Seating

Playing musical chairs on an airplane

Air Travel, Seating,

Each Friday on msnbc.com’s Overhead Bin I tackle a reader’s question. This week the topic was:

Is your airplane seat assignment sacred?

That’s what Dennis Palkoner wanted to know.

Palkoner and his wife are both elite frequent fliers and often receive first-class upgrades for their flights.

Lucky them, right? The only problem: often the upgraded seats are not together.

Palkoner said that when this happens his strategy is to “politely ask the person in the seat next to our upgraded seat if they will switch seats so my wife and I can sit together.”

He said this works “100% of the time” but wants to know: First class or not, “Do airlines mind if I change seats with another passenger?

“I can’t speak for all airlines,” said Heather Poole, a long-time flight attendant and author of “Cruising Attitude” (due out March, 2012). “But at mine it is OK for passengers to swap seats in the same cabin they purchased their ticket in.”

Sara Keagle, a flight attendant who blogs at The FlyingPinto.com, said the same policy exists at the airline she works for. “My airline does charge for premium seats such as exit rows and bulkheads, so as long as [an economy cabin passenger] doesn’t choose those seats, it’s fine.”

Passengers within the premium zones can trade amongst themselves, said Keagle. “And we do let passengers trade seats from coach to first class, but that is done on the ground and there is no switching back once the door closes for departure.”

How — or why — would someone swap a first-class seat for one in coach? “Sometimes one person in a couple will get an upgrade but they’ll want to sit together, so they will offer their seat in first class to their neighbor in coach,” said Keagle.

“We want our customers to have a safe and comfortable travel experience, so changing seats or moving to an empty seat within the customer’s respective cabin is fine,” said Delta Air Lines spokesperson Anthony Black. “But it is always a good idea to ask the flight attendants if it’s OK to move and the best — and safest — time to do so.”

When swapping or moving to an open seat, there are some things to keep in mind.

Another passenger may have purchased two seats to insure that no one is seated next to them. “Smaller planes may have weight and balance issues, and there are certain requirements passengers must meet in order to sit in an exit row,” said Poole.

Even Southwest Airlines, well-known for its open-seating policy, has given seat-swapping some thought.

“Our policy allows customers to choose seats that fulfill their personal preferences,” said Southwest spokesperson Michelle Agnew. “But it’s not uncommon for our flight attendants to ask customers if they are willing to switch seats to accommodate a family who would like to sit together.”

Agnew says customers are usually very accommodating and flexible in those situations. Perhaps it’s because flight attendants often thank those customers “with a complimentary adult beverage if they are of age.”

How to get extra legroom on an airplane

Air Travel, Seating,

Like Santa’s sleigh, airplanes will be flying full this holiday season. So don’t expect there to be a lot of extra room for your long legs and your overstuffed carry-on bags.

Those dreading the airline seat squeeze do have some options. One by one, airlines have been rolling out programs that offer slightly larger main cabin seats and a little extra legroom for fees ranging from $30 to $60 and up.

For msnbc.com’s Overhead Bin, I asked Matt Daimler, founder of SeatGuru.com, and Chris Lopinto, president and co-founder of ExpertFlyer.com, for the lowdown on buying extra legroom.

Q: Preferred seating. Economy Plus. Economy Comfort. It seems like every airline is joining the “buy added legroom” market. Is this officially a trend?

Daimler: Yes, it seems that once the airlines figured out how lucrative fees could be, we’ve seen an explosion of new offerings. Some of the airlines offering extra legroom in economy for a fee now include United Airlines, JetBlue, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Air France, Virgin America, Frontier and Spirit.

Lopinto: If you don’t have elite status and aren’t flying on a full-fare ticket, you’ll have to pay to sit in those “enhanced” economy seats. The price varies by the length of the flight but average around $30 to $60 per person. You’re not getting those seats for free.

Q: Are passengers willing to pay? And do you know how much money airlines are making by charging for extra legroom?

Daimler: We haven’t seen many airlines discontinue a fee, so they are likely seeing good success with this strategy. We don’t believe any airline has released information on how successful each fee is to their bottom line, but we do know that fees are definitely a reason why airlines are making money again.

Q: One airline is offering “desirable seats near the front of the main cabin” for as little as $4 per flight. Sounds like a good deal. Or is it?

