The aisle seat on a plane keeps you away from the entrapment and heat of the window seat and the cramped shoulder space of the middle seat. It also allows for easy stand-up access whenever you need to get up. However, there is the problem of having to get up every time the people next to you need to use the bathroom, and that armrest always seems to be in the way. There’s an easy way around that, however, even if it seems permanently in the locked position.
Photo: a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/first-step-vacation-81733849">Thorsten Nieder/Shutterstock
This Flying Hack Lets You Lift an Aisle Seat’s Armrest When It’s in the Locked Position
Former flight attendant Kat Kamalani posted a video that explains that there’s a small button under the armrest by the hinge. In most planes, pushing the button or lever releases the aisle-side armrest to go up with ease.
@katkamalani From A Flight Attendant #travelhack #tipsandtricks #lifetips #crewlife #lifesaver ♬ Darling – Trees and Lucy
Whether you’re looking to stretch your own legs or you just want to slide your legs to the side to let someone else out, this is makes the aisle seat undeniably the best choice. Yet some of Kamalani’s other suggestions should be avoided. For example, her insistence to use the tissues instead of the toilet paper.
While the cost of toilet paper no doubt plays at least some role in an airlines choice, it’s thin for a good reason: to easily flush. This is an airplane, not an industrial bathroom with pressure-assisted toilets. Yes, airplane bathrooms are crappy places because of bad toilet paper and vile trash cans in all but the most luxurious occasions, but some of those things are necessary to keep flights running smoothly.
Still, questionable tissue advice aside, knowing how to lift the aisle seat’s locked armrest is something we could all take advantage of now that it’s the norm for flights to be completely sold out. 