Virgin Australia Neighbour-Free Seating

[Mattg]

Virgin is rolling out the same Neighbour-Free Seating concept that Qantas introduced a couple of years ago. Basically, you can bid to have the seat next to you kept empty.

You can bid for Neighbour-Free in the same way you bid for an upgrade to business class. Or, within 48 hours of departure VA might offer Neighbour-Free for a fixed price. I've seen other airlines offer this recently when checking in online, such as Kenya Airways (of all airlines). Prices start from $30, according to VA.

It's not available in Economy X or J.

https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/travel-info/onboard-experience/neighbour-free-seating/

Initially this product is available on the following routes:

• Melbourne-Adelaide
• Melbourne-Sydney
• Brisbane-Sydney
• Brisbane-Cairns
• Melbourne-Perth
• Sydney-Perth
• Brisbane-Samoa
• Melbourne-Bali

 

[kerfuffle]

I'd rather the seat behind me be free so that my bottom isn't assaulted by someone rifling in the seat pocket every 30 seconds when sitting in Y

Edit: Just had a look for my upcoming SYD-MEL return flight early October while looking at my Upgrade bids. Minimum bid is $30, max bid (at the moment) is $40

 

[ols]

Only really handy for Gold or below or no status.
It would be rare for platinum and above not to be Economy X or J

 

[aspro2]

But the same problem as always exists with this: Where you are in a row of 3+ seats, it will be hard to comfortably and practically "protect" the spare seat from encroachment by the adjacent passenger.

 

[justinbrett]

I’d rather Y with a NFS than YX and a neighbour.

But the same problem as always exists with this: Where you are in a row of 3+ seats, it will be hard to comfortably and practically "protect" the spare seat from encroachment by the adjacent passenger.

QF is quite clear that it is not your seat. They specifically say you can’t use it to store hand luggage etc. All you get is the absence of a neighbour. My mindset is the space is shared 50/50 with the other pax like when this happens by luck.

However, if someone physically sits in the sit or otherwise monopolies the space you’re within your rights to show your boarding pass where it states you booked the NFS.

 

[aspro2]

QF is quite clear that it is not your seat. They specifically say you can’t use it to store hand luggage etc. All you get is the absence of a neighbour. My mindset is the space is shared 50/50 with the other pax like when this happens by luck.

Oh that's good to know that expectations are managed clearly (re QF), though I suspect most people going down this path will probably still be in a "it's mine" mindset.

 

[PERLHR]

Only really handy for Gold or below or no status.
It would be rare for platinum and above not to be Economy X or J

Well yes but someone in 3b or 3e I think is also uncomfortable. Personally if not taken I think VA should be "blocking" the middle seat for Platinum with NO cost. BA do this for one if not full even way down the back.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Oh that's good to know that expectations are managed clearly (re QF), though I suspect most people going down this path will probably still be in a "it's mine" mindset.

It is technically your space, you paid for it. While it is true Qantas says you can’t use the seat itself to store luggage, they give the example of a child seat, additional hand luggage or a musical instrument. So the physical seat itself can’t be used. But I’d reckon the space under the seat in front is yours of the spare seat is your… so you could slot your hand luggage there, freeing up the space under your seat.

While a SYD-MEL flight i wouldn’t mind sharing, if a passenger got on a Bali flight and commented how lucky we were to have a spare seat in the middle I’d be pointing out that I had paid for it. So I’d be raising the armrest and getting a few extra inches of space, plus the legroom!

 

[PERLHR]

Mm. There is air rage over seat recline....I can just imagine the scenario on a Bali sector over that paid spare middle

 

[Brissy1]

It is technically your space, you paid for it. While it is true Qantas says you can’t use the seat itself to store luggage, they give the example of a child seat, additional hand luggage or a musical instrument. So the physical seat itself can’t be used. But I’d reckon the space under the seat in front is yours of the spare seat is your… so you could slot your hand luggage there, freeing up the space under your seat.

While a SYD-MEL flight i wouldn’t mind sharing, if a passenger got on a Bali flight and commented how lucky we were to have a spare seat in the middle I’d be pointing out that I had paid for it. So I’d be raising the armrest and getting a few extra inches of space, plus the legroom!

Yes you're officially "entitled" to more space. From VA (my bold) ...

Ready to fly Neightbour-Free?
Block one seat beside you for a more spacious Economy experience.
Enjoy more elbow room and personal space during your flight.
Stretch out and relax with added comfort.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Mm. There is air rage over seat recline....I can just imagine the scenario on a Bali sector over that paid spare middle

It works with comfort seats.

