There are plenty of travel tips out there, from a clever free trick to make long-haul flights comfier, to always trying to book the fifth row in economy.
Now one canny aviator has come forward with a travel hack that they swear lets you book Wizz Air seats with extra leg room, without having to shell out any more for the pleasure. The tipster added that it may also work on other budget airlines with similar booking systems.
They say they've been using the trick for over half a decade, and that they have "never sat in a normal seat" as a result.
"During online check-in it offers you to select seat for money (or you will be assigned for free), this time you can check how many non occupied seats left and where," they wrote on Reddit.
"If you see there is only place at extra legroom then complete online check-in otherwise wait and check back hour later.
"In 99% of the cases three to four hours before the actual flight there are only two to three seats left on the plane and all of them are the extra legroom ones, because the system always tries to assign worst seats, but if the worst is the extra legroom, what system can do? It gives to you them for free!
"I used this trick in last six to seven years and I have never sat in a normal seat."
In the comments many people praised the move, saying it helped them to secure a more comfortable flight and that they were surprised by how well it worked.
One suggested combining the trick with boarding the plane last in case the roomier seat you're given is placed next to the toilet.
"Regardless of what seat you're assigned, wait until the very last minute to board, then you can walk down the aisle and if you spot a better seat take it with confidence. 95% of the time you'll get away with it," they wrote.
A flight attendant advised against this trick, warning that it can backfire on services that aren't completely full as certain seats need to be filled.
"Small note on that as a flight attendant. Some times that trick doesn't work or it can backfire depending on the flight," they added.
"On not completely full flights, we have a certain amount of people who have to be seated at the front and the back section of the plane, so if we count less or more, we might have to ask to see your ticket and send you to your appropriate seat for weight and balance purposes.
"On completely full flights, especially in the case of holiday spots and such where a lot of people have carry on luggage, you might not have a lot of room left in the overhead stowage compartments where you choose to be seated, so your luggage may be placed somewhere which has space, which can be rather forward or back from where you are seated."
Have you successfully used this trick? Let us know in the comments below.
