Do Airlines Let You Book Two Seats for One Person?

I will need to fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina for my next
cruise.

Like most people, I hate the narrow seats on airplanes. It's
especially bad if you find yourself sitting next to an obese
person. I looked into going business class but the cost is
several times that of economy class. I thought a good way
around this situation is to book two seats for myself to
ensure that the one next to me will be vacant.

What are the chances that an airline will allow me to book
two seats for myself? I don't know what airline Orient Lines
will use. I am traveling solo and I am a small person. I am
just claustrophobic. If the plane is overbooked or crowded,
will the extra seat be taken away from me? If so, will I get
a refund? Could the flight attendant move somebody into my
extra seat during the flight? If this happens, will I get a
refund?

I don't mind paying more for two seats to ensure that I get
extra room. But, I want a guarantee from the airline that I
will be able to have the extra seat even if the flight is
overbooked and that I will be allowed to keep that seat for
the entire flight. If the seat is taken away from me for
any portion of the flight, I want a full refund. Fat chance
of any airline agreeing to that. I'm probably throwing my
money away trying to book two seats for myself.

A number of years ago, a friend from work booked a flight to Europe for
himself and his wife. She ended up canceling the last minute. The airline
refused to refund her fare, and they refused to allow our friend to have the
seat that he paid for empty next to him.

Unless you spring for business class... the best suggestion might be to make
sure you at least get an aisle seat.

--Tom

"Odysseus" wrote in message
news:cSJYe.397031$xm3.237985@attbi_s21...
I will need to fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina for my next
cruise.

Like most people, I hate the narrow seats on airplanes. It's
especially bad if you find yourself sitting next to an obese
person. I looked into going business class but the cost is
several times that of economy class. I thought a good way
around this situation is to book two seats for myself to
ensure that the one next to me will be vacant.

What are the chances that an airline will allow me to book
two seats for myself? I don't know what airline Orient Lines
will use. I am traveling solo and I am a small person. I am
just claustrophobic. If the plane is overbooked or crowded,
will the extra seat be taken away from me? If so, will I get
a refund? Could the flight attendant move somebody into my
extra seat during the flight? If this happens, will I get a
refund?

I don't mind paying more for two seats to ensure that I get
extra room. But, I want a guarantee from the airline that I
will be able to have the extra seat even if the flight is
overbooked and that I will be allowed to keep that seat for
the entire flight. If the seat is taken away from me for
any portion of the flight, I want a full refund. Fat chance
of any airline agreeing to that. I'm probably throwing my
money away trying to book two seats for myself.

It depends on the airline. Each one has their own policy and procedures.
The ones that allow an extra seat purchase will build a name field
something like 2SMITH/JOHN/EXST and enter a service information item
something like OSIAR EXST 2 Fares Paid. The one's I'm aware of will
charge the same price for the ticket as the person, exempt the taxes for
the EXST and will not serve a meal to the EXST.

Guarantees? It's up to the individual airline. Check it out thoroughly.

Cheers,
Daniel
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Do Airlines Let You Book Two Seats for One Person?

Group: rec.travel.cruises Date: Fri, Sep 23, 2005, 2:35am (PDT+7) From:
(Odysseus)
I will need to fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina for my next cruise.

Like most people, I hate the narrow seats on airplanes. It's especially
bad if you find yourself sitting next to an obese person. I looked into
going business class but the cost is several times that of economy
class. I thought a good way around this situation is to book two seats
for myself to ensure that the one next to me will be vacant.

What are the chances that an airline will allow me to book two seats for
myself? I don't know what airline Orient Lines will use. I am traveling
solo and

I am a small person. I am just claustrophobic. If the plane is
overbooked or crowded, will the extra seat be taken away from me? If so,
will I get a refund? Could the flight attendant move somebody into my
extra seat during the flight? If this happens, will I get a refund?

I don't mind paying more for two seats to ensure that I get extra room.
But, I want a guarantee from the airline that I will be able to have the
extra seat even if the flight is overbooked and that I will be allowed
to keep that seat for the entire flight. If the seat is taken away from
me for any portion of the flight, I want a full refund. Fat chance of
any airline agreeing to that. I'm probably throwing my money away trying
to book two seats for myself.

I read recently that airlines were requiring oversized/overweight Coach
Class passengers to purchase two seats ... ergo, it must be assumed that
one person could keep two seats.

Also, musicians -- for example those playing a bass violin -- have, in
the past, purchased a second seat for their instrument ... ergo, another
case where one person can keep two seats.

Please let us know what you find out about this ... I have often also
thought about doing this as two Coach Class tickets are certainly much
cheaper than one Business Class ticket [and the arm rests dividing seats
in Coach Class can be raised during flight unlike the separators in
Business Class].

P.S. In a related matter, I remember checking alone into an expensive
NYC hotel with a rate that included a full breakfast ... I was given two
breakfast coupons in my check-in kit as the room rate was the same for
double or single occupancy.

The breakfast included a small glass of fresh orange juice ... and when
I tried to use the second coupon for just a second glass, I was refused
as I was told I could not use both coupons for myself.

As an aside, on a later stay at the same place with the same deal, I
invited a friend in NYC to join me for a free full breakfast [and that
was fine with the hotel].

