Electronic plane ticket how to find out the seat. Decoding an electronic plane ticket. How to book seats through mobile apps

I remember my first trip and my first flight on an airplane.
The boarding pass was a previously incomprehensible thing, 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 of the plane.
And then I asked the flight attendant the question that she probably hears most often from passengers - can you tell me where my seat is?...
After that, I had many flights and each time the boarding pass looks different, and even the text is often hard to read, or has completely slipped off or was partially eaten by a torn part of the pass.
And every time I see puzzled passengers who cannot understand where to find their flight number on it, look for the gate number, and then ask the flight attendant that same question...
It is strange that in the era of nanotechnology and global databases, standardized services for purchasing air tickets and generally accepted rules of air travel, there is still no single form of boarding pass that would be both intuitive and look the same both 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 workers.

Here are some examples of my boarding passes from various travels.
Lufthansa landing from Munich to Krakow. Part of the text with the place, landing time and gate floated onto the blank text. Imagine how convenient it will be for a pensioner or a person with poor eyesight to decipher it. Especially if the transfer 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 in an 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 Aeronix Kyiv-Simferopol is absolutely enchanting. For some reason it was written by hand.

Aeroflot's landing page has no major flaws, but the Simferopol-St. Petersburg landing page is simply unreadable. Thanks to passport control and SAB. Is it really not possible to put your own stamps on the back of the landing? The same applies to the coupon issued in Vnukovo. Not only is it all dirty with stamps, but also some of the text remains on the torn part.

The most widely read of the entire collection is the Turkish Airlines landing page, 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, in Surgut they left the stub, and the part that is usually left is given away

What does the American designer offer?
Firstly, to finally unify the coupon form itself.
Secondly, instead of an annoying inconvenient design, use an aesthetic appearance with information arranged 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 workers, the second indicates to the passenger where he should go to board, and the third orients him on the plane.
Indeed, before boarding the plane, you are unlikely to need a seat number. At first, the questions arise: “when does planting begin?” and “what is the gate for my flight?” And already on the plane you need a seat number.

To identify a seat on an airplane, Adam Glyn-Finnegan suggests using pictograms that will help the passenger navigate in which part of the plane and row the seat is located: in the nose or tail, by the window, by the aisle or in the center. In my experience, disputes often arose between a passenger who had already sat down by the window and someone who had just arrived, whether A or C was sitting by the aisle or by the window.

The designer suggests branding boarding passes using two elements by which airlines are easily recognized: corporate colors and a 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 an air ticket search service.

Until recently, you could only buy flight tickets at the airport. This caused discomfort because there was no choice of passenger seat. You also need to stand in a long line, wasting a lot of time. Now you can purchase tickets online and choose the most comfortable seat. Each airline has an official website.

What you need to choose a place

To choose a passenger seat in an airliner cabin for a comfortable trip, you can proceed in several ways:

• purchase an electronic ticket;
• choose a place when purchasing 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 will need a computer or a modern gadget with an Internet connection.

Selecting a seat when purchasing a ticket

This is the most convenient option. Airplane seat reservations are made directly on the airline's website. To do this you need to do the following:

• go to the company’s Internet resource;
• to book a ticket;
• choose a convenient place for the flight.

The advantage of this method is quick selection and reservation of a place. Despite this, there are certain disadvantages. Some airlines charge an additional fee for selecting a seat on board. It varies between 16-32 dollars. USA.

Some airlines block seat selection that is near emergency exits or in the front rows. It is comfortable to sit on them, as there is enough space in front to stretch your legs and have a great rest. These seats are designed to accommodate pregnant women or those with a child under 1 year old, people with disabilities, and passengers with animals.

Important! Passengers traveling with children over 1 year of age are prohibited from purchasing tickets near emergency exits. A child may pull the emergency door handle. This will lead to depressurization of the interior.

If you were unable to select a seat on the plane when purchasing a ticket, you can do so upon arrival at the airport. To do this, you need to tell the airline employee your wishes at the check-in counter.

The passenger needs to know that choosing a comfortable seat on board an airliner can only be done after booking a ticket on the company’s official website. Other online resources that offer tickets at a reduced price do not have this option.

