PICKING a seat before a flight can be a tricky one, when trying to choose between a great window view or space to stretch the legs.

Choosing the wrong seat could mean a long plane journey that is rather uncomfortable.

Getting the right seat can make all the difference when flyingUsing TripAdvisor's SeatGuru, Sun Online Travel has picked some of the most popular airlines among Brits and broken down the best and worst economy seats to select on the carriers' most typical aircraft.

The website searches through thousands of seat reviews by travellers and the maps where is best -and worst to sit on a plane.

Some of the results are surprising, for example, the front row of the plane normally means you get off first and get fed first -but not every seat up front is the best.

Others are more obvious, like steering clear of the back row on most airlines, as you won't be able to properly recline your seat and may not even have a window.

There are a few hidden gems worth searching out though, like seats in the middle of the economy section that provide maximum value for money with some extra features over the standard seat.

Read on to find out which seat to pick on your next flight – with the green seats listed as the top spots and the yellow seats as the ones to avoid.

British Airways – Airbus A380-800

BA's largest aircraft used for long-haul flights, the A380 carries more than 300 economy passengers, as well as an extra 55 economy Plus passengers.

Anyone travelling on one of these planes should avoid row 42 on the lower deck, and row 78 on the upper deck.

These are the last rows in the section, meaning they have limited reclining room and are also next to the toilets – so you will always have someone queuing next to your seat.

Similarly, lower row 31 and upper rows 82 and 83 aren't the best seats to choose due to their close proximity to the galley.

This means you'll be kept awake by the noise and light as flight attendants prepare meals and chat.

While exit rows are an obvious choice for extra leg room, seat 25 D is the best economy spot on this flight.

Due to a missing seat in front, meaning you get a huge amount of leg room without having to worry about memorising how to operate the emergency exit door.

British Airways – Airbus A320 Domestic

The smaller Airbus used by BA, the A320 is an aircraft for much shorter flights.

Row 28 is the worst due to its restricted recline at the back of the plane, but there is another a line of seats that cause considerable discomfort for flyers.

On this plane, there is a section towards the front that can be converted to Club Europe, or Business Class – this means the middle seats in rows of three converted into a table area to give passengers more space.

SeatGuru warns that there gaps to the sides of these middle seats when they are used for economy fares, making them highly uncomfortable – don't choose seat B in rows 2-12 to avoid this problem.

As it is a smaller plane, the only real seats that have an advantage over others are the exit positions in rows 11 and 12, which have additional leg room.

British Airways – Boeing 787-9

This aircraft, when operated by BA, is the exception to the rule that exit rows have the best seats.

If you find yourself in row 30 and are allocated either window seat, you'll find yourself staring at a blank wall as there is no window there.

You may also find the exit door irritating, as some passengers have complained that it protrudes into your leg room.

Passengers who choose seats 41 A or K will be similarly unimpressed, as they won't have a window either.

The best seats in this small economy section are 30 D, E and F as they have extra leg room and a wall in front.

This means you won't have anyone reclining their seat in front and you don't need to stress about emergency exits.

Ryanair – Boeing 737-800

One of Europe's largest airlines for number of passengers carried, Ryanair has just one type of plane in their fleet, which carries 189 passengers.

Exit rows are usually the best seats on these planes, but seats D,E, and F in row 2 have also been given great reviews.

This is due to the extra leg room between the seat and the wall to the galley.

While technically the front row on the right hand side, the galley blocks a direct path to the emergency exit, meaning passengers in these seats don't have to operate them.

Seats 11A and 12F should be avoided if you want to look at the clouds though, as these window seats are in fact missing a window.

EasyJet – Airbus A320 V2

EastJet is the UK's largest airline, and it operates three types of aircraft.

The A320 V2 is their largest, seating 186 economy passengers.

The standard configuration of these planes makes the exit rows the best seats, while rows 11 and 31 are restricted reclining seats because they are behind the exit row and in front of the back wall, respectively.

Passengers sat in 30 C or 29 D may also find their trip slightly irritating as passengers queue for the toilets next to them.

Air France – Airbus A340-300

One of the biggest airlines in Europe, Air France operates a number of different version of their aircraft.

The A340-300, which seats more than 200 economy passengers, is the mid-range Airbus in their fleet.

If you find yourself booked on one of these, make sure you avoid seats D,E and F in row 43 as they have restricted leg room.

Seat Guru also warns that seats D and G in the row in front can be troublesome as they are often bumped into by other passengers due to the empty space behind.

Air France – Boeing 777-200ER V4

If you find yourself on the largest version of the Boeing 777 on an Air France journey, try to position yourself closer to the middle of the economy section and avoid the last few rows.

Row 48 has the worst space for reclining, while passengers in seats 44 C and J may find that people are constantly bumping into their seat from behind, due to a smaller row 45.

Passengers could also have this issue in seats 19 C and J, as they are occupying a space with no seat in front, making it a thoroughfare for cabin crew.

Most read in travel

British Airways was found to have some of the comfiest plane seats according to a study, for both long and short haul flights.

However, being able to sleep during a flight especially if flying with Delta Air Lines.

The airline recently announced planes to reduce reclining capacity from four inches to just two inches in economy.

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