‘I gained Ryanair lotto and acquired greatest seat on flight – it modified my life without end’

Take one look at social media and you’ll see swathes of people complaining about their randomly allocated seat on a Ryanair flight.

More often than not, those complaining about the lack of legroom and their windowless window seat are met with a sassy response from the airline.

However, there was nothing about my recent flight from London Stanstead to Eindhoven, Netherlands, that compelled me to take to X and have a viral grumble.

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And that’s because I was lucky enough to be chosen for the best seat in the house (or aircraft), all while avoiding splashing out the extra £20 or so for the pleasure.

That’s right, the travel Gods were on my side for once it was me who bagged the coveted 1A spot – and all from the random seat allocator.

It’s the seat that people look at and wonder ‘how much money did you spaff to sit here’ or ‘why not me’ as they pass and make their way to their infamous 30-inch legroom and 16-inch wide seat (the tightest in the game).

But while my seat wasn’t any wider, oh did I have more – much more – than the 30 measly inches of leg space provided to those in the rows behind.

If you’re still wondering what on earth is so good about seat 1A on a Ryanair flight…well, let me tell you.

The spot is right at the front of the aircraft meaning you have absolutely no one sitting in front of you – and that means lots of leg space for an outward sprawl.

It’s certainly a rarity on Ryanair and other budget airlines. But, what is even better, is that it’s the seat right next to the door. And that means you’re the first to get off.

No standing awkwardly in your row, tilting your head at uncomfortable angles and gradually forcing those next to you to budge so you can grab your bag from the overhead and attempt to disembark.

You’ll neither be huffing and puffing waiting in the tediously slow aisle queue nor have to drag your rucksack in hopes you won’t hit another passenger within the limited moving space.

Let’s just say, seat 1A was bliss for me so no wonder I was the envy of everyone else – including my friend who checked us in but was allocated one of the worst seats in the middle of the aircraft.

Although Ryanair does not have first-class seating, you can bet I felt like royalty with my legs not awkwardly bent, but free to stretch out as I pleased.

However, getting the best seat on the flight does come with its downsides. What could be so bad about drawing the budget airline equivalent to Willy Wonka’s golden ticket?

Well, you are in the direct eye-line of the air stewards so take-off was a bit awkward, to say the least. I managed to make eye contact with one of the staff as we strapped in and started to shoot through the air.

So I opted for twisting my neck for five minutes during the ascent just out of pure British awkwardness. They’re also very anal about making sure all belongings are stashed away.

Even though I didn’t pay for a bag, it had to be stored in the overhead store instead of under the seat. And what’s more, I took my sunglasses off for a moment and was swiftly told I had to wear them or put them up with my bag.

It’s because of health and safety reasons, which I get, but can’t a girl rub her tired early-morning flight-inflicted eyes?

I guess not.

So to reassure the flight attendants that I wouldn’t drop my sunglasses and cause a potential trip hazard to literally no one in front of me, I put my black shades back on like I’m some sort of celebrity.

I mean, I have got the best seat on the flight so I might as well look the part.

After a short 50 minutes, it was time to land and time to see just why seat 1A is the most sought-after chair onboard.

Departing from the flight made me feel incredibly important. I was the first person off and I have never had the luxury of being that before.

Despite being a Brit through and through, there was no need for me to partake in the great act of queuing.

I was the leader, the chosen one. It didn’t feel quite right, where is the polite hand signalling to let someone else go before you? Or the awkward sorry when you squeeze past one another?

For someone who usually checks-in and gets a seat in the middle of the flight, I relished in the moment I dreamt about for so long.

However, it didn’t get me through border control any quicker as I had to wait on the tarmac until my friend in the middle got off.

Apart from that, what a ride 1A was.

I’ve never paid for a seat on Ryanair, and I never had planned to. But, experiencing the delights of 1A for free might have changed my mind.

When you have that much legroom, how can you ever go back?