to go in,” Darrington said.
