Intelligent seating is a method of seating assignment where the choice of a seat is determined by multiple factors. Those individuals who benefit from intelligent seating assignments face a reduced risk of encountering negative experiences.

Factors

Multiple factors contribute to a satisfactory seating assignment. Some are relative to the individual preferences about the spatial characteristics of the seat or their adjacency and others about the social context.

Spatial characteristics (location):

• Row number (at the front or at the back)
• Column letter (to one side or to the other)

Adjacency:

• Next to a wall or window
• Next to an aisle
• Neighboring other seats
• Legroom

Social context (neighbors' influence on the individual):

• Neighbours behavior
• Profile affinity
• Acquaintance with neighbors

Applications

Intelligent seating is particularly useful for space constraint venues and low mobility environments. For example means of transportation (airplanes, buses, trains and ships) or tables (dining and conferences).

Air travelers would most benefit from Intelligent seating, due to the great consequences that seat assignment have on their travel experience. This argument is well debated by travelers communities.

Solutions

A "do your own" approach to intelligent seating for air travel is possible with the contribution of websites like SeatGuru

Seatguru

SeatGuru.com is a website that features aircraft seat maps, seat reviews, and a color-coded system to identify superior and substandard airline seats...

and Seatexpert.

The only existing solution to date for automated intelligent seating is provided by Satisfly, which focusses on the social context factor.