Selecting a seat during online check-in

The advantage of this method is that you can book a passenger seat from any convenient location. 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 come to the airport several hours before departure to check in;
• no need to stand in line;
• It is enough to go through passport and customs control.

Important! After completing online check-in, the passenger must print a boarding pass containing the reserved seat.

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 counter.

To start online check-in, you need to go to the official website of the air carrier. Each ticket contains a reservation number. It is entered in the appropriate field in the window that opens. A diagram of the interior will open in an additional window. All that remains is to select a suitable place by indicating its number in the appropriate field.

It happens that convenient places are occupied. The air carrier books them independently. These seats accommodate passengers with children, disabilities, and animals. It is better to arrive at the airport in advance and ask at the check-in desk to reserve a specific seat.

Through mobile offers

Airlines are developing official Internet resources. Anyone can use them. For greater user convenience, special mobile applications are provided. They are also company websites. They must be downloaded to a gadget that is connected to the Internet.

They are designed for the following:

• reservations;
• purchasing tickets;
• registration of insurance;
• online registration;
• obtaining information on the status of all air carrier flights;
• checking the “Bonus Miles” account balance, if the company has announced such a promotion;
• obtaining information about airport services.

These apps are quite easy to use. You need to follow the same steps as when booking seats on the company’s official website. The passenger will need a ticket number. It is indicated in the appropriate field. After this, a window will open on the gadget’s screen in which a diagram of the interior is presented. You just need to click on the place you like. After that, confirm your choice.

Please remember that booking a seat through mobile apps can be expensive, just like on official websites. It is best to book a seat through online intermediaries.

Each airline has its own seat markings in the aircraft cabin. So, for example, places 1E and 1B can indicate several options at once: near the aisle and the porthole. Beforehand, it is better to independently look at an additional explanation of the seat markings on the company’s website.

Places near kitchen and sanitary facilities are considered crowded. The aisle seats are also uncomfortable. Especially for passengers who prefer to sleep during the flight.

Interesting fact! According to statistics, the smallest number of tickets are purchased for flights during lunch hours. This can be used to get the most convenient location.

If you were unable to select a seat during online check-in or when purchasing a ticket, you can do so directly at the airport. To do this, you need to inform the air carrier employee about the most convenient place for the passenger that he has chosen 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 plane, and wait for the message from the flight attendant “Boarding complete.” After that, ask him to take another free seat. As a rule, passengers are not denied this.

Dear visitors of the Aviawiki website! There are so many of your questions that, unfortunately, our specialists do not always have time to answer them all. Let us remind you that we answer questions absolutely free of charge and on a first-come, first-served basis. However, you have the opportunity to be guaranteed to receive a prompt response for a symbolic amount.

Not everyone can afford to fly in business class and take up slightly more space than a standard seat. Those who fly often know that the chance of sitting with a large person or someone with different ideas about hygiene than you is very high. It’s impossible to avoid this, but you can try to sit near a window or in an aisle if that makes it more comfortable for you to survive the hardships of the flight.

Russian Forbes gives practical advice on how not to make a mistake with your seat on the plane.

1. Find out more about the model and the location of seats on the plane

You can find out what model of aircraft a particular flight is on on the airline’s website. Airplanes of different airlines differ quite greatly from each other in terms of cabin comfort. The websites SeatGuru, SeatExpert have all the details about the layout of a wide variety of aircraft: the presence of electrical sockets and TVs in the backs of the seats, the location of toilets, the spacing between rows (usually it is 80 cm, but some companies, such as JetBlue, have increased it by 5 cm) - this seemingly small difference is very noticeable on long flights.

The first row behind business class is considered the most comfortable: there is more legroom, no one sits in front of you - which means no one reclines their seat back on you, you will be the first to receive food, drinks, newspapers, you will get blankets and pillows, for Traveling with small children, it is possible to attach a cradle for babies to the wall and install a child seat. But this also has its drawbacks - because of the tables hidden in the armrests, it is impossible to lift these armrests and turn the chair into a sofa, or to place a sleeping child on your lap. And if, for example, you are going to work on the road or prepare for a business meeting, you should hardly try to sit in the front rows: being close to children (and there are usually more of them here) is unlikely to contribute to concentration.

