Interesting topic.

I have used budget airlines for years but I alway check BA and Swiss and have been surprised to find the major carriers cheaper on some routes. If its a little more expensive I will often choose BA or Swiss for the free drink, the snack and the assigned seat.

I hate the boarding scrum too and if I am travelling alone will often be the very last passenger on.

A thing that works quite often is to wait until last then cast your eye until you see a couple with an empty seat between them with the guy in the outside seat usually (Providing the flight isn't full of course) and take a chance on that middle seat, especially if its near the front of the plane. Quite often the guy will smooth over to the center seat so that he can sit next to his companion. Works about 8 out of ten times.