How badly to you hate the middle seat? New survey says you’d rather visit the dentist

Annoyed Middle Seat Woman

More than half of of Americans would rather go to the dentist than sit in the middle seat, according to a new survey by 3M Privacy Filters. Some 54 percent would prefer a visit to the doctor’s office than getting stuck in one of the uncomfortable seats. An even higher number (56 percent) would rather be stuck in traffic or go on a blind date.

Does anyone like middle seats? Oddly, yes. About one percent of those surveyed said they preferred a middle seat. A vast majority — 80 percent of respondents — said they “go out of their way” to get booked in a window or aisle seat.

Among the other findings:

· One in five Americans (20 percent) say they would actually stay overnight at an airport hotel for an aisle seat on the first flight the next morning.

· Nine percent of Americans report that they would refuse to sit in the middle seat on a full flight if it was more than one to two hours.

So what, exactly, do people find annoying about the middle seat?

· Having a nosy seatmate peering over your shoulder (84 percent).

· Crawling over someone to get to the bathroom (83 percent).

· Not being able to stretch out (83 percent).

· Having an overweight seatmate on either side of you (80 percent).

· Not having a place to rest your head (71 percent).

· Still, nearly nine in 10 Americans are concerned with being a “good” middle seat occupant.

The survey also put the contentious subject of middle seat etiquette in its crosshairs.

· While 6 percent of people believe both armrests belong to the person sitting in the middle seat, the rest either had no idea of the proper etiquette (51 percent), believe one armrest belongs to the person in the middle (22 percent) or believe half of each armrest belongs to the person in the middle (21 percent).

· With in-flight Wi-Fi available on many flights, 65 percent of people are concerned about nosy neighbors snooping on personal or work emails and with good reason since 49 percent of people admit to glancing at strangers’ computer screens.

Until questions like armrest ownership are settled, and until airlines can figure out a way of making the seats a little wider without charging an arm and a leg for an upgrade, I think it’s safe to say the middle seat will continue to be reviled by the traveling public. It might be interesting to hear the other side of this argument — from the airline revenue managers who can talk about how much money they’d lose if they gave up middle seat configurations.

  • http://dangph.si.polymtl.ca Dan

    I just refuse to fly in middle seat, even in Business Class (Air France and Thai Airways has Business middle seat). Usually I check the availability of the aisle, less preferred Windows, seat before booking. I don’t remember flying middle seat once in my life. It’s a question of planning, I used to book my flights 3 months ahead. By the way, upper tier membership keep avoiding the middle without cost. I remember American block the next seat for Gold members until the last hour. I don’t know if the practice is still there because I fly more StarAlliance and Skyteam the last 5 years.

  • http://www.adaysouting.com Cathy Jolly

    Those people who would rather go to the dentist must have a much better dentist than mine!

  • http://www.brandlogic.com Emerson

    I agree with Dan. I’ll never book a flight without first checking seat availability. I gave up on JetBlue, when they made you purchase your ticket before seeing what seats were available.

  • Mort B

    Perhaps if middle seats were to be sold at a reduced price more people would be willing to be “inconvenienced” by sitting in them. I personally would not be tempted by such a deal, but I wonder if there are not some travelers who would be takers for such a deal.

  • Liz

    I’m willing to tolerate the middle seat if traveling with a companion. We usually raise the armrest, which solves that issue. Otherwise, I vastly prefer the window seat, particularly for long international flights.

    I like Mort’s idea, and perhaps it could be combined with the idea of taking out several rows of middle seats to create more room for passengers of size. Rather than play silly guessing games and “tack on that fee”, the airlines could just charge a set range for a category of seats on a particular route.

  • Lianne

    I’m in the minority, middle seats don’t bother me that much. I almost always sit in the middle when the hubby and I travel together.

    Though I do have to admit, I only choose the middle seat when flying solo if the rest of the plane is booked. Still, I have no horror stories.

  • Carrie Charney

    My husband would rather sit in the middle seat, believe it or not. He hates being bumped by passersby in the aisle seat. He has more opportunity to use the lav when either seat mate gets up to go.

