A comfortable seat in the cabin will allow you to enjoy air travel. Moreover, it is not at all necessary to go to the airport, because the appropriate option can be chosen by electronic ticket.
How to buy an e-ticket
To make a purchase, you need to go to the website of the air carrier or a web resource that provides intermediary services and perform the required actions. It is advantageous to purchase an electronic ticket on an aggregator website, where there are specific offers of existing flights for the required date. Here you can buy a ticket cheaper.
The sale of an electronic ticket by any of the above methods is safe if it is carried out on the official website of the airline or on another well-known portal. Passenger data will be protected.
Location selection
It should be noted that not every company has the opportunity to book a specific seat in the cabin of an airliner. Various choices may be available:
- window seat;
- the most convenient seats only for certain categories of passengers (parents with children, pensioners, pregnant women, tall people);
- complete lack of choice;
- payable service;
- selection of any chair you like.
If such a service exists, then after electronic registration the ticket buyer will be provided with a map of seats in the cabin, free of which are highlighted in bright color. Having chosen the appropriate option, you should move the cursor on the seat and click with the mouse, then press the "Save" button. The specified seat is booked for a specific passenger.
Benefits of electronic seat reservation:
- No queue.
- The possibility of obtaining a pleasant bonus (some companies practice this service as a thank you for online registration).
Important Points
If an additional fee is charged from the passenger for booking a seat in the cabin on the carrier's website, you should pay attention to purchasing an electronic ticket through an aggregator. The benefit is due to the fact that this kind of service often provides services at the expense of airline commissions, which reduces the cost.
It may be difficult to book a popular flight due to the lack of sufficient good places, some of which may be reserved by airline employees. In this case, it is recommended to arrive at check-in in advance in order to be among the first and ask the airport staff for a convenient seat.
Purchasing an e-ticket, which gives you the opportunity to choose a seat in the cabin at your discretion, will ensure a pleasant and comfortable flight.
Since June 2008, all members of the International Air Transport Association have been issuing exclusively electronic tickets. SkyExpress and S7 Siberia were the first airlines to start introducing them in Russia. Today, almost all air carriers provide this service. When buying such a ticket, you should not be surprised to see a simple printed sheet of A4 format - Itinerary Receipt (itinerary receipt). But even without it, you can do without it when registering, just show your passport.
Basic encodings in an electronic ticket
To correctly fill out an electronic ticket for a flight, you need to know the basic designations. After a detailed analysis of all the columns, the decoding of the ticket will become simple and understandable. Consider the existing lines and their filling in order.
Surname and name of the passenger (Name of passenger)
Passenger's personal data is always entered in Latin letters in accordance with the transliteration rules in force within the country of departure.
At the very end, an appeal to the passenger is recorded:
- MR / MRS - Mr. / Mrs.
- MISS / MSTR - girl / boy under 12 years old.
Flight Route (From/To)
The settlement of departure is written in Latin transcription on the highlighted color field. And below is the place of arrival. If the airport is not one, but several, then indicate the letter encoding. This can be obtained from your airline or airport manager.
Stopover indicator
When your stop between flights lasts more than a day (24 hours), then the field will be blank, or marked with the symbol "O" (yes). However, if the time is limited to 24 hours or less, then the code "X" (none) is indicated. The amount of airport charges is reduced during a transit flight if you are at the waiting point for less than a day. Therefore, the cost of the air ticket will be slightly lower.
Carrier
The field is filled with the symbol of the airlines you have chosen. This is a two-letter cipher assigned only by the International Air Transport Association.
Flight number
The flight number on the electronic ticket is encoded from numbers and letters.
Booking class (Class)
There are 3 basic levels of comfort.
First grade
R - the most expensive, improved first class. The company provides all customers with satellite phones, personal TV monitors, as well as places to sleep.
F - first class. Extended rates apply. Discounts are not provided.
A - discounted first class .
The air carrier provides only the basic tariff plan. But seasonal incentives are also possible to lower the cost.
Business Class
J - improved business class. Passenger seats are significantly more spacious and comfortable than in a simple business class cabin. Computer games and a large selection of menus are often offered.
C - business class. There are extended tariff rates, and the conditions are pleasant and comfortable. Additional benefits are not provided.
D - business class with a discount. When choosing this ticket, only basic services will be provided.
Economy class
K, S - fixed economy class fares. Any promotions are not available.
Y - Discount Economy Class. Includes the cheapest flights with basic services, as well as a tourist route(MM), shuttle fare (EE and UU) and group (GG). The most frequent tariff plans with a full limitation of quantity and duration are marked as G.