My friend had an offer - and paid for - a spare seat on a recent qantas flight to HKG. Presumably everyone else got the same offer, so pax would likely be aware that it exists, and the benefits,

 

[justinbrett]

Yes you're officially "entitled" to more space. From VA (my bold) ...

Ready to fly Neightbour-Free?
Block one seat beside you for a more spacious Economy experience.
Enjoy more elbow room and personal space during your flight.
Stretch out and relax with added comfort.

Pretty sure that doesn’t extend to using the far armrest though.

Both A and C can have more elbow room when B is vacant.

 

[Brissy1]

Pretty sure that doesn’t extend to using the far armrest though.

Both A and C can have more elbow room when B is vacant.

Well fine then, I'll book my actual seat as B! ( humorous comment only).

 

[deuteros]

In a row of 3, what if both the window and aisle passengers bid for neighbor free?

Does Virgin (and for that matter Qantas) collect both lots of bids (extra cash)?

There will be a nice discussion on board as to who "bought" the middle seat.

 

[Eastwick20]

In a row of 3, what if both the window and aisle passengers bid for neighbor free?

Does Virgin (and for that matter Qantas) collect both lots of bids (extra cash)?

There will be a nice discussion on board as to who "bought" the middle seat.

This happened to me on a Etihad flight

I boarded the aircraft and the lady leaned over to me and said
don't worry, I've paid extra for this middle seat to be neighbour free.

To which I replied, so did I

So yes, they are happy to double dip and hope you don't get chatting.

 

[Scarlett]

The problem with this ‘neighbour free seat’ (accurate but poor name) is that the time you really want it is when the aircraft is full. That’s also the time when the airline enacts its right to take the seat off you, allocate it to someone and refund your $30-40.

I was watching the loads before a recent DPS-OOL flight (not by looking at the seat map, but simply how many economy tickets were left for sale…) and knew I’d have virtually zero chance of a spare middle seat, even in VA EconX.

This is also the reason that NFS is in the order of tens of dollars but EXST (which I think is mostly guaranteed to remain with you) is in the order of hundreds of dollars.

 

[PERLHR]

Yep I think it's kinda 'gimmicky".. and.it was not that long back that Virgin had another stupid thing which was a middle seat thing...sit in the middle and.get a prize or something......how about just offering Platinum something more worthwhile.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

In a row of 3, what if both the window and aisle passengers bid for neighbor free?

Does Virgin (and for that matter Qantas) collect both lots of bids (extra cash)?

There will be a nice discussion on board as to who "bought" the middle seat.

The way around that would be to book the B or E seat and bid for the neighbour on the other side. That way you’d know it was yours.

From reading the advertisement, I’m not sure they could sell it twice, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to stretch out etc if you were sharing.

The problem with this ‘neighbour free seat’ (accurate but poor name) is that the time you really want it is when the aircraft is full. That’s also the time when the airline enacts its right to take the seat off you, allocate it to someone and refund your $30-40.

I was watching the loads before a recent DPS-OOL flight (not by looking at the seat map, but simply how many economy tickets were left for sale…) and knew I’d have virtually zero chance of a spare middle seat, even in VA EconX.

This is also the reason that NFS is in the order of tens of dollars but EXST (which I think is mostly guaranteed to remain with you) is in the order of hundreds of dollars.

the flight may have loads such that there are only say 10 spare seats, this guarantees you one of them. But yeah, if full, you may not even get the offer, let alone have it taken off you!

 

[moa999]

Air Asia used to offer a row free bid.
Think once paid about A$60 for the middle 4-seats in an otherwise very packed overnight KUL-SYD flight.

These days there ZoneUp bids are just to Premium or some of the Plus/ Quiet zone seats.

-
On the double bid.. Id be almost certain the software would put bidders together in A/C and D/F.

It is however another downgrade for elites who otherwise would likely have received a shadow.

 

[justinbrett]

This happened to me on a Etihad flight

I boarded the aircraft and the lady leaned over to me and said
don't worry, I've paid extra for this middle seat to be neighbour free.

To which I replied, so did I

So yes, they are happy to double dip and hope you don't get chatting.

QF doesn’t double sell.

Yep I think it's kinda 'gimmicky".. and.it was not that long back that Virgin had another stupid thing which was a middle seat thing...sit in the middle and.get a prize or something......how about just offering Platinum something more worthwhile.

It’s not a gimmick on QF, it’s been extremely successful. I for one am a big fan of it, especially on international flights.