Seats near emergency exits are also held in high esteem by experienced travelers: the spacing between the rows here is 15 cm greater than in the rest of the cabin, but depending on the layout of the cabin, the backrests of the seats often do not lower (on long flights you will regret this) and you cannot keep your hand on the floor luggage The rules require that only tall adults be seated in these seats.

“To be honest, for obvious reasons, when registering, first of all they look to ensure that the person is physically strong, energetic and, how can I put it, smart,” says Boris Rybak, director of the consulting company Infomost. “In case of an emergency, he must open the door and help the crew evacuate the passengers.”

Although there are cases when even a fragile girl could convince an airline employee that she needed to fly in this particular row.

In the middle of the cabin, for a significant part of the flight you find yourself “locked” by carts with food, drinks, newspapers, and duty-free goods. In addition, rows 8-20 are usually the noisiest area on the plane; all the noise from the engines and turbines is concentrated here. But there is no such information on websites or cabin maps, and only airline staff at check-in can help you find a quieter place - different types of aircraft have different noise distribution schedules.

In the back of the plane, the space is a little narrower (this is the geometry of the plane) - sitting there is more crowded, the shaking is stronger, there is a small selection of food, newspapers and magazines (based on the principle of what is left), next to it is a toilet, which most often has a queue - which means noise. The only plus is that the tail seats are considered safer.

2. Book your seats in advance

Advance booking allows you to choose your seats on the plane long before the flight. This is especially convenient for those who fly in large groups - it is difficult to expect that they will all be able to seat you next to each other. British Airways has introduced an additional booking fee since October of this year: now, for the opportunity to choose a convenient seat, economy class passengers will have to pay 10 pounds ($16) on European flights and 20 pounds ($32) on long flights, and 20 pounds ($32). ) and 60 pounds ($98) respectively for business class passengers. But most airlines (with the exception of low-cost airlines, which charge everything) still provide this service for free when purchasing tickets both online and at airline offices. But few people know about it - because for some reason it is not particularly advertised by either the carriers themselves or the agents.

When you pre-book your seat, you can also order a special meal for yourself (which few people know about either) - all air carriers have different lunch options. Transaero, for example, offers a choice of about 30 different lunches - vegetarian, kosher, Muslim, low-calorie, diabetic and others, plus 2 types of baby food.

3. Use online registration

You can also choose a seat that is convenient for you during online check-in; this procedure is becoming increasingly popular - you can check in at the airport at special kiosks, and even on the airline’s website. This way you save a lot of time (you can arrive at the airport at least 50 minutes before departure), however, there are a number of restrictions - you must travel without luggage, without small children, without animals. In general, this option is suitable for a businessman traveling light. In addition, some companies, for example, Delta or Air Berlin, do not display seats near emergency exits (which are considered good by travelers) in the online check-in system, reserving them for tall and large passengers. The second point is that not all companies in Russia have online registration counters, and so far only in Moscow - at Dodomedovo and Sheremetyevo-2.

In the near future - the creation of a single group boarding pass, which will allow, for example, a large family or a group of passengers to get seats next to each other - for this they will not all have to be at the airport at the same time, 1 person will be able to register the entire group: The data of several travelers at once will be stored on the chip of one ticket.

4. Arrive early for registration

Do not neglect the simplest and most proven way to get the desired seat in the cabin: do not be lazy and arrive at the beginning of registration. According to the director of the press service of Transaero airline Sergei Bykhal, “the airline’s employees at check-in always try to meet passengers halfway and take into account their wishes.” For those traveling alone, this option is also possible: take a chance and play the lottery - on the contrary, arrive at the very end of check-in: if you are lucky, you may be given a seat in business class, and if you are unlucky, you will get a seat from which all other passengers have already refused.

5. Choose days of least traffic to fly.

Experts recommend, if possible, scheduling flights on days and times when airports are least busy - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. The busiest days are Friday and Sunday. The busiest flights are morning and evening. In the half-empty cabins of “weekday” flights, the flight attendants themselves will offer you to change seats to unoccupied rows - it’s quite possible to sleep on three seats.

