Avoid Seat 11A on Your Next Flight

There’s a surprising reason why you should skip seat 11A when booking a flight. If you end up there, you’ll find yourself stuck in the middle of the plane—without even a view to distract you.

No Window, Just a Wall

Seat 11A doesn’t come with a standard window. Instead, it offers a tiny circular porthole that’s barely visible. So, why is it like this?

The Real Reason Behind It

An expert from FlightRadar24 explains that Ryanair’s seat 11A is windowless because of the Boeing 737’s air conditioning system.

Modern jets use two “packs” to manage cabin air and temperature. These systems send air through ducts hidden in the plane’s sidewalls. One of those ducts runs directly alongside seat 11A in the Ryanair 737-800 cabin—right where the window should be.

Everyone Else Gets a View

Most other window seats still offer at least a partial view. Seat 11A, however, gets nothing. Even worse, seat 11F on the opposite side of the row has a perfectly placed window.

If you’re in 11A, your best shot at a view might be squinting down the row toward that distant window.

Other Seats Don’t Fare Much Better

Seats 12A and 12F don’t have great views either, but they’re still better than the blank wall beside 11A.

How to Avoid the Windowless Seat

Before choosing a seat, visit a site like AeroLOPA. It shows detailed floorplans for nearly every airline. You can check legroom, seat layout, and whether your window seat really has a window.

Bonus Tip: Sit on the Right Side

Here’s an odd fact: on a Boeing 737, the right side—seats D, E, and F—usually offers slightly more legroom. That’s because the cabin design is a bit asymmetrical.