Really stupid seat selection question
Dec 28th, 2006, 04:01 AM
#1
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Really stupid seat selection question
My spouse and I will be taking a Continental 737 from ORD to EWR prior to flying to Zurich next September. The 737 has a single aisle and 3-3 seating. We'd selfishly like more seat comfort, so were wondering whether we'd be better off reserving seats A (window) and C (Aisle), leaving the middle open in the hopes no one wants it, or just taking the two aisle seats across from each other. I've noticed that the flights have been rather full, so I'm thinking the Aisle-window option might not result in an open seat. Any suggestions??
Dec 28th, 2006, 05:29 AM
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Not a stupid question at all. DH and I have tried both of your methods and we now always book the opposite aisles unless we're on a plane with two aisles and "two's" at the window instead of "threes". In this case, he gets the aisle and I get the window.
Dec 28th, 2006, 05:33 AM
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While CO often tries not to fill the middle seat, you're flying between two major airports and I think the chances of the middle seat not being filled aren't particularly good. I'd opt for the aisle-aisle (C & D) seats. You can always move if other seats aren't filled.
Dec 28th, 2006, 07:01 AM
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Thanks, folks. I think we'll go two aisle seats. Since these are both major airports, the likelihood of filling B seems higher, resulting in one of us in the middle should the individual assigned to that seat be willing to switch. So, seems safer bet to both have aisle.
Dec 28th, 2006, 07:55 AM
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If by comfort you mean a wider seat, get adjacent seats and flip up the armrest between them. But I still like the idea of getting A and C, and offering to switch if someone shows up for B.
If you check in online, try to change your seats as part of that process; often some good seats will have become available as they are released from the frequent flyer section, or as frequent flyers get upgraded to business.
If you check in online, try to change your seats as part of that process; often some good seats will have become available as they are released from the frequent flyer section, or as frequent flyers get upgraded to business.
Dec 29th, 2006, 08:55 AM
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Book the two adjacent aisles. I always feel that two aisle seats are more "marketable" if you change your mind and decide to sit next to your husband. The person seated next to him (or seated next to you) in the middle seat will ALWAYS jump at the chance to move to an aisle seat (and so might the person in the window seat, if the middle seat doesn't get filled with a body).
With that said, my hubby and I have also had good luck booking A and C, with the empty seat in the middle, particularly if we are willing to sit at the rear of the plane (although this hasn't happened lately with the full flights that you mentioned).
It's a tough call, but certainly nice to have the option.
With that said, my hubby and I have also had good luck booking A and C, with the empty seat in the middle, particularly if we are willing to sit at the rear of the plane (although this hasn't happened lately with the full flights that you mentioned).
It's a tough call, but certainly nice to have the option.
Dec 29th, 2006, 01:44 PM
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If you decide to do aisle and aisle, consider getting C & C, or D & D front to back too.
Meanwhile, do OLCI at exactly 24 hours out. You can grab any open seat, including exit rows. Check seatguru.com. On certain 737 models, 14A and 14F have super super legroom...
Meanwhile, do OLCI at exactly 24 hours out. You can grab any open seat, including exit rows. Check seatguru.com. On certain 737 models, 14A and 14F have super super legroom...
Dec 30th, 2006, 11:56 AM
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Similar question, different plane. We are flying United 767 to Buenos Aires in late Jan. have Prem + seating. Plane config. 2-3-2. Would love some extra room for a good sleep. Is is worthwhile to change our present seating FG to CE with hopes of the extra room (middle seat). We fly overnight so window is not priority and seatguru identifies window seats as having limited underseat room. Bulkhead seats appear to be full. This will be the first flight with United and Prem + so any advice appreciated.
Dec 30th, 2006, 06:11 PM
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After 20+ flights in United Economy Plus this year, my experience has been that the seat map is not a very good indicator of how open that section of the plane will be at the time of the flight. If Economy Plus is not full, United will offer other passengers the chance to buy up to E+ at check in. And, others may end up being assigned into that area at the gate if regular economy is full. It is better to look at the available fare buckets to tell how full the flight is. You can do this by looking at "flight details" when logged in--i.e., F 9, C9, D9, Y9, B9, etc. Look at the fare buckets from Y and below. If all 9s, the flight may be fairly open.
Re: leg room on the window side of a 767, the pitch is the same as the seats in the middle, but the under-seat room may be a bit more restricted due to the IFE box. I haven't found that to be as much an issue for leg room as it is for storing my computer bag there. My personal preference is the exit row, window side, but you can only reserve those if you're a Premier Exec or higher. It might be worth asking at the gate if those are still available. Otherwise, I don't really have a strong preference for window section vs. middle section on that plane; if I'm traveling with just one other person, I usually opt for the window side.
Re: leg room on the window side of a 767, the pitch is the same as the seats in the middle, but the under-seat room may be a bit more restricted due to the IFE box. I haven't found that to be as much an issue for leg room as it is for storing my computer bag there. My personal preference is the exit row, window side, but you can only reserve those if you're a Premier Exec or higher. It might be worth asking at the gate if those are still available. Otