How to get the best seats on the plane

SINGAPORE - You may have gotten a good deal on on your airfare, but a great travel experience does not have to stop there.

Have you ever got stuck with a pre-assigned seat that you dislike - like the one near the toilets? Or have you ever felt a tinge of envy when another passenger gets upgraded for free?

Huffington Post has five simple tips to help travellers get the best seats on the plane without paying anything extra.

When you are booking your flight, let the system assign a seat for you. Without pre-selecting a seat, you may stand a chance to get upgraded to Business or First Class if the economy seats happen to be overbooked.

Getting bumped up to a premium seat by the airline means you do not need to pay any additional costs.

Likewise, if you are one of the last passengers to check-in or choose a seat, you might end up getting upgraded out of Economy Class at no additional cost.

Ever considered sitting next to the emergency exits? Passengers might avoid choosing seats at the exit row as it may sound daunting or restrictive, but these are just unnecessary worries.

Any adult passenger is able to sit at this seat, but you need to be physically capable and able to open the emergency exit. The door is printed with easy-to-follow instructions and markings.

Any adult passenger without physical limitations, feel comfortable performing the task and can communicate with the flight crew will not be barred from sitting there, according to AirTravel.about.com.

These seats have extra leg room and Huffington Post said it is often an emptier row so you will feel more comfortable and less likely to be disturbed by other passengers.

wjeanne@sph.com.sg