6. Try "unofficial ways"

Just a few years ago, it was a widespread practice to get good seats on board or to get into business class by bribing airline employees (500 rubles included in your passport can still open your way to a seat at the emergency exit, but we do not recommend this). American Forbes.com tells the story of a passenger who, on a flight from New York to Germany, was helped by a hundred-dollar bill to get into business class. True, on the way back with the German airline staff, the same trick did not work.

A poor choice of seat on the plane is the worst way to start your vacation. If you've ever tried to fit your legs under the chair in front of you or see at least a piece of the city through half of the porthole, you understand what we mean. Sure, a couple of hours of inconvenience builds character, but is that how you want to start or end your vacation?
To avoid being painfully uncomfortable, read our guide to the worst places on board and find out how to avoid them.

1. Box under the seat in front of you

You were just deciding which bags to put in the common compartment above the seats, and what could be pushed under the chair in front of you, when - surprise, there was some kind of metal box there. Usually it stores the equipment needed by the crew, but that doesn’t make it any easier for you. You will have to put your favorite backpack upstairs, and fit your legs on the remaining centimeters for the entire flight.

How to avoid: Unfortunately, there is no uniform arrangement for these boxes. For example, in a Boeing 737 they are located on row 9 or 10, and in an Airbus A330 - on row 33 or 34. Perhaps the most correct thing is to find out the type of aircraft you will be flying on and Google it.

2. Last place of each in the section

This is ideal if you hate reclining your seat for some reason. Otherwise, just prepare to sleep sitting with your back straight or in a Z shape.

How to avoid: Do not take a seat 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 backrests there do not recline at all or recline at a negligible angle. Before choosing a seat, it would be useful to look at the diagram of the plane you will fly on.

3. Place next to the emergency exit

Pros of this place: you can definitely stretch your legs.
Cons: there is no chair in front, which means you can’t put your bag under it. The table is located in the armrest (which makes the chair a little narrower) and is more flimsy than usual. There is also a bit of wind coming from the escape hatches.

Summary: the seats by the door are, if not the worst seats on the plane, then definitely in the top three contenders.

How to avoid: look at the plane diagram when checking in for your 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 usually seat adults who are apparently healthy and physically strong - after all, if something happens, they will have to open the door and help the crew. So if you are pregnant, flying with a child, have a limp, or are close to retirement age, you are unlikely to be sent here.

4. Place next to the restroom

Oh, this is a true pearl of our collection! An endless stream of passengers, every second of whom will lean on the back of your seat in anticipation 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 airplanes, 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 don't sit in the first or last rows and look at the diagram when checking in for your flight.

5. A place without a window

Many airplanes have seats located between two windows. Problem number one: you won't see anything (may be a plus for those who are afraid of flying). Problem number two: you won't be able to adjust the lighting. If you want to sleep, and your neighbor in front wants 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 aircraft layout and, most importantly, reviews. The airlines themselves, unfortunately, do not post information on the Internet about the presence or absence of windows, but you can call the support service and clarify this information.

When booking tickets to or from OneTwoTrip, you can call our 24-hour support and puzzle the operators with a question about portholes.

6. Places when the cabin is narrowed

When the fuselage narrows, instead of six seats in a row, there are five (the number depends on the model, of course). This may seem convenient - fewer neighbors - but the reality is more cruel. In places where the seat mountings are narrowed, part of the legroom is taken away.

How to avoid: when checking in for a flight, look at the diagram. Do you see that there is one less chair in a row? Don't take these places.

7. Chair in the middle

Passengers reserve these seats last. Really, who wants to sit between two strangers for several hours?

How to avoid: Book your spot online in advance. Check-in staff usually try not to seat single passengers in the middle seat in a row, but sometimes they simply have no choice.

Life hack: if you are flying together, book the first and third seats in a group of three. If there are enough empty seats on the plane, no one will be seated between you. And if they imprison you, you can always negotiate with this unlucky person by letting him through the aisle or to the window.

Which places are the best?