"Tom K" wrote:

A number of years ago, a friend from work booked a flight to Europe for
himself and his wife. She ended up canceling the last minute. The airline
refused to refund her fare, and they refused to allow our friend to have the
seat that he paid for empty next to him.

Unless you spring for business class... the best suggestion might be to make
sure you at least get an aisle seat.

Or he could find a cheap bass fiddle for sale and buy a seat for it,
e.g.
http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/baggage/special_baggage/fragile_bulky/index.jsp.

Of course, then he'd have a bass fiddle to deal with after he got there.



--Tom

"Odysseus" wrote in message
news:cSJYe.397031$xm3.237985@attbi_s21...
I will need to fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina for my next
cruise.

Like most people, I hate the narrow seats on airplanes. It's
especially bad if you find yourself sitting next to an obese
person. I looked into going business class but the cost is
several times that of economy class. I thought a good way
around this situation is to book two seats for myself to
ensure that the one next to me will be vacant.

What are the chances that an airline will allow me to book
two seats for myself? I don't know what airline Orient Lines
will use. I am traveling solo and I am a small person. I am
just claustrophobic. If the plane is overbooked or crowded,
will the extra seat be taken away from me? If so, will I get
a refund? Could the flight attendant move somebody into my
extra seat during the flight? If this happens, will I get a
refund?

I don't mind paying more for two seats to ensure that I get
extra room. But, I want a guarantee from the airline that I
will be able to have the extra seat even if the flight is
overbooked and that I will be allowed to keep that seat for
the entire flight. If the seat is taken away from me for
any portion of the flight, I want a full refund. Fat chance
of any airline agreeing to that. I'm probably throwing my
money away trying to book two seats for myself.



--
Jack Hamilton
California
--
Qui vit sans folie n'est pas si sage qu'il croit.
François VI, duc de La Rochefoucauld

On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 02:35:52 GMT in rec.travel.cruises, Odysseus
wrote:

I don't mind paying more for two seats to ensure that I get
extra room. But, I want a guarantee from the airline that I
will be able to have the extra seat even if the flight is
overbooked and that I will be allowed to keep that seat for
the entire flight. If the seat is taken away from me for
any portion of the flight, I want a full refund. Fat chance
of any airline agreeing to that. I'm probably throwing my
money away trying to book two seats for myself.

take a musical instrument and book a seat for it. professionals
with rare or expensive instruments (stradivarius violins, for
example, or expensive custom guitars) do it all the time.

On Thu, 22 Sep 2005 22:35:52 -0400, Odysseus wrote
(in article cSJYe.397031$xm3.237985@attbi_s21):


Like most people, I hate the narrow seats on airplanes. It's
especially bad if you find yourself sitting next to an obese
person. I looked into going business class but the cost is
several times that of economy class. I thought a good way
around this situation is to book two seats for myself to
ensure that the one next to me will be vacant.

As many posters say the answer is yes..

BUT,,, be sure the person next to you knows that is your seat. They may
spread OUT and you could find them taking all of your empty seat.

"Odysseus" wrote

Like most people, I hate the narrow seats on airplanes. It's
especially bad if you find yourself sitting next to an obese
person. I looked into going business class but the cost is
several times that of economy class. I thought a good way
around this situation is to book two seats for myself to
ensure that the one next to me will be vacant.

What are the chances that an airline will allow me to book
two seats for myself?

Yes, in most cases they will. Back in the times when I weighed 450 +/-
pounds, if I couldn't get an upgrade to first class I would buy two coach
seats. The average airline coach seat is 17 to 18 inches wide and my butt
was considerably wider than that. (and I didn't want to sit next to you any
more than you wanted to sit next to me)

In order to do this, you need to make the reservations directly with the
airlines so they will link the two reservations and put the additional
notations on the reservations so everyone along the line knows what you are
doing. Depending on the airline, ticket may be for John Smith and the
second ticket for John Smith Extra.


--
George in PA http://www.countryside-travel.com

The Mother of All Group Cruises 2 - http://www.moagc2.com/
May 20, 2006, Caribbean Princess - http://cruisemaster.com/caribprin.htm
October 29, 2006 - SLEAZY 4! http://cruisemaster.com/sleazy4.htm

Odysseus wrote:

I don't mind paying more for two seats to ensure that I get extra
room. But, I want a guarantee from the airline

It may depend on the airline, but reserving two seats for yourself
should not be a problem. I can not imagine them putting anyone in a
seat that you paid for. I would be miffed if they did that to me.

If you fly in the evening, you may be able to sleep most of the night,
and time will pass fairly quickly. Good luck with your decision.

Becca

"Becca" wrote in message
...
Odysseus wrote:

I don't mind paying more for two seats to ensure that I get extra
room. But, I want a guarantee from the airline

It may depend on the airline, but reserving two seats for yourself should
not be a problem. I can not imagine them putting anyone in a seat that
you paid for. I would be miffed if they did that to me.


And what if the plane was overbooked - which frequently happens? Let's say
there are 10 people with tickets but without seat assignments... and there
are 4 empty seats on the plane including "your extra".

What are the chances that they let you keep your empty seat, while they tell
7 people that they've all gotta stay behind?

--Tom


If you fly in the evening, you may be able to sleep most of the night, and
time will pass fairly quickly. Good luck with your decision.

Becca