We all tend to stick to our tried and tested flight habits. Including what you wear, whether or not you have a glass of wine and where you choose to sit. Well, apparently, your choice of seat on an aircraft can reveal a lot about your personality.
Window seat
Window seats offer great views and a place to lean your head to hopefully get some shut-eye. However, Dr Becky Spelman, chief psychologist at Harley Street’s Private Therapy Clinic, told The Telegraph that those who prefer the window seat tend to be more control-oriented and less cooperative than those who pick an aisle seat. “Passengers who favour the window seat like to be in control, tend to have an ‘every man for themselves’ attitude towards life, and are often more easily irritable,” she said. “They also like to ‘nest’ and prefer to exist in their own bubble.”
If you’re the type of person who values peace and quiet, a window seat may be the way to go as people won’t disturb you when they need to get up. If you don’t like to inconvenience people though, you may be waiting and waiting until the others in your row get up so you can slip out to go to the toilet.
Middle seat
If you want to sit in between two people, sharing an armrest, asking to get up and having to move when someone else wants to get up, you’re probably an extrovert.
According to psychologist and University of Washington Professor Jonathan Bricker, who devoted his PhD thesis to the anxiety of air travel, people who prefer the middle seat are usually easy going, talkative types.
“These are people who likely possess some humility and modesty, rather than a sense of control and self-importance,” Prof. Bricker said. “They may be less concerned about catching airborne illnesses. Philosophically, perhaps they recognise that we all share this universe and frankly are all sharing the same goal: to travel from point A to point B.”
But he added: “On the most practical level, let us not forget that they simply might be smaller in size so their seat choice may matter very little to them.”
Aisle seat
Ah, the beautiful aisle seat. The one where you know you can get up and walk around, grab something from the overhead lockers or go to the toilet whenever you want. Apparently, those who choose an aisle seat are introverts and would rather be inconvenienced than inconvenience anyone else.
“Aisle passengers are often more amenable as people; they are also more likely to be restless flyers and less adept at sleeping on planes,” said behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings.
When on the ground in a large group of people, introverts often feel physically uncomfortable and prefer to stay on the periphery. So, it makes sense that it’s the same in the air, they just don’t like to be surrounded by people or objects on all sides.
If you let the airline choose your seat and don’t try to pick your own, well, there’s no information on what that says about you, but it doesn’t seem normal. Next time you book a flight, take a moment to consider which seat will suit you best. It could make all the difference in your travel experience.
Aisle, middle or window, which seat do you choose? Do you agree with the personality traits listed above? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also read: Things flight attendants notice about you as soon as you board
