In these years of record airline passenger loads, nearly-full airplanes are the norm. And despite when or how you book, you can't always count on a decent seat. Consumer Reports Travel Letter (CRTL) has gone out in search of comfort in the skies: It's there if you're willing to use a little strategy.

"Comfort is not the highest priority on short-range flights; reliability is," says Sean Griffin, a spokesman for Boeing. Apparently travelers want to save money and arrive on time, not pay for unnecessary frills. Low-fare carrier Southwest Airlines bears this out, with its minimal service and mostly short-haul routes, but a strong record of customer satisfaction based on a consistently low number of consumer complaints filed with the Department of Transportation.

But on long flights, comfort becomes more important. And although conventional wisdom dictates that economy-class passengers aren't willing to pay more for comfort, there are a growing number of premium economy cabins to choose from.

The benchmark of airline seating comfort is pitch, the front-to-rear spacing of seat rows. Seats are installed along tracks in the aircraft floor, and seat pitch is determined by the airline. The two major commercial aircraft manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus, disclaim any responsibility for pitch and other seating details, which are left entirely to the airlines and seat manufacturers subcontracted by the airlines. Widebody aircraft are generally seven to nine seats across, but some carriers manage to cram in ten seats abreast.

Seat width, typically measured across the cushion between armrests, is another airline decision. Our survey of seat width didn't turn up any standouts, just standardization: Seats on long-haul planes are generally between 17 and 18 inches wide, even on the newest aircraft, and no economy-class seat measured wider than 18.5 inches. By comparison, we found the norms to be 19-20 inches in business class, and 19.5-21.5 inches in first class. As for pitch, the industry has largely settled on a standard of a very tight 31 to 32 inches, with some exceptions.

Standardization aside, there can be important differences among airlines when it comes to aircraft configuration. Consumer Reports Travel Letter investigated the good and the bad of economy-class seating to help you avoid some of the worst seats in the sky, and if possible, find a little extra room (see the chart below).


Tips to fly by

Here are ten strategies for landing good seats--or maneuvering out of bad ones:

• Book seats early. Don't wait to reserve seats: Always pick them when buying your ticket, even if the selection is dismal. If you can't, you may be on an oversold flight. Airline reservationists will tell if the flight is overbooked--but usually only if you ask. Some airlines won't book seats in advance for very-low-fare or consolidator tickets-so you should get to the airport early.
  
  
• Ask detailed questions. Location matters, so try to book away from the lavatory and galley. Be sure to ask if the seat reclines. Cabin configurations change frequently, so avoid the last rows of cabin sections and the rows just in front of emergency exit rows--where nonrecliners are typically found.
  
  
• Choose exit rows carefully. Some aircraft have two midcabin exit rows-both have extra legroom, and the second one reclines but the first may not. You'll have to decide if the extra legroom compensates for the stiffbacked seat.
  
  
• Be wary of bulkheads. Be sure to weigh whether the extra legroom is worth the lack of underseat storage. In addition, bulkhead seats are near the galley, the lavatories, or both, increasing hassles such as noise, traffic, and bad odors.
  
  
• Ask for seats closer to the front of the cabin. Many airline reservation systems are programmed to book from the back of the cabin to the front, and may offer you seats farther back when there's still availability up front. Sitting up front usually offers two advantages: often you're likely to be served first, and generally you will exit first, which is especially important if you're connecting to another flight.
  
  
• Get creative with seat requests. If the plane isn't full, couples sometimes request a window and an aisle seat, hoping that the middle seat will remain empty, or that a newcomer will agree to change places for the more-desirable aisle or window. Or they can book two aisle seats across from each other, so both have more space. Aisle seats in the center section may mean passengers continually climbing over you; but these middle seats are assigned late, so you may end up with more space.
  
  
• Work with a travel agent. Travel agencies with preferred airline relationships may be able to call in requests for seat assignments, even if those seats are blocked. On full flights, a travel agent's ability to pull some strings can save you a lot of misery at a nominal cost.
  
  
• Show up early. If your seat is dismal, arrive at the airport very early--hours early--and request reassignment. Airlines typically block a large number of seats for premium frequent flyers and full-fare passengers, and hold some desirable seats until departure day. However, airlines may also take away your prized seats if you check in late, so it pays to be early.
  
  
• Get seat assignments all the way through your itinerary. If you've got lousy seats and have connecting flights, request reassignment all the way through that day's flights. Theoretically you're checking in very early even for the later legs of your trip and have a shot at the better seats held until the day of departure.
  
  
• Be careful when switching seats at the airport. Ask the check-in agent to search for better available seats before canceling your reserved seats--or you may end up in the rear of the cabin, even if you booked months in advance.