“After all, vacations don’t commence at our destination: They begin as soon as we board the plane”

Cross-continental adventurers often seek to cross borders that break comfort zones. But in order to reach those unknown horizons, we often must fly—and in uncomfortably tight circumstances that ironically limit the very freedom we chase.
Before we step off the plane and into a land of unlimited opportunity, we are first confined by a series of set, stagnant choices: beef or chicken, coffee or tea, peanuts or pretzels, aisle or window. Wedged between these seating options lies the most cited challenge a third of many economy passengers face: the middle seat. Statistically, the middle seat is no man’s land. According to polls by Skyscanner, only one percent of travelers choose the middle seat over the window or aisle. All three seats are physically uniform, measuring an average of 16....