Booking a flight may form an essential part of your holiday planning, but there’s one aspect of this that can often get overlooked. Where you sit on the plane may seem somewhat unimportant in the grand scheme of things, but if you’re flying for any lengthy period, you may end up regretting your choice of seat.

Frequent flyers will tell you that picking the wrong seat can quietly ruin your journey. Whether it’s missing out on food, struggling to get comfortable, or dealing with constant disruption, your seat can shape your entire experience in the air. With this in mind, Andrea Platania, travel expert at airport transfer platform Transfeero, has revealed that there are a handful of seats that passengers repeatedly regret choosing, and they’re not always the ones you’d expect.

11A and 11F

The first pair of seats, Andrea warns against picking, are 11A and 11F. He explains: “Seats like 11A and 11F are often overlooked when people are booking, but they’re right in that middle section of the aircraft where you lose a lot of the small conveniences.

“They don’t seem bad on paper, but in practice, they’re some of the least rewarding seats to be in.”

With cabin crew typically starting service from the ends of the plane, those in these seats may find that popular snacks, meals, or even drinks have already run out by the time the trolley reaches them.

Alongside this, you’re also quite far from the toilet, and it can be awkward both getting in and out of the seats.

30E and 30F

“Seats like 30E and 30F are usually located very close to the toilets, and that brings a lot of disruption,” he says. “It’s not just about proximity, it’s about the constant movement around you.”

Andrea added: “You’ll often have passengers queuing in the aisle, standing near your seat, and moving back and forth. It can feel like you’re sitting in a corridor rather than in your own space.”

30A and 30F

The biggest issue with these seats is comfort, particularly when it comes to stretching and reclining. “On many aircraft, seats towards the back, such as 30A and 30F, can have limited or no recline,” Andrea explains.

“That’s something people often only realise once they try to lean back and it doesn’t move. If you’re on a flight where you’re hoping to rest or even just sit comfortably, not being able to recline makes a big difference. You end up feeling much more tired by the time you land.”

It’s also likely that those in these seats will be among the last to disembark the aircraft, which can cause problems if you then need to rush to make a flight connection.