A FLIGHT attendant has revealed why you should never swap seats after take-off and when the best time to shift place is.
She revealed the rule is in place for passenger safety as moving around can throw off the aircraft’s balance.
Flight attendant Hailey Way, who has worked for SkyWest Airlines and charter airline iAero Airways, explained that on small regional planes, moving seats is not allowed.
She added the only exception it’s a “passenger-to-passenger seat exchange”.
Hailey explained that on lighter aeroplanes balance is calculated using individual seats and so shuffling around is not a good idea.
She added: “If it’s deemed safe to rearrange passenger seating on an aircraft to accommodate weight and balance, then this is done prior to takeoff.”
While there is more leeway on larger aircrafts, it’s still preferable that passengers keep the seats that were assigned to them when they booked the flight.
The flight attendant also gave a top trick to give yourself the best chance of bagging a neighbour-free seat.
Her advice was to book one in a row of three where the middle seat is still free but either the window or the aisle is occupied.
She said this is because nobody wants to spend an entire flight squashed in between two strangers.
It comes as Brits heading off for their summer break could find they are hit with a load of costly hidden holiday extras.
Those hidden or unexpected charges could add as much as £1,600 to the overall cost of a trip abroad for a family of four, according to new research.
The hidden extras that could trip you up include things like luggage fees, reserved seats, car hire extras and passport renewals, according to Admiral Travel Insurance.
Some of the findings related to extras for flights which could set a family of four back as much as £278, on average.
How to make travelling with kids a breeze
IT can be stressful travelling with kids, but there are a few things you can do to make it easier. Here’s five we’d recommend:
Snacks
It might sound simple, but it’s a good idea to pack a LOT of snacks. Think of how much you might need, and double it. After all, it doesn’t matter if you have too much – your kids can eat it another time – but it will be a big issue if you run out. There are also snack boxes with lots of little dividers that are great for long journeys as kids can pick at those throughout.
Entertainment
This covers a whole range of things – from a tablet to watch films or play games if you’ve got older kids, to books and colouring. It’s advisable to pack a variety of options, especially if you’re on a long journey or have various legs on your haul.
Toys
If you’ve got a baby or a toddler, there are some sensory-type toys you can buy that can really help keep little ones entertained. These include ones that you stick on the windows of a plane, or on a tray on a highchair, that they can spin and play with to their hearts’ content.
Equipment
There are a whole host of things on the market that aim to make sleeping on a plane loads easier. These include a hammock that you can attack to your tray which hangs down to put your feet on. You can also get blow up cushions to turn a seat into a bed for littles, and neck cushions that boast you will be able to use for a decent night’s sleep wherever you are.
Yourselves!
Don’t underestimate how entertaining you are to your kids. Learn some games you can play with them, and songs you can sing, as kids always love the opportunity to have one-on-one time with their parents.
