Summary
- Seat 11A on Ryanair’s Boeing 737-800s doesn’t feature a window due to the aircraft’s air conditioning system.
- Many other airlines, such as Alaska Airlines, also have windowless window seats on certain aircraft models.
- It may be advised to double-check before booking a window seat to ensure it actually has a window.
Some airlines are more criticized by the masses than others, even when it’s not warranted. One carrier that people commonly say is difficult to fly with, despite incredible fare prices, is Ryanair. For all the airline gets called out for in comment sections and forums, perhaps one specific seat in its Boeing 737 cabin gathers the lion’s share of dissatisfaction: 11A.
As is standard, every “A” seat on Ryanair’s many 737-800 examples is a window seat on a passenger’s right-hand side after boarding. Well, all except one. 11A can be found in the middle of the forward economy class section (the first few rows are “Premium,” featuring a couple more inches of pitch) and is the one “window seat” that doesn’t feature a window. Just when passengers thought they’d be able to enjoy some views on the short European journey, they are greeted by a white wall.
Why no window?
- The Boeing 737’s cabin air conditioning system ducts are in the way
- Two ‘packs’ regulate the airflow and temperature in the cabin.
- High-temperature, high-pressure air from the engines is bled into the packs for cooling and conditioning.
- The air travels to the cabin via a series of ducts built into the sidewall of the aircraft.
- One of these ducts is located alongside seat 11A in the Ryanair 737-800 cabin.
According to Flightradar24, the massive European ultra-low-cost carrier’s special seat lacks a window because of the Boeing 737-800’s air conditioning system. As explained, A/C on today’s aircraft is facilitated by a set of air cycle and refrigeration systems called “packs,” typically found around the main landing gear.
Hot, high-pressure air is taken, or bled, from the aircraft engines into the packs, where the machines turn it into cool air for passengers to enjoy. Several ducts are found along the sides of aircraft walls to help deliver it to the cabin; one can be found next to Seat 11A instead of a window.
Of course, not all aircraft are built equally, so your luck may vary depending on your carrier and even the specific example within an airline. But given that the windowless window seat is a function of engineering rather than just removing a window for the fun of it, Ryanair’s Boeing 737-800s is not the only plane with the infamous 11A option.

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Other airlines to look out for
Airline |
Seats |
Comments |
---|---|---|
Ryanair |
11A and 12A |
No window, avoid |
Buzz |
12A |
Avoid |
Malta Air |
12A, 14A |
No windows or partially blocked |
Alaska Airlines |
9A (737-700), 10A (737-800), 11A (737-900/ER) |
No window |
Horizon Air (historic) |
11A (de Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400) |
Partially obstructed view |
Regarding the Ryanair Group at large, Flightradar24 suggests avoiding seat 11A and even 12A with Ryanair, 12A with Buzz, and 12A with Malta Air, as row 12’s (and sometimes row 14’s) windows are partially blocked for the same reason.
Alaska Airlines is very forward with limitations on 737 Next Hration airliners, explaining that seat 9A on the -700 has no window, 10A on the -800, and 11A on the -900 and -900ER. Furthermore, before Horizon Air ended its De Haviland Canada Dash 8 Q400 service, the turboprop’s row 11 had a partially obstructed view.
In many cases, if you attempt to book a windowless window seat online, the carrier will inform you with a popup warning.
So, the next time you fly, even if the seat map diagram shows a window, it’s worth double-checking with one of the many online resources available. Or perhaps this is precisely what you’re looking for when taking those 6:00 AM departures. While the other window seat passengers struggle to get a nap in with the sunrise, you can rest peacefully against the wall.

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Ryanair keeps rising higher
- $22bn investment in new greener aircraft
- One of the youngest fleets of any major European airline (avg. age under 9 yrs)
- ‘Gamechanger’ aircraft: 40% less noise, 16% less fuel burn and 4% more seats
- 60g CO2 emissions per pax/km by 2030
Despite customer complaints, the demand has continuously been increasing and Ryanair is responding with more seats on routes and through its fleet modernization program. According to Ryanair,
“As Europe’s cleanest and greenest airline group we’re investing $22bn in 210 new Boeing 737-8200 ‘Gamechanger’ aircraft: 4% more guests, 16% less fuel burn and 40% less noise emissions. In March 2023 we received our 100th ‘Gamechanger’ aircraft.”
“By 2034 we will receive a further 300 new Boeing 737- MAX 10 aircraft which not only carry 21% more guests, but burn 20% less fuel and are 50% quieter than our Boeing 737-NG Fleet.”
Photo: London Stansted Airport