For first and business class passengers, an individual approach and special treatment is provided - a large selection of dishes on the menu, as well as any amount of alcohol. An added benefit is the check-in and skip-the-line boarding.
Departure date (Date)
When the date of your departure is determined in advance, it is indicated here. If there is no exact time, then the coding "Open" is put.
Time
The exact departure time of the flight is certainly recorded in local terms. And the time of arrival is according to the local time of the final settlement. That is, the departure time from Novosibirsk will be Novosibirsk. And the time of arrival in Magadan is Magadan.
Booking status (Status)
The column indicates the number and status of your seat inside the cabin. There are not many options.
- OK marking provides for a specific place number;
- on a children's ticket for passengers under two years of age and flying in the arms of adults, a seat is not provided. The string uses the NS cipher;
- the RQ code is assigned to a seat determined only at the time of registration.
Fare basis
Decryption electronic ticket in this line means the choice of the departure date, when the purchased tariff plan provides for the possibility of flying on a day convenient for you.
- after the abbreviation NVB, that is, "not valid until", the first date is filled in. Starting from it, it is allowed to fly;
- behind the NVA cipher, that is, " not valid after", indicates the period after which the flight is prohibited;
- an empty field allows you to use a plane ticket no later than one year from the date of issue;
- Economy class fares very often do not allow you to change the date of the selected flight. As a result, the term in the indicated column coincides with the line “date of flight”.
Fare calculation
Methods for calculating the cost of all items of the air ticket are indicated. Letter codes marked settlements and air carriers. The components of the fare price are indicated in neutral generally accepted units of measurement. A breakdown of airport tax amounts is also given.
Fare
In the currency of the country of departure, the estimated price of your tariff plan is indicated. In many states, the value in US dollars is allowed. The choice of a confidential plan is marked with "IT"/"Forfait" or an empty line.
Total (Total)
The entire amount of the tariff plan and additional fees is given in the national currency of the country of the agency that issued the ticket. The column is not filled in when choosing a confidential tariff or is marked with the IT / Forfait cipher.
Fare equivalent (Equiv/Fare PD)
This line contains the price of the tariff plan in the currency of the location of the agency that issued the e-ticket, subject to the different currencies of the points of departure and issuance. That is, the air ticket is booked in Manchester for pounds sterling, and boarding is made from Lyon, where euros are used. The field contains the price in pounds sterling.
Dachshund (Tax)
In the national currency of the place where the itinerary receipt is issued, the letter code and the total cost of airport fees and charges are recorded.
Form of payment
There are three payment methods:
- Depositing cash into the cash desk (cash);
- Transfer by bank transfer through a bank (Invoce or INV);
- Payment credit card(SS).
Origin/Destination (Origin/Destination)
The letter cipher of the city of departure is entered. Through the fraction indicates the final place of arrival.
Special column (Airline data)
The line is intended for entering special notes by the air carrier.
Booking Number (PNR Code)
A certain cipher is entered from random numbers and Latin letters, obtained during the booking process.
Endorsement/Restrictions
The field contains instructions for flight limits, as well as options for transferring a passenger to another airline. All allowed adjustments that are not prohibited by the tariff you have chosen are made here.
Issued in exchange for
When issuing a new ticket, the line contains the individual number of the previous one. Often such adjustments are made when the return route is changed.
When contacting the manager of the company, it is quite possible to reissue a ticket to a new place of departure. And the difference in cost will be returned to you or you will pay extra. It depends on the distance to the new point of arrival.
Additional (connected) ticket (Conjunction tickets)
For group shared flights, additional ticket numbers are fixed here.
Additional restrictions (Additional endorsements/restrictions)
If there is not enough space for some information in the "Restrictions" line, then this information is indicated here.
Tour code
The field contains a special marking entry for special and confidential tariff plans.
Validator place
This is a mark of the airline, as well as its representatives who issued the ticket. Information about the date of issue, the agent's reference, a unique office code, the abbreviated name and location of the air carrier, as well as the letter code of the airport terminal are entered.
Accepted additional service conventions
On electronic tickets, special additional designations are used.
- Plate \B is indicated - breakfast is provided;
- Marked with crossed fork and knife\L - hot meals available;
- Fork with knife \ S \ roll - only snacks are provided;
- X - hot meals are provided several times in flight;
- The broadcast of a feature film is indicated by the symbols M and F.
Advantages of an electronic airline ticket
The most important advantage of an electronic ticket is reliability. After all, it is almost impossible to lose or fake it, since all the information is stored in the air carrier's database.
