On an American Airlines Boeing 737-800, for example, the seat-rating site SeatGuru warns of several “bad” seats, denoted in red. They include all the seats in row 30, at the back of the aircraft. The reasons are obvious: Like Conway's, the seats in row 30 are next to lavatories and don't fully recline.

On a Boeing 737-800, the "bad" seats are typically those with limited recline or missing windows. The absolute worst seats are often in the last row of the plane (typically Row 30 or 33 depending on the airline), as they usually do not recline and are located directly next to the lavatories and galley, meaning constant noise, foot traffic, and potential odors. Another major "trap" is the windowless window seat; on many 737-800 configurations (like those on American Airlines or Ryanair), seats 10A, 11A, or 12A may align perfectly with a blank interior wall where the air conditioning ducts run, leaving you with no view at all. Additionally, seats in the row directly in front of an emergency exit often have restricted recline to ensure they don't block the exit path. In 2026, it is a high-value strategy to check Aerolopa or SeatGuru for your specific airline's tail number, as "Row 12" on one carrier might be an extra-legroom row, while on another, it could be the dreaded windowless seat that ruins your scenic flight.