SeatGuru takes surprises out of flying

Fri., Sept. 17, 2004

Kim Harwell DallasNews.com

What it is: This Web site just might be a traveler’s best friend. SeatGuru.com, which bills itself as “your enlightened guide to airplane seating,” features comprehensive layouts of dozens of cabins on 21 airlines with a color-coded key spotlighting good and bad seating choices.

What it’s all about: If you’ve ever boarded a packed cross-country flight only to discover that you managed to book a window seat with no window or a chair that doesn’t recline, you’ll appreciate the service that SeatGuru offers. Next time, before you choose your seat, log on to SeatGuru and find the seating chart that corresponds with the airline and aircraft you’ll be flying.

Each chart lists the audio, video and power port options on the plane, as well as seat dimensions and available amenities (lumbar support, leg rests, etc.). Better yet, the chart is interactive: Mouse over the individual seats and you will learn such helpful information as “Seats 21 H & J have extra legroom due to the exit and a full recline. You also have a decent view of the movie screen.” Or even: “The seat cushions at this exit row are reported to be less padded than normal.”

Why we like it: If, like me, you travel by plane only a few times a year and spend many of those flights uncomfortably squished into coach, you might have the erroneous belief that every seat in the first-class cabin is, well, first-class. Not so, as I recently discovered on a 71/2-hour red-eye flight.

Shortly after take-off, as our first-class brethren eased their seats down into a nearly supine position, the husband and I realized that our seats didn’t recline fully. The best we could do was an inelegant backward lean: not so bad for reading or watching the movie; not so good for trying to get some serious shut-eye.

My flight arrived safely and on time, which is, of course, all that really matters. But next time, you can rest assured that I will have done my pre-booking homework to make sure that my chosen seating passes the SeatGuru test with flying colors.

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