Picking your seat on an airline flight

[stevej37]

I purchased a r/t ticket to Sarasota for next week. The airline uses AirBus 320's which have 6 seats per row, except for the first few rows in the front which only have 2 larger seats on each side with more legroom and spacing.

A person can pick and pay for any reg seat when buying a ticket. The reg seats run from $10 to $26. (depending mostly on the distance from the front)
I usually pick a window seat for $12 so that I don't have to get up and into the aisle every 15 minutes for a drinker.
If you don't buy a seat...the airline puts you wherever they want at no fee.

Anyway...the airline has found a new source of cash. They auction off the bigger seats in the first few rows. I get emails every day as to upgrading my seat by placing a bid.

The bidding started at $34 and it's now up to $181/seat with three day left before closing.

Who would pay $181 (or more) for a larger seat??
And that price is on top of the ticket price.

[oldE]

If the flight was more than a couple of hours, I would. I'm 6'2".

Best
Les

[stevej37]

It's about a 2.5 hr flight.

I'm 5'9' and the reg seats fit me good...I wouldn't mind having the extra cushioning in the 'Big Front Seats'.

[Dixie]

Regardless of where the seat is, you're one fat person away from a bad experience.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by stevej37

I purchased a r/t ticket to Sarasota for next week. The airline uses AirBus 320's which have 6 seats per row, except for the first few rows in the front which only have 2 larger seats on each side with more legroom and spacing.

A person can pick and pay for any reg seat when buying a ticket. The reg seats run from $10 to $26. (depending mostly on the distance from the front)
I usually pick a window seat for $12 so that I don't have to get up and into the aisle every 15 minutes for a drinker.
If you don't buy a seat...the airline puts you wherever they want at no fee.

Anyway...the airline has found a new source of cash. They auction off the bigger seats in the first few rows. I get emails every day as to upgrading my seat by placing a bid.

The bidding started at $34 and it's now up to $181/seat with three day left before closing.

Who would pay $181 (or more) for a larger seat??
And that price is on top of the ticket price.

We absolutely pay extra for the "first/business" class seats. We love having the extra space, and we enjoy the other amenities that come with the purchase of those seats. I'm ok with riding coach, but I do pay for the extra legroom seats. But if my wife is traveling or my mother them we spring for the better seats.

[GH85Carrera]

Your title of the thread brought back memories of my mom. If I was scratching my behind or pulling out the tighty-whities from intrusion, my mom always always asked if I was going to the movies, as I was already picking my seat.

I go for an aisle seat, looking out the window is usually over rated, and an aisle seat allows me to stretch out at least one leg. Sitting in the middle seats in a long row would suck. I hate airline travel.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by masraum

We absolutely pay extra for the "first/business" class seats. We love having the extra space, and we enjoy the other amenities that come with the purchase of those seats. I'm ok with riding coach, but I do pay for the extra legroom seats. But if my wife is traveling or my mother them we spring for the better seats.

The $151 (tomorrow it will be higher) is just for the seat...no other amenities available on this airline.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Your title of the thread brought back memories of my mom. If I was scratching my behind or pulling out the tighty-whities from intrusion, my mom always always asked if I was going to the movies, as I was already picking my seat.

LOL. Mama Glenn was quite the character.

I go for an aisle seat, looking out the window is usually over rated, and an aisle seat allows me to stretch out at least one leg. Sitting in the middle seats in a long row would suck. I hate airline travel.

I occasionally like the window seat if flying over land, but what I value even more is quickly getting off of the plane, so I always choose an aisle seat near the front of the plane. And yes the worst seat is a center seat, but if I have to choose between a middle seat in the front of the plane or an aisle seat in the rear of the plane, then I'll take the middle seat (assuming the flight is 4>).

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I go for an aisle seat, looking out the window is usually over rated, and an aisle seat allows me to stretch out at least one leg. Sitting in the middle seats in a long row would suck. I hate airline travel.

A window seat eliminates having to get up for anyone. That's the reason I pay for it.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by stevej37

The $151 (tomorrow it will be higher) is just for the seat...no other amenities available on this airline.

If the first class tickets were an extra $600, then $150 isn't too bad. If the first class was <300 then the 150 seems like a rip off.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by masraum

If the first class tickets were an extra $600, then $150 isn't too bad. If the first class was <300 then the 150 seems like a rip off.

No first class rate available...every ticket is the same price.
Just the seat prices vary. (if you don't purchase one..they seat you randomly)

Sorry, I goofed on the current price for the 'Big Seat'....it's $181 today. (with about 3 more days of bidding left)

[Reg]

I’m cheap and a gambler I flew across Canada on a discount airline and didn’t choose a seat. I had a middle seat on way out but the section of 737max I was in had no window seat in that row. On way back I had a window seat with 1.5 windows so it all worked out. 🙂

[stevej37]

^^^ I was just reading about that today....I never realized why one row doesn't have a window on either side.
It contains a wide duct for air transfer where the window should be on both sides of the plane.

[Zeke]

I don't pick my seat but I pick my nose.

[stevej37]

^^^ easier on a plane...and cheaper.

[porsche tech]

I could stand up for 2.5 hours. How much discount for that? I too hate airline travel and travel of any type for that matter. I don’t even like to go OTB (over the bridge) from our island! Have to go to Nashville and Phoenix to visit the grandkids but would rather fly than drive those trips. Road trips aren’t any fun nowadays either with heavy traffic, accidents, road work, etc. I like to stay home!

[rcooled]

Originally Posted by Capt. Carrera

Regardless of where the seat is, you're one fat person away from a bad experience.

[stevej37]

^^^ The worst one is the 'toddler kicking your seat'
Hard to get mad at them because the problem is the mother sitting with no control over the kid.

And I've sat next to a young gal nursing a baby....no problem.

[gprsh924]

Friends don’t let friends fly Spirit

[stevej37]

^^^ Ha Ha...I was waiting for someone to ask about which airline.
Good guess.

The other thing I didn't mention is that the r/t ticket to TPA cost $42 plus $24 for the seat.
(airline tickets are the cheapest I've seen)

I can't drive half-way there for that price.