  • http://www.coachclassblog.com Jeanne Leblanc

    I’ll take the dentist. The seat is more comfortable and it reclines all the way back!

  • William Rowell

    I stand 6’2″ and weigh 205 (down from 275 a year ago!) and you can’t PAY me to sit middle seat. I’m a window guy, so that I can put my head on the wall and sleep uninterrupted. It also prevents me from blocking in my row companions while I snooze!

    I’ll take the aisle is no windows are available, but assign me a MIDDLE and if begging the gate agent doesn’t work, I have gone so far as to overstay a lavatory stay (upset stomach ya know) and “accidentally” miss my flight!

  • MissMortimer

    Strangely, I think I’m a middle seater likerer!
    I hate flying so sitting next to and looking out the window freaks me out, and getting knocked about by people going past in the aisle is annoying.
    As with Carrie, I usually travel with my partner which helps with the getting snuggly with someone, sharing armrest situations.

  • Jeff

    I once had a middle seat with the Husband on the aisle and the wife at the window neither one wanted the middle seat, both proceeded to argue about their upcoming vacation the whole time. I plan ahead to get that aisle seat.

  • Liz Zollner

    If I am in the middle seat, unless my spouse is beside me, I take both armrests. I find that if I don’t I get none. If I am with my spouse, we share the armrest. Men are less likely to share, women more so. But as I said, according to me and etiquette experts, the person in the middle is entitled to both armrests because they are hugely uncomfortable to begin with.

  • Ed

    with today’s booked flights, I’ll take any seat I can get…heck I even took that last seat in the very back of the plane that doesn’t recline once! Personally, I like the window seat…I love flying and I love looking out the window while flying. Always have! But if I have to have a middle seat (last trip to Hong Kong I was in the middle seat in the middle row) I don’t really mind…we had to struggle to get that seat as it is! I’m more concerned with things like blankets and pillow availability, or getting the meal you want (sitting all the way in the back you sometimes don’t get the choice…
    Ed

  • kiki d

    if i’m traveling alone, and all that’s left is a middle seat, i’ll pick another flight. i am a touch claustrophobic, and the aisle seat is the only one that doesn’t make me jittery. fortunately, i usually travel with my husband and daughter. she likes the window seat, and my husband likes the middle seat because then he can hog part of my daughter’s seat and armrest so it works out for all of us.

  • Annapolis

    I don’t mind the middle seat at all. That’s probably because a person my size (5’2″, 115) fits just fine there in the middle. I’m also flexible and I often sit or sleep with my arms around my legs, head resting on knees, with my stocking feet flat on the front of the seat. That’s just as comfortable in the middle as anywhere else.

    The middle seat gets half of each armrest. It’s not that hard to share an armrest; you split it into a front half and a back half and the person with the back half puts folded elbows on and hands in lap while the person in the front puts forearms on with elbows extended.

    I’ll still take the window if I can get it, but I would happily pay less for my plane ticket and volunteer to sit in the middle. I think it would take about a $40 discount to make that worth it. What do you say, window and aisle takers, to paying $20 more?

  • Russ Dersch

    Middle seats are for very small individuals. The middle seat has got to be the most uncomfortable seat ever designed or manufactureed. My heart attack, and kidney operation were more painless then seating in a middle seat!

  • Tom

    People who complain about the middle seat must not have any friends. If you are traveling with a friend or spouse, one or the other of you must sit in the middle seat (the other has either the aisle or window). I also take the train into Manhattan and often get the middle seat due to the train filling at earlier stations. It’s never a problem sitting in the middle seat. Really, the people who are so worried about the middle seat need to get over the fear of catching cooties by touching another human being.

  • Scott

    I will never fly in the middle seat, even if the airline pays for my dental visit!

  • Carver

    @tom

    or any business travelers flying solo for business…or any person bigger than a hobbit.

  • S Bridge

    I won’t even go for the middle seat in Business Class. I always want unobstructed access to the aisle.