How to Avoid the Middle Seat

And, How to Cope if You Get Stuck with One

It's happened to everyone -- even the most savvy business traveler and frequent flier.. A last-minute trip, no seat assignment on the airplane and the only seat left on a packed flight? You guessed it-- the dreaded middle seat. Even worse is the dreaded middle seat in the very last row. You know, the one by the bathroom that doesn't recline. You spend the entire flight sitting upright and cramped, with a line of people cluttering the aisle waiting to use the bathroom. It can make your trip miserable.

Here are some strategies to help you avoid the worst seat in the house.

• How to Avoid the Middle Seat

- Check the airline seating chart before making a reservation.

- Book as early as possible - within three weeks of the flight . The early bird catches the worm and the early booker can snag the best seat. If you book months ahead, however, you will be too early for an assignment and have to take your chances with "gate check-in".

- No seat assignment available when you make your reservations? Try calling just after midnight. That's when expired reservations clear and seats open up.

- If you use a travel agent, make sure they have a record of your seating preferences - aisle or window. Be sure to stress you want to sit as close to the front as possible for a quicker departure.

- Be sure to take advantage of your elite status in your frequent flier program. If the flight is not full, most airlines will keep the seat next to you empty if you are a top-tier member. It is one of the best perks around.

- When making a reservation, confirm your seat assignment over the phone. While travel agents may have the preference on file, they might not always follow through.

- When you receive your ticket and boarding pass or e-ticket confirmation make sure there's a seat assignment. Mistakes happen. If you have time -- cross reference with the airline seating chart. Remember, if someone else makes the mistake, you will pay for it with an uncomfortable flight.

- If you are unable to confirm a seat be sure to get to the airport early -- at least 45-60 minutes for domestic U.S. flights! Bulkhead and exit rows seats are kept on hold and you may be able to benefit from the extra legroom.

Remember though, bulkhead seats often come with babies as your next-door neighbor and there's less storage because there is no seat in front of you. Another factor to consider about exit rows is that some exit rows on certain planes do not recline.

- If you do have an assignment for your preferred seat -- don't check-in too late. One frequent flier we know sacrificed an aisle seat in front for a back row middle seat just because she dawdled and checked-in just 10 minutes before departure. Those few minutes reading magazines in the newstand translated into hours of discomfort in the air. It was a painful lesson.

- Finally, the gate check-in attendant can be your best friend. Ask politely if there is a better seat available, volunteer to wait patiently and look slightly pathetic. Remind them gently of your elite frequent flier status. Mentioning that you are claustrophic might not hurt, but don't feign an illness or say you're pregnant if you're not. You'll feel guilty the entire flight.

• How to Cope if You're Stuck in the Middle

In spite of your best efforts you might end up with the middle seat, here are some tips to cope.

- If you are late boarding and have your choice of middle seats go for the one up front. Check out the aisle and window passengers. Do they look like they will be self-contained and give you plenty of room? Observe their body language and trust your instincts.

- Don't fight it. Accept that your destiny for the next few hours is to be the sardine in a sardine sandwich.

- Take a deep breath and make your space as comfortable as possible. This is a good time to practice meditation and stress management skills.

- Capture as much personal space a you can right away. Dominate the two armrests. This will force your seat-mates to give you a wider berth. Be polite, but stake out your territory. After all, they have "personal space" on either side.

- With the consent of your neighbors, you might want to raise the armrests to give everyone more hip room.

- Try to store as much of your personal gear in the overhead bin. You want as much legroom as possible under the seat in front of you. However, be sure to store heavy items, such a laptops, under the seat in front of you. Consider forgoing working on the laptop during the flight. A cramped space becomes even more claustrophobic when you bring out the hardware. And, whatever you do, don't try to read a newspaper. Stick to small paperbacks. Although it is important to keep hydrated in the air -- don't guzzle water by the gallon.. Crawling over seat-mates repeatedly to get to the bathroom can be annoying.

- Get up once during the flight to stretch. Even if you don't have to use the restroom. This time away will allow your companions to move around as well and refresh the whole row.

Just remember -- upon your return recapture those armrests again!