In 2007, SeatGuru was acquired by TripAdvisor, then owned by the travel corporation Expedia. The merger aims to combine two worlds: traveler reviews on the one hand, and accurate information about seats and planes on the other. But over the years, and similar to other cases of corporate acquisitions, the site was abandoned.
Updates on new aircraft models became rare, the website interfaces were not adapted to the mobile era, and the information on the aircraft structure became outdated. Many of the models that appeared on SeatGuru no longer exist, while new models such as the Airbus A321 Neo or the Boeing 787 in the updated versions were not mentioned at all. This is how the site, which used to be considered the travelers’ bible, became less relevant and full of errors.
In the last few days, the site was closed for good, and its web address seatguru.com points directly to the TripAdvisor website, without notice or explanation. Seasoned surfers who were used to relying on it before every flight expressed disappointment on social media, with one of them writing: “I wish they would bring the site back, it was the most useful tool before every long flight.” However, an old archived version of SeatGuru can still be found but it is not updated and does not include accurate data on new aircraft.
And what are the alternatives today for passengers who want to know where it is best to sit? One of the prominent alternatives is the AeroLOPA site, which is considered the spiritual successor of SeatGuru. The site displays accurate charts of dozens of airlines, including detailed graphics for every seat, window, partition and toilet.
However, unlike its predecessor, AeroLOPA is aimed more at aviation enthusiasts rather than ordinary passengers, as it focuses on technical details and does not provide practical recommendations regarding the comfort or disadvantages of specific seats.
Other sites that try to fill the void are SeatMaps and SeatLink that offer user reviews and opinions on seats by type of plane and airline. Both include passenger experiences, comfort ratings and general information about seat recline or the amount of space between rows, but according to many users they don’t compare to the comfort and clarity offered by SeatGuru at its peak.
Meanwhile, many passengers are reverting to the old ways: searching Facebook groups of aviation enthusiasts, perusing YouTube reviews, or simply asking ground attendants at check-in about the location of the quieter, more spacious seats.