Advice for Travellers - Seat Assignments

There are many articles being published recently about air travel. Here are my suggestions on how to make your trip as comfortable as possible.

First be prepared for the worst. Remember to bring a snack or some food with you before you get to the airport. Airport food, if you can find it, is always more expensive than what is on offer in a regular store.

The next important thing is not to get an aisle seat -- every single one who passes through the aisle will bump you or hit you with their luggage.  You are also vulnerable to injury from items falling out of the overhead bins. The middle seat can be acceptable if your fellow passengers are athletically inclined, but Americans tend to overflow their seats. The middle passenger gets squished from both sides. On a long flight, it is especially hellish as your fellow passengers begin to fall asleep and use you as a pillow.

I prefer the window seat. I always try to get an extra pillow or two to use to prop myself against the cabin wall.  It is also nice to have a folded blanket behind you to give you extra back support. 

Always make sure you have a sleep mask on a long trip.  A mask blocks out the light, gives you a feeling of privacy, and helps you to sleep.  It also serves as a sign to other passengers that you do not wish to be disturbed. 
One last thing, make sure you bring special headphones on your trip in case there are screaming children on the flight. I had tried ear plugs, but they do not work.  Your only salvation is to find some music to listen to that will distract your attention from a screaming babby.  On one trip, a three year-old screamed like he was being disemboweled for what seemed like the whole trip.  Parents who do not have their children well medicated on plane trips should not be allowed to fly!
Joseph