Two people, 3 airline seats?????

[waterbug123]

I guess that the reason I don't understand this is that it must be a very American thing to book two seats for one person. Is it even possible to do that outside America? I have never heared about anyone here do it.

 

 

What happens if the airplane is changed to a plane with only one seat on each side of the aisle? Will the person get one full row with an aisle in the middle or two seats on the same side?

 

It happens, but it's not all that common due to cost. I mean, it's not like all the planes here fly half full because everyone books 2 seats. But passengers of size sometimes do book 2 seats.

 

If the aircraft were to change to a commuter plane with one seat on each side of the aisle, I would imagine that the pax who booked two seats would either decide, based on the duration of the flight, that they could manage with one seat and would get a refund of the 2nd seat, or they wouldn't accept the change and would adjust their travel plans to fly on a later flight that was still on a mainline aircraft.

[sverigecruiser]

It happens, but it's not all that common due to cost. I mean, it's not like all the planes here fly half full because everyone books 2 seats. But passengers of size sometimes do book 2 seats.

 

 

I understand that some passengers have to book two seats because of size and that that is required by some (all?) airlines.

 

What I don't understand is that some people do it just to get more space and that the airlines allow it. If someone want more space, shouldn't they book businessclass instead of economy? (I know that business can be the same seats with the same pitch as economy but often there is more space in business than in economy.)

[sverigecruiser]

If the aircraft were to change to a commuter plane with one seat on each side of the aisle, I would imagine that the pax who booked two seats would either decide, based on the duration of the flight, that they could manage with one seat and would get a refund of the 2nd seat, or they wouldn't accept the change and would adjust their travel plans to fly on a later flight that was still on a mainline aircraft.

 

Is it always allowed to cancel one of the seats and get a refund for the 2nd seat? What if someone is scared and don't want to fly with a smaller plane, can they cancel for free too?

[Bo1953]

I understand that some passengers have to book two seats because of size and that that is required by some (all?) airlines.

 

What I don't understand is that some people do it just to get more space and that the airlines allow it. If someone want more space, shouldn't they book businessclass instead of economy? (I know that business can be the same seats with the same pitch as economy but often there is more space in business than in economy.)

 

s - For some of us, this includes me, if we pay for two (2) seats, then we want the space. Often times the airlines will not care as the seats are paid for at the price which the person who is booking is willing to pay.

 

I have recently heard of on another board where someone purchased two (2) seats on an overbooked flight and they were paid twice the normal offer to give up one... which they were happy to do at that price for a few hours of 'inconvenience'. I suppose that I would as well...

 

I Am not advocating that people do this to make money and for free flights, but as an example of someone who had..

 

bon voyage

[Globaliser]

I guess that the reason I don't understand this is that it must be a very American thing to book two seats for one person. Is it even possible to do that outside America?

Yes, it is.

 

I've already posted about Aer Lingus, because that story made the news. I know that British Airways also offers this. I would be surprised if other airlines do not; after all, all airlines have ways of allowing cellos to travel in the cabin with their owners, with the cello strapped to an extra seat.

[GeezerCouple]

Yes, it is.

 

I've already posted about Aer Lingus, because that story made the news. I know that British Airways also offers this. I would be surprised if other airlines do not; after all, all airlines have ways of allowing cellos to travel in the cabin with their owners, with the cello strapped to an extra seat.

 

Decades ago, my mother used to travel occasionally for work, and she always had three seats.

 

The "names" on the reservation were: "Mrs <GeezerCouple's Mother> and 4 black bags".

There were two "black bags" in each of the other two seats.

 

She worked for a museum, and needed to transport particularly fragile/irreplaceable items.

 

She reported getting quite a few strange looks.

No one ever asked what was in the bags (and she would have declined to answer, other than for Security purposes, and that only in private).

 

For all anyone knew, she used empty briefcases to keep those seats for herself.

[ducklite]

I understand that some passengers have to book two seats because of size and that that is required by some (all?) airlines.

 

What I don't understand is that some people do it just to get more space and that the airlines allow it. If someone want more space, shouldn't they book businessclass instead of economy? (I know that business can be the same seats with the same pitch as economy but often there is more space in business than in economy.)

 

Air New Zealand not only allows it, but they encourage two people traveling together to book three economy seats to share between them.

[sverigecruiser]

Yes, it is.

 

I've already posted about Aer Lingus, because that story made the news. I know that British Airways also offers this. I would be surprised if other airlines do not; after all, all airlines have ways of allowing cellos to travel in the cabin with their owners, with the cello strapped to an extra seat.

 

Interesting that it's possibly to do on BA. I have never heared about that and I only fly with BA if its not superinconvenient to do, for example if we shall be in Oslo during a weekend! (SAS from Stockholm to Oslo is better for such a short tripp!)

[waterbug123]

I understand that some passengers have to book two seats because of size and that that is required by some (all?) airlines.

 

What I don't understand is that some people do it just to get more space and that the airlines allow it.

 

Right, but I think maybe you're under the impression that it is a very frequent occurance and it's not. Does it happen? Yes. But it most flights are full, and don't have a single passenger on them hoarding two seats. Bottom line is that most Americans want the cheapest seat available. They won't pay a few dollars extra to choose a seat with more legroom for instance, let alone purchase two seats. ;)

 

Is it always allowed to cancel one of the seats and get a refund for the 2nd seat? What if someone is scared and don't want to fly with a smaller plane, can they cancel for free too?

 

Airlines are generally pretty flexible when THEY initiate the schedule change. If the flight was on a small plane all along, and the pax booked knowing that, I doubt they'd be as flexible if the person just walked up to board and then changed their mind at the last minute. But if the flight was booked on a 737 and the airline changed it to a tiny regional jet, one would have a pretty good argument for getting reaccommodated on another flight, or in the case of "one seat on each side of the aisle," for getting that 2nd seat canceled. Same as if you book your flight with a 9am departure and the airline changes it to a 7am departure which doesn't work for your schedule. You can generally get a refund or request reaccommodation to a different flight.