Why Do Some Airplane Seats Skip Numbers? The Superstitions Behind Airline Seating

Have you ever boarded an airplane and noticed that some seat numbers seem to be missing? It's not a random oversight, but a thoughtful practice rooted in cultural beliefs. Airlines, mindful of their passengers' sensitivities, often skip specific seat numbers associated with bad luck in various cultures.

The Number 13: A Global Superstition

Many cultures associate the number 13 with misfortune. Several airlines, including Ryanair, Air France, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airlines, Emirates, KLM, Iberia, and Lufthansa, avoid using the 13th row on some of their planes. This avoidance stems from triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13.

The Number 17: A Roman Numeral Conundrum

Lufthansa takes this avoidance a step further and skips the number 17 entirely. The reason? The Roman numeral for 17 (XVII) can be rearranged to spell "VIXI", which translates to "my life is over" in Latin.

The Number 14: A Chinese Superstition

United Airlines Polaris joins the list, also skipping the 14th row. This is due to the number 14 sounding similar to "will die" in Chinese.

The Number 4: An East Asian Concern

In some East Asian cultures, the number 4 is associated with death. This superstition leads certain airlines in these regions to avoid using the number 4 in their seating arrangements.

Why do some airlines skip certain seat numbers?

Airlines avoid using certain seat numbers due to cultural beliefs and superstitions associated with those numbers. Some cultures believe that specific numbers bring bad luck. To avoid making passengers uncomfortable, airlines often avoid using these numbers for seating.

What is the cultural belief behind avoiding seat number 13?

Many cultures associate the number 13 with bad luck, a belief known as triskaidekaphobia. Therefore, several airlines avoid using the 13th row on some of their planes to honor this superstition.

What is the cultural belief behind avoiding seat number 17?

Lufthansa avoids the number 17 entirely due to its Roman numeral representation, XVII, which can be rearranged to spell "VIXI". In Latin, this translates to "my life is over", carrying a negative connotation.

What is the cultural belief behind avoiding seat number 14?

In Chinese culture, the number 14 sounds similar to "will die", making it an inauspicious number. United Airlines Polaris avoids the 14th row to avoid discomfort for passengers with this cultural belief.

What is the cultural belief behind avoiding seat number 4?

In some East Asian cultures, the number 4 is associated with death. Airlines in these regions might avoid using the number 4 in seating arrangements to avoid discomfort for passengers who hold this belief.

Respecting Cultural Beliefs

Airlines understand and respect the cultural beliefs of their passengers. By avoiding these numbers, they aim to honor these superstitions and ensure that no one feels uncomfortable during their journey. While not everyone subscribes to these beliefs, skipping these numbers reflects the airline's consideration and respect for the diverse cultural backgrounds of their travelers.