In first class and in business. Just a joke (though, of course, not really).
The most comfortable seats are considered to be those in the front rows of the cabin, and in economy - right behind business class. We have already written about the disadvantage (there is nowhere to store hand luggage), but here are the advantages:
1. a lot (no, a LOT) of legroom;
2. no one will throw the back of the chair in front of you;
3. you will be the first to receive food and will definitely be able to choose whether it’s chicken or fish (and if you buy tickets through, you’ll choose it on earth. A godsend for vegans and those who eat only kosher foods);
4. if you are traveling with a small child, calmly place the stroller or cradle (there are often special mounts for them). But from here, by the way, comes a minus: if you are without a child, then there is a great chance to communicate with a stranger and not have a rest.

The second most comfortable places are the seats near the emergency exits. Yes, we 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 at the rear of the plane. According to statistics, about 67% of passengers who survived plane crashes sat in the back.

Previously, in order to get a good seat on an airplane, you had to go to the airport and negotiate a specific seat individually with airline employees. Today you don’t even need to leave your home to do this. All you have to do is find out how to choose a seat on a plane using an electronic ticket. On many ticket sales services you can not only book a ticket for a specific date, a specific flight, but also choose the most suitable seat in the cabin.

In order to select and reserve a specific place, there is no need to wait for registration to open. Immediately after placing your order and electronic ticket, you will receive an email containing a diagram of the aircraft cabin. Empty spaces on this diagram are marked in a brighter color. All you need to do is move the cursor over the appropriate seat and click on it with the mouse. Then click "Save".

About 180 airlines offer passengers who buy tickets online to choose a suitable seat in the cabin. Among the carriers that provide such a right, it is necessary to highlight:

• Aeroflot;
• "Ural Airlines";
• UTair;
• SWISS;
• Lufthansa and others.

Please note that some airlines provide this service for an additional fee. For example, British Airways allows the passenger to independently choose a seat on the airliner from the available ones for $16. Moreover, this opportunity is provided only to passengers flying in economy class and purchasing tickets for flights that last no more than 3 hours. For a longer flight, this service will cost $32. If you want to book a seat in business class, you will have to pay approximately $100 to select a seat. Therefore, before using this service, find out more about its cost and other nuances that may be specified in the rules of a particular air carrier.

Book a specific seat either at the airport, having agreed with an authorized employee, or at the self-check-in counter.

By choosing the right seat, you will spend your flight in greater comfort, even in economy class.

What else should you consider?

In the process of booking a specific seat, passengers are often faced with a situation where the diagram shows very few empty seats and all of them are “unsuccessful” in terms of location. Most often this happens due to the fact that carriers themselves book advantageous seats. Subsequently, authorized employees allocate these seats to certain categories of passengers who purchase air tickets for a given flight. Companies themselves reserve several seats in order to later give them to pregnant women, elderly people, and passengers with children.

There are two ways out of this situation:

1. You can arrive at the airport early for check-in and ask the employee at the counter to give you one of the “advantageous” seats. As practice shows, most often authorized employees satisfy such requests.
2. You can also wait until all passengers are seated on the plane. If you then notice a suitable empty seat, ask the flight attendant to move you to that seat. Usually there are no obstacles to this.

If you're flying business class, you won't have to pay to book a specific seat. The only exception is if the passenger is used to sitting in one specific seat for individual reasons. In other cases, there is no point in booking a specific seat, since all seats in this class are distinguished by a high degree of comfort provided. You can sit comfortably in any place, lean back and straighten your legs.

Unlike booking in advance, which often requires additional financial costs, there is a much more cost-effective way to get your desired seat on the plane. As a rule, check-in for a flight opens 1.5-2 hours before departure. If the passenger completes online check-in, he will be asked to choose a seat on the plane from all the remaining available ones. In this case, booking a seat will be free, but there is a high probability that the desired seat will already be occupied by another passenger.

How to find out your seat in the cabin?

Many passengers wonder how to find out their seat on a plane using an electronic ticket? This information is not displayed on the ticket itself. The cabin seat number is indicated on the boarding pass, which you will receive after checking in for your flight. Another option to find out the seat number is to call the airline representative. You will be asked for your reservation number, after which an authorized employee will find the ticket number in the database and announce the seat in the aircraft cabin.