Is it possible to purchase an empty seat on an airline?

[JudithLynne]

I am curious if anyone out there has purchased an empty airline seat for comfort purposes and if so, what was your experience? My husband and I would love to do that on a transatlantic flight but have read a few horror stories about those that have done this and ended up having the empty seat filled due to over booking. There was even one story on a website that a couple could not get their money back for the empty seat! We are not overweight so could not purchase an extra seat for that reason.

 

Is there any way to do this? We really can’t budget for upgraded seating tickets, but could afford an additional economy ticket.

 

Thanks for any feedback….

 

 

Judith

[Eboracum_d]

I have a musician friend who bus a ticket for his cello to have a seat next to him. But I know he sometimes has to be very insistent when he arrives at check-in. The cello is worth thousands of pounds so cannot be taken in the hold.

[Gardyloo]

Yes of course it can be done. You need to make the booking on the phone, not online. Usually the airline will book the seat under one of the traveler's names, with an annotation of "XTRA" or some such.

 

You'd be best booking this with an airline that allows (free) advance seat selection, rather than one like British Airways where you either have to pay for a seat selection (before 24 hours pre-flight) or can't pre-select at all.

 

There are horror stories about everything, but this is done quite often.

[Bowie MeMe]

Air New Zealand is trying the 3 seat approach and calling it a "sky couch". I have not purchased it so don't know how comfortable. Probably some reviews of it (I'm thinking Australian Business Flyer or Flyer Talk) if you google it. Last November, we flew to Beijing China a 14 hour flight from Washington DC. We booked the United economy plus fare and choose midway back in the section and the aisle seats of the middle section in 2x3x2 seating. Going was more crowded but we did have the whole row of 3 seats to ourselves and we each had the aisle seat we like. Returning every passenger in E+ section could have had a row of 3 seats to themselves. For $119 pp each flight when we booked I thought it made the flight much more comfortable. I too just can not see doubling the fare for BC or FC which is even more.

 

I prefer planes that have 2x3x2 seating and choose either a 2 seat or aisle and aisle across from each other. In E+ we try both aisles of a 3 seat. I don't like the seats without a seat in front. I do need all the width I can get and the tray table makes those seats stiff and uncomfortable. If you buy a seat for comfort just keep your ticket out to show you own that bit of space for the whole flight. If you let them they might try to take the seat you paid for but you have a legal right to the seat. You don't have to be mean but you do have to be able to stand up for yourself. Don't expect the flight attendant to fight the battle for you--usually they don't. I have found that since airlines have started charging for specific seats or to even choose your seat that people are more likely to say this is my seat and I paid extra for it so I want what I paid for. I don't want to ask someone to change seats and I don't want to be asked. I made my decision and paid for seat and that is MY seat for the duration of the flight. If someone else just must have the seat I chose, well "NO"

[Scrapnana]

I am curious if anyone out there has purchased an empty airline seat for comfort purposes and if so, what was your experience? My husband and I would love to do that on a transatlantic flight but have read a few horror stories about those that have done this and ended up having the empty seat filled due to over booking. There was even one story on a website that a couple could not get their money back for the empty seat! We are not overweight so could not purchase an extra seat for that reason.

 

Is there any way to do this? We really can’t budget for upgraded seating tickets, but could afford an additional economy ticket.

 

Thanks for any feedback….

 

 

Judith

 

I would think two economy plus tickets would be less than 3 economy tickets. On my last transatlantic flight we were upgraded to economy plus and now I would not fly long haul in economy ever again.

[Keith1010]

We have friends who have purchased an empty seat.

 

Keith

[JudithLynne]

I have been looking at Icelandair. Economy is $444pp, Economy plus is $1400pp which is why we are wondering about purchasing an extra economy seat.

 

Judith

[Zach1213]

I have been looking at Icelandair. Economy is $444pp, Economy plus is $1400pp which is why we are wondering about purchasing an extra economy seat.

 

Judith

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Economy Comfort on Icelandair (or whatever they call it) just 1-2" extra legroom with a middle seat blocked off (but not any wider seat)? I've never flown them in that setup but I believe to be the case. They're really charging an extra $1,000 for that?? If so, wow.

[JudithLynne]

You are correct in your description of “economy comfort” which is why my husband and I were asking…..”Why don’t we purchase 3 economy class seats and leave the middle one empty?” I goggled it and found that it is always not easily done. Most of the stories I read on airline chat lines said that after purchasing an empty seat, passengers were asked (or ordered) to give them up because of overbooking. I have to admit that I have never seen empty seats on an overbooked flight. I posted this thread thinking that my fellow CC’ers may have had personal experience with this.

 

Judith

[Zach1213]

Okay. I was just curious if I was following FI's seating correctly. That's just ridiculous.

[greatam]

You are correct in your description of “economy comfort” which is why my husband and I were asking…..”Why don’t we purchase 3 economy class seats and leave the middle one empty?” I goggled it and found that it is always not easily done. Most of the stories I read on airline chat lines said that after purchasing an empty seat, passengers were asked (or ordered) to give them up because of overbooking. I have to admit that I have never seen empty seats on an overbooked flight. I posted this thread thinking that my fellow CC’ers may have had personal experience with this.

 

Judith

 

If your MT seat is booked the way Gardyloo posted AND all three seats are on the same PRN, IMHO, to force you to give up your extra seat would REQUIRE the airline to IDB (INVOLUNTARY DENIED BOARDING) ALL THREE seats. IDB is about the ONLY way an airline can FORCE you to give up your seat. They can't ORDER you to give up your seat without appropriate compensation. IF people gave up their extra seats, they either got compensation or were naive and gave them up voluntarily.

 

Could cost the airline quite a bit of money because IDB rules state that IF the airline CANNOT get you to your destination within FOUR hours of your ORIGINALLY scheduled arrival time (internationally, this would be a very likely scenario), you are eligible for up to 400% of 1/2 of the one way fare. By my calculations, that would be about $2600 just splitting your fare in 1/2.

 

IF you have the extra time, I sure would take the chance on either VDB (voluntary) or IDB and possibly have your air trip totally paid for by the airline and then some.

 

Almost EVERY flight I get on, I put my name on the VDB list BEFORE I ever board the plane. LOTS of nice goodies-always ask for the MONEY. And negotiate HARD, particularly if it is a long flight. The cash is more valuable than the flight vouchers unless you fly one particular airline a lot.

 

I will almost bet most of the stories you read were on US airlines. And more than likely, involved more inexperienced travelers than not. There are just too many consumer protection rules with EU and European airlines to have those airlines FORCE someone to give up their extra seat except in dire emergency.

[kenish]

The other potential pitfall is the armrests in some seat rows do not fold up. For example, the first row "bulkhead" seats have trays that stow into bins between the seats. If you purchase an extra seat, make sure you can request a specific row, and not one with stationary armrests.

 

If there is an equipment change, or some other irregularity with the flight that puts you in a "bad" row, I'm not sure what compensation would be due.

 

All this said, there are not too many rows on a typical plane that you need to worry about.