Traveller shares trick for making flight more comfortable in aisle seat

A button underneath the armrest could make flying easier for some passengers. Photo / 123rf

A passenger has recently revealed a trick for making flights more comfortable, claiming she learned it from a Virgin Australia flight attendant.

Travel journalist Sophie Foster was flying business class with British Airways last week when she came across a common issue faced by aisle seat passengers; trying to get out of her seat to use the restroom while her tray table was down, holding meal trays.

It was then she realised she could test out a trick she had learned months ago from a Virgin Australia cabin crew member, she told the Daily Mail.

According to Foster, the crew member had told her about a secret button that could make the process of getting in and out of aeroplane seats easier, especially for aisle seat passengers.

The small button, which can sometimes look like a lever, is typically found on the underside of armrests. When you press it, Foster said, it allows passengers to lift the armrest up towards the seatback.

Most passengers may think that, while the seat back can move, the armrest is fixed in place. As Foster learned, this isn’t the case, as long as you know where the button is.

Not all airlines may have this handy feature, but Foster confirmed both the Virgin Airlines plane and British Airways aircraft both did. However, they may be a little stiffer than seatback buttons, so don’t be afraid to give it a good firm push.

Lifting the armrest makes it far easier to slide out of your aisle seat when your tray table is covered with tray tables or personal items.

Or, it may make a flight more comfortable for those who like a little more room around their hips and waist.

Given how uncomfortable flights can be, especially in economy, travellers are often eager to learn or share tips and tricks to making it more comfortable.

Travellers have shared how to get a free row of seats on a flight, as well as how to weaponise your aircon to prevent passengers in front of you reclining too far.