Daimler: We recommend that passengers ensure the airline actually offers extra legroom for the seating fee. There are some airlines that charge extra money simply to make a seat selection towards the front of the plane that usually doesn’t have extra legroom. For example, US Airways’ “choice seats” are simply seats towards the front of the economy cabin.

Lopinto: Delta and American are also good examples of this. Delta and American both call them “Preferred Seats.” They are usually the aisle or window seats towards the front of the Economy cabin.

Q: If you don’t want to pay, what are your options?

Daimler: Look for a good seat as soon as you book your ticket. Check back the week of your flight as some people may leave a good seat behind if they get upgraded or change their travel plans. Use the online check-in as soon as possible to get access to seats that may not have been available for pre-booking, such as exit rows or bulkheads. And remember that there can be very large differences in economy seats. For example, a regular economy seat on JetBlue’s Airbus A320 has a half-foot more legroom than a regular economy seat on Spirit Airlines Airbus A320.

Lopinto: There is a chance you may get one of these “preferred” seats for free. If you don’t get an assigned seat when you purchase your ticket, or can’t get an assigned seat because there are no “free” seats available at the time, wait until you are assigned a seat at check-in or at the airport. Maybe you’ll get assigned one of those aisle or window seats near the front for free. You could also fly to Vegas and win at blackjack; either way, it’s gambling.

Resources:
SeatGuru.com offers comparison charts to help you compare your seat options across carriers and different aircraft.
ExpertFlyer.com offers free Seat Alerts that allow travelers to be notified when a better seat becomes available on your flight.
Airfarewatchdog.com has a chart of fees charged by airlines for upgraded and preferred seating. Note: Fees may change, so be sure to check airline websites as well.

How do airlines decide who gets those coveted upgrades?

Seating, , ,

Each Friday on msnbc.com’s Overhead Bin blog I have the pleasure of tracking down an answer to a reader’s questions. This week the topic was: how do airlines decide who gets those much-coveted seat upgrades on the airplanes?

With full airplanes these days, many frequent fliers seeking upgrades find themselves unable to get a spot in the coveted first or business-class cabin.

“I know status plays a part,” noted one Overhead Bin reader. “But many times my husband and I — both Diamond flyers with Delta — have not been upgraded when we know there are seats available.”

This same reader wondered: “Who makes the decision? We have never been able to talk to anyone at the airline that knows — or is willing to tell us — why or how.”

For an answer we turned to Delta spokesperson Paul Skrbec, who told us that a lot of the seemingly mysterious details about how the process works are detailed on the airline’s website. “The IT system uses our published criteria to ensure that the best customers get the best seats.”

After that, and if there are still seats in the front of the airplane, “our agents have the ability to upgrade as well. In these cases, it’s not unheard of for members of the active military to get a better seat if they can be identified in the gate area,” said Skrbec. Other situations are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. “But generally speaking, first-class seats go to Medallion customers and those who paid for first class.”

The criteria are similar at other airlines.

“Procedures are automated to ensure customers have a consistent, fair upgrade experience,” said Rahsaan Johnson, spokesperson for United and Continental airlines. “When space is available, we offer upgrades first to customers in the highest premier levels, taking into account the fares they paid.”

For those without top-shelf, frequent-flier status, though, there may be some secrets — or at least a few strategies to try.

Some travelers believe gate agents often upgrade travelers who ask politely and/or are dressed to the nines. Others say volunteering to be bumped on an overbooked flight, offering to change seats so that a family can be seated together or flat out flirting is the way to win the upgrade game.

And then there’s John DiScala’s upgrade “secret.” The founder of the JohnnyJet.com travel website says the best way to get upgraded is “be genuinely nice and bring a box of chocolates to the gate agents and flight attendants.”

Getting seats on an airplane … together

Air Travel, Airplanes, Seating,

Each Friday on msnbc.com’s Overhead Bin blog, my assignment is to get an answer to a reader’s question.

This week’s question came from Lori Hewitt, a business analyst based in Columbus, Ohio, who made airline reservations online with Expedia last May for a trip she and her husband were taking to Charleston, S.C., in October.

Hewitt says she wasn’t given the opportunity to select seats when booking, but didn’t worry about it or contact anyone since it was so far in advance of her travel. She and her husband were eventually assigned seats, at check-in, which Hewitt said she went online to complete “at 23hrs 58mins prior to flight.”

There was one problem. “We spent $1,200 for flights and didn’t get to sit together,” said Hewitt. “My husband was in row 13 and I was in row 31!”