Accessibility plays an important role. An electronic ticket can be issued via the Internet, and receive a receipt from the airline by mail. Another option is to buy at the office or at the air ticket office. The cost will be lower than the usual paper version, and the time costs will be much less.
I remember my first trip and my first plane flight.
Something that was incomprehensible boarding pass, it contains a bunch of different numbers and symbols, half of which I, as a passenger, did not need at all, only confusing due to inexperience ... Then most of them were torn off, leaving a small spine, and sent to the cabin.
And then I asked the stewardess the question that she probably hears most often from passengers - can you tell me where my place is? ...
After that, I had many flights and each time the boarding pass looks different, and even the text is often poorly readable, or even moved out or partially eaten by the torn off part of the pass.
And every time I see puzzled passengers who can not figure out where to find their flight number on it, look for the gate number, and then ask the same question to the stewardess ...
It is strange that in the era of nanotechnology and global databases, standardized ticketing services and generally accepted rules for air transportation, there is still no single form of a boarding pass that would be both intuitive and look the same in Moscow and in Buenos Aires ...
Maybe something will change in the near future. American designer Adam Glyn-Finnegan proposes to rethink the design of boarding passes to make them more understandable for both passengers and airport employees.
Here are some examples of my boarding passes from different travels.
Landing Lufgansa from Munich to Krakow. Part of the text with the place, landing time and gate floated on the blank text. Imagine how convenient it will be for a pensioner or a person with poor eyesight to decipher it. Especially if the transplant is short and there is no time for it.
The following is an example of a boarding pass for an Air France flight from Kyiv to Paris, printed from the automatic terminal at the airport. Here, in general, all the data is located completely differently. The gate is not specified at all.
The landing flight of Eyronix Kyiv-Simferopol is absolutely enchanting. For some reason it was written by hand.
Aeroflot landing without any special flaws, but the Simferopol-Peter landing is simply not readable. Thanks to passport control and SAB. Can't you put your stamps on the back of your boarding pass? The same applies to the coupon issued in Vnukovo. Not only is it all filthy with stamps, but also part of the text remained on the torn off part. 
The most read of the entire collection of boarding Turkish Airlines, printed in Istanbul and Russia, printed in St. Petersburg.
But in Paris, again, part of the text remained on the tear-off part of the coupon 
There are also such coupons, they left the spine in Surgut, and they gave away the part that is usually left 
What does the American designer offer?
First, to unify, and finally, the coupon form itself.
Secondly, instead of an annoying awkward design, apply an aesthetic appearance with the arrangement of information in order of importance and chronology. 
Boarding passes are proposed to be divided into three zones - the first contains information about the passenger and is intended for airport employees, the second - indicates to the passenger where he should go for boarding, the third - orients him on the plane.
Indeed, before boarding the plane, you hardly need a seat number. Initially, the questions arise "when does boarding begin?" and "what is the boarding gate for my flight?". And already on the plane you need a seat number. 
To identify a seat on an aircraft, Adam Glyn-Finnegan suggests using pictograms that will help the passenger find out in which part of the aircraft and row the seat is located: in the nose or tail, at the window, at the aisle or in the center. With me, disputes often arose between a passenger who had already sat down by the window and a passenger who had just approached, A or C was sitting by the aisle or by the window. 
The designer proposes to brand boarding passes with the help of two elements by which airlines are easily recognized: corporate colors and logo. 
Let's see if anything changes soon
In the meantime, I will continue to collect a collection of assorted boarding passes.
My travel partner is a flight search service
Until recently, you can buy tickets for flights only at the airport. This caused discomfort, since there is no possibility of choosing a passenger seat. You also need to stand in a long queue, spending a lot of time. Now you can buy tickets online, and at the same time choose the most comfortable seat. Each airline has an official website.
What you need to choose a place
To choose a passenger seat in the cabin of an airliner for a comfortable journey, you can act in several ways:
- purchase an electronic ticket;
- choose a place during the purchase of documents directly at the airport;
- ask the flight attendant to leave a certain seat for the passenger on board when boarding.
Air carrier employees cannot always remember the requests of each passenger. Therefore, it is better to book a seat on the plane using an electronic ticket. To do this, you need a computer or a modern gadget with an Internet connection.
Seat selection at the time of ticket purchase
This is the most convenient option. Reservation of seats on the plane is carried out directly on the website of the air carrier. To do this, you must perform the following steps:
- go to the company's website;
- to book a ticket;
- choose a convenient place for the flight.
The advantage of this method is the quick selection and booking of a seat. Despite this, there are certain disadvantages. Some airlines charge an additional fee for the seat selection service. It varies between 16-32 dollars. USA.
