Way Worse Than The Middle Seat

If ever you needed inspiration to research your seat assignment before boarding a flight, here it is. A letter from a disgruntled traveler to Continental Airlines outlines the miserable experience had on a December 21 flight from San Diego to Houston when the passenger was seated in seat 29E, which was, according to the passenger, right next to the lavatory.

The letter, which is circulating the internet, is the subject of an article in today's Washington Post. According to the newspaper, however, the seat is not directly next to the lavatory, but one seat away. Therefore, the passenger either was mistaken about his or her seat assignment or traded seats.

"All my senses are being tortured simultaneously," the passenger wrote. "It's difficult to say what the worst part of sitting in 29E really is? Is it the stench of the sanitation fluid that is blown all over my body every 60 seconds when the door opens? Is it the whoosh of the constant flushing? Or is it the passengers' asses that seem to fit into my personal space like a pornographic jigsaw puzzle?"

The passenger went so far as to construct a "stink shield" fashioned from a blanket hanging from the overhead compartment.

The Washington Post reported that a Continental spokesperson said the airline contacted the passenger to apologize for the unpleasant trip. The flight was full, the airline said; otherwise they would have moved him to another seat.

Continental is certainly not the only airline with seats next to the lavatory. Do your research before selecting a seat on your next flight or risk the luck of the draw. Start by reading our article of Get the Best Seat.

To see a complete copy of the letter, click here.