At the airport, the couple was able to get seats next to each other for the shortest leg of trip. But Hewitt says, “We should have had an opportunity to get our seats at the time of purchase. I don’t think it should be incumbent upon the traveler to beg other travelers to change seats or to have to go to the counter to do so.”

Now Hewitt wants to know: “Do online travel agencies, such as Expedia, Travelocity, get the leftovers for flights? And was there something I could have done – and can do next time – to make sure I sit with my husband when we fly? Otherwise, it’s kind of like spending a lot of money for a nice dinner, but not getting to sit at the same table with each other.”

I contacted Expedia for help with this one and chatted with company spokesperson Sarah Keeling.

“No,” she said, “Expedia doesn’t get the leftovers for flights. We have the same reservation capabilities as the airlines do.”

But Keeling said when Hewitt made her initial reservation it was likely the airline hadn’t yet decided what type of plane would be used for that flight and so hadn’t yet offered a seating map. “But that would be the same situation no matter whether she’d booked with Expedia or directly with the airline,” said Keeling.

Hewitt’s options? “She could have gone back online or called Expedia or the airline at a later date to see if the seat chart was available,” said Keeling.

Here are some other tips for getting the seats you want on an airplane:

  • If a seat chart is not available when you book your flight online, call the airline or the ticketing agent as soon as possible to request seating.
  • If you don’t get a seating assignment — or don’t get the seats you’d like — call back again a week or two before your flight.
  • As the day of the flight gets closer, check the online seating charts or call the airline to see if other seats have become available.
  • Check in online as soon as you can. Some seats, especially exit and bulkhead row seats, are not released until the day of the flight.
  • Get to the airport early and check the seating chart at the check-in kiosk or ask the gate agent if any better seats are available. Some airlines will offer discounted upgrades or first-class seats at good discounts at the check-in kiosks.
  • And, yes, once onboard you may find another passenger willing to swap seats to allow two people to sit together. But don’t count on it.

Your airplane seatbelt may also be an airbag

FAA, Safety, Seating, , , ,

Buckle up, you dummy!

Airbags on airplanes have arrived and they’re not just a special perk for first-class passengers.

In fact, if you’ve been seated in a bulkhead row, near an exit-row door or in business- or first-class seats on newer planes, you may have already strapped on an airbag and not even noticed.

Unlike automobiles, airplane airbags aren’t built into the vehicle but added onto seatbelts in what looks like just some extra padding.

“Sometimes when I’m boarding a plane and see people looking around wondering why their seatbelt looks different, I stop and explain,” said Chris Muklevicz, vice president of sales and marketing for aviation restraints at AmSafe, the company that makes the only airbags certified for commercial aircraft. “But then passengers around them start asking why then don’t have them, too.”

In an interview earlier this week at the 2011 Aircraft Interiors Expo in Seattle, Muklevicz explained that seatbelts with airbags were developed as a cost-effective way for airlines to meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) requirement that, as of October 2009, all seats on new airplanes must be “16g” seats — able to withstand stresses and impacts of up to 16 times the force of gravity. The previous requirement was 9gs.

Most seats on new airplanes do meet the guidelines in part because they have seats in front of them that can add some cushioning in an accident. Bulkhead and front-row seats and those swanky pod-like units in some first- and business-class sections often don’t. The added protection offered by a $2,000 seatbelt airbag (versus the $50 traditional seatbelt) helps bring those seats up to code.

“Airlines could remove seats from those positions, but they don’t want to lose that potential revenue,” Muklevicz said.

The new seat code was put in place because tests and real-life incidents show passengers have a good chance of surviving an accident if seats aren’t first torn from the floor during a crash. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, more than 80 percent of commercial airline accidents are survivable because they occur on the ground or during take-off or landing when the aircraft is close to the ground and flying at relatively low speeds.

Muklevicz said the seatbelt airbags are designed to keep a passenger conscious after an impact. “If the passenger is conscious and it’s possible to get out of the plane, this can make a big difference in survival if there’s smoke and fire,” he said.

Right now, there are more than 70,000 airbag-equipped seatbelts in service. Half of those are on commercial airplanes and half are on general aviation aircraft. “Luckily, it hasn’t yet been tested in a real commercial aircraft crash,” Muklevicz told me, “but there are have plenty of reports of it saving lives on private aircraft.”

AmSafe's Chris Muklevicz with seatbelt airbag

(A slightly different version of this story first appeared on msnbc.com’s Overhead Bin.)