Some airlines block the selection of seats that are near emergency exits or in the front rows. They are comfortable to sit on, as there is enough space in front to stretch your legs and have a great rest. These chairs are designed to accommodate pregnant women or with a child under 1 year old, people with disabilities, passengers with animals.
Important! Near emergency exits, it is forbidden to buy tickets for passengers traveling with children over 1 year old. A child can pull the emergency door handle. This will lead to depressurization of the cabin.
If it was not possible to choose a seat on the plane when buying a ticket, you can do it upon arrival at the airport. To do this, at the check-in desk, you must inform the airline employee of your wishes.
The passenger needs to know that it is possible to choose a convenient seat on board the airliner only after booking a ticket on the official website of the company. On other online resources that offer tickets at a reduced cost, this option is not available.
Seat selection during online check-in
The advantage of this method is that you can book a passenger seat from any convenient place. To do this, you will need access to the Internet, and the ability to print a ticket.
Online registration of seats on the plane begins one day before departure. And it ends 45-60 minutes before it. The passenger independently chooses the most convenient seat.
Main advantages:
- no need to arrive at the airport a few hours before departure for check-in;
- no need to stand in line;
- it is enough to go through passport and customs control.
In addition to the visible advantages, there are also disadvantages. Some airlines do not allow online check-in and seat selection for passengers with pets, small children, or luggage.
It is worth noting that some foreign airlines provide online check-in for passengers with luggage. At the same time, they increase the norm to 7 kg. These are nice bonuses for buyers.
Note! In any case, you must arrive at the airport in advance to check in your luggage. It must be weighed and handed over at a special rack.
To start online check-in, you need to go to the official website of the air carrier. Each ticket has a booking number. It is entered in the corresponding field in the window that opens. An additional window will open the layout of the salon. It remains to choose a suitable place by indicating its number in the appropriate field.
It happens that convenient places are occupied. The air carrier independently books them. These seats accommodate passengers with children, disabilities, with animals. It is better to arrive at the airport in advance and ask at the reception to book a specific seat.
Through mobile offers
Airlines develop official Internet resources. Anyone can use them. For greater user convenience, special mobile applications are provided. They are also company websites. They need to be downloaded to a gadget that is connected to the Internet.
They are for the following:
- booking;
- buying tickets;
- registration of insurance;
- online registration;
- obtaining information on the status of all flights of the air carrier;
- account balance checks Bonus miles", if the company has announced such a promotion;
- obtaining information about airport services.
Using these apps is pretty easy. You need to follow the same steps as when booking seats on the official website of the company. The passenger will need a ticket number. It is indicated in the corresponding field. After that, a window will open on the gadget's screen, in which the salon scheme is presented. You just need to click on the place you like. After that, confirm your choice.
It must be remembered that booking a seat through mobile applications can be expensive, like on official sites. It is best to book a seat through online intermediaries.
Each airline has its own seat marking in the cabin. So, for example, places 1E and 1B can indicate several options at once: near the aisle and porthole. Previously, it is better to independently look at the additional decoding of the marking of the chairs on the company's website.
Places near kitchens and sanitary facilities are considered crowded. The aisle chairs are also uncomfortable. Especially for passengers who prefer to sleep in flight.
Interesting fact! According to statistics, the least number of tickets are purchased for flights during lunch hours. This can be used to get the most comfortable seat.
If you were unable to choose a seat during online check-in or when purchasing a ticket, you can do it directly at the airport. To do this, you must inform the employee of the air carrier about the most convenient place for the passenger, which he chose for the flight.
If the place is booked incorrectly, you can still correct the situation. You need to check in for the flight, board the aircraft, wait for the message from the flight attendant “Boarding completed”. After that, ask him to take another free seat. As a rule, passengers are not denied this.
Dear visitors of the Aviawiki site! There are so many of your questions that, unfortunately, our specialists do not always have time to answer all of them. As a reminder, we answer questions absolutely free of charge and on a first-come, first-served basis. However, you have the opportunity to get a guaranteed prompt response for a nominal amount..
Poor seat selection on a plane is the worst start to a vacation. If you have ever tried to fit your legs under the chair in front or see at least a piece of the city in the half of the porthole, you understand what we are talking about. Of course, a couple of hours of inconvenience builds character, but is this how you want to start or end your vacation?
To avoid being excruciatingly uncomfortable, read our guide to the most unfortunate places on board and learn how to avoid them.
1. Drawer under the seat in front of you
You were just deciding which bags to put in the common compartment above the seats, and what can be pushed under the chair in front of you, as - surprise, there is some kind of metal box. It usually stores the equipment the crew needs, but that doesn't make it any easier for you. Your favorite backpack will have to be removed upstairs, and your legs will fit the entire flight on the remaining centimeters.
How to avoid: Unfortunately, there is no single location for these boxes. For example, in the Boeing 737 they are located on the 9th or 10th row, and in the Airbus A330 they are on the 33rd or 34th. Perhaps the most correct thing is to find out the type of aircraft you are flying on and google it.
2. Last place of each in the section
This is ideal if for some reason you hate to recline your chair. Otherwise, just get ready to sleep with your back straight or in a Z-curve.
How to avoid: do not take seats in the very last row: these chairs rest against the wall and do not recline. Also avoid rows in front of emergency exits - as a rule, the backs there do not recline at all or recline at a negligible angle. Before choosing a place, it will be useful to look at the diagram of the aircraft on which you will fly.
3. Place next to the emergency exit
Pros of this place: you can definitely stretch your legs.
Cons: there is no seat in front, which means you can’t put your bag under it. The table is located in the armrest (from this chair a little narrower) and more flimsy than usual. There's also a bit of wind coming out of the escape hatches.
Summary: the seats at the door - if not the worst seats on the plane, then they are definitely in the top three contenders.
How to avoid: look at the aircraft map when checking in for a flight. If you see a wide gap between the rows and "ticks" on the sides, this is it - an emergency exit. Don't choose a seat next to him.
An interesting fact: when registering, these seats are usually taken by adults who are outwardly healthy and physically strong - after all, in which case they will have to open the door and help the crew. So if you are pregnant, flying with a child, limping, or close to retirement age, you are unlikely to be put here.
4. Place next to the restroom
Oh, this is a true gem of our collection! An endless stream of passengers, every second of which will be waiting to lean on the back of your chair and sway from turbulence or impatience. Trying to disperse in a narrow passage, people will touch you with their elbows. In a word, it is better to try once than to hear a hundred times.
How to avoid: in all aircraft, the toilet is located in the tail and closer to the bow, and in some models it is also in the middle of the cabin. So do not sit in the first and last rows and look at the diagram when checking in for a flight.
5. Place without a window
On board many aircraft there are seats located in the gap between two windows. Problem number one: you won't see anything (might be a plus for those who are afraid of flying). Problem number two: you won't be able to adjust the light. If you want to sleep, and your neighbor in front - to admire the clouds, guess who will close (or not close) the curtain.
How to avoid: when checking in for a flight online, carefully study the scheme of the aircraft and, most importantly, the reviews. The airlines themselves, unfortunately, do not post data on the presence or absence of windows on the Internet, but you can call the support service and clarify this information.
When booking tickets on or in OneTwoTrip, you can call our 24/7 support and puzzle operators with a question about windows.
6. Places when narrowing the cabin
When the fuselage narrows, there are five seats in a row instead of six (the number depends on the model, of course). It may seem convenient - fewer neighbors - but the reality is more cruel. In places of narrowing, the seat fasteners take away part of the legroom.
How to avoid: when checking in for a flight, we look at the scheme. Do you see that there are one fewer seats in the row? Don't take these places.
7. Armchair in the middle
These seats are booked last. Well, really, who wants to sit between two strangers for several hours?
Avoidance: Book online in advance. Front desk staff usually try not to put single passengers in the middle seat in a row, but sometimes they just don't have a choice.
Life hack: if you are flying together, book the first and third place in the top three. If there are enough empty seats on the plane, no one will be put between you. And if they put you in jail, you can always negotiate with this unfortunate person by letting him go to the aisle or to the window.
What are the best places?
In first class and in business. A joke (although, of course, not really).
The most comfortable seats are considered to be in the front rows of the cabin, and in the economy - right behind the business class. About minus ( hand luggage nowhere to store) we have already written, but the pros:
1. lots (no, LOTS) of legroom;
2. no one will tilt the back of the seat in front of you;
3. you will be the first to get food and you will definitely be able to choose chicken or fish (and if you buy tickets through, you will choose it on earth. A find for vegans and those who eat only kosher products);
4. If you are traveling with a small child, safely place a stroller or carrycot (there are often special mounts for them). But from here, by the way, follows a minus: if you are without a child, then there is a great chance to communicate with a stranger and not relax.
Second in terms of comfort are seats at emergency exits. Yes, we have colorfully described all their disadvantages, but tall and freedom-loving passengers still choose them: everyone likes to stretch out and sleep peacefully.
If we talk about safety, then you have to sacrifice comfort. The safest places are in the tail section of the aircraft. According to statistics, about 67% of passengers who survived plane crashes were sitting in the tail.
