Airlines with easy Y extra seat purchase?

[brucebrad]

Are there any airlines where purchasing an extra seat in economy (eg 3 seats for two people) is relatively easy? In particular, between Australia and Europe. I'm not (that) fat, but am looking at extra space for a forthcoming trip

 

[bpc]

Phillipine Airlines was very easy: myPAL Seat Select Neighbor-Free

I used it a couple of years ago flying back from Manila, was $70 USD, bargain. I'm not wide but am 6'3" and an neighbour-free seat is worth much more than an extra legroom seat to me, you get the legroom on the diagonal

PA don't fly direct to Europe from Oz though - but then you could always go via Manila and take advantage of Strategies for Cheap Business Class Flights to Europe - J from Manila can be cheaper than Y from Oz.

 

[Forg]

This is what Air New Zealand’s Skycouch product is, innit?
That should be easy to book; doubt it’s as cheap as US$70 though.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Are there any airlines where purchasing an extra seat in economy (eg 3 seats for two people) is relatively easy? In particular, between Australia and Europe. I'm not (that) fat, but am looking at extra space for a forthcoming trip

BA and Qantas comes to mind. Both are easy, and both take off the taxes fees and charges for the extra seat.

You need to call however and book the extra seat at the time of initial booking/purchase.

That will guarantee you the spare seat in the middle, where as some of the other ‘extra seat’ options are dependent on availability.

I believe cathay pacific will also sell you a gauaranteed extra seat for comfort… but I haven’t had any feedback on how easy it is to do it.

 

[bpc]

PA don't fly direct to Europe from Oz though - but then you could always go via Manila and take advantage of Strategies for Cheap Business Class Flights to Europe - J from Manila can be cheaper than Y from Oz.

while Y is often much much cheaper, just did a quick google flights search and you could get a return to Paris leaving next week & coming back in a fortnight for all of $1116. Manila's great for a stopover

 

[trooper]

This is what Air New Zealand’s Skycouch product is, innit?
That should be easy to book; doubt it’s as cheap as US$70 though.

Well not really. If buying the Skycouch "for one" its THREE seats... and they have what is effectively a second seat "pan" hinged down at the front which converts the trio to a short, but reasonably wide bed....with special belts and a pretty nice bedding pack... Wouldn't recommend it for 2 Adults.

 

[Forg]

Well not really. If buying the Skycouch "for one" its THREE seats... and they have what is effectively a second seat "pan" hinged down at the front which converts the trio to a short, but reasonably wide bed....with special belts and a pretty nice bedding pack... Wouldn't recommend it for 2 Adults.

But given it’s for 2, the cost halves c/f for 1, and nobody’s sitting in that middle seat.
And it can be booked online.
I dunno how good it’d be for one adult trying to lie down, 4.5’ if you’re lucky, that’s trying to sleep pretty curled-up …

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Noting that air NZ doesn’t fly to europe, so while maybe an option to asia or the usa, skycouch ain’t gonna hall the OP

 

[Forg]

Noting that air NZ doesn’t fly to europe, so while maybe an option to asia or the usa, skycouch ain’t gonna hall the OP

Oops, I scrood that up then … I plugged one of the big Euro airports into their site and got a fare, they must’ve code-shared part of the flight!

 

[brucebrad]

I see Turkish Airlines offer extra seats as part of their online booking process. But only if you are a single passenger (as far as I can see). Anyone had experience with this?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I see Turkish Airlines offer extra seats as part of their online booking process. But only if you are a single passenger (as far as I can see). Anyone had experience with this?

Interesting! nice find.

The main difference seems to be that turkish will charge you most of the fees and charges for the second seat. I just did a dummy booking for february next year… one return to paris was $1400, but the two seats came to $2450. not quite double, but close.

Selecting the extra seat was easy, and seat blocking worked well… the very last row of their a359 has just two seats on the left side, selecting one of those blocked the other. Plus the space between the two seats and the cabin wall!

Probably a better option than premium economy on many airlines!

 

[Seat0B]

Slightly off topic, sorry, but I often wonder how the extra seat works in practice if you are in a row of 3 or more seats. Say you’re in aisle and have seat next to you as paid extra seat. How do you stop person in window seat thinking it’s just been left empty by good fortune and encroaching on your paid free seat?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Slightly off topic, sorry, but I often wonder how the extra seat works in practice if you are in a row of 3 or more seats. Say you’re in aisle and have seat next to you as paid extra seat. How do you stop person in window seat thinking it’s just been left empty by good fortune and encroaching on your paid free seat?

You have to let them know, it’s the only way.

But you’re probably going to have a hard time telling the window person the can’t put their foot into the middle ground!

I suppose you could put your cabin bag under the middle seat to ‘claim’ the space.

During drinks and meals the polite thing to do would still be to share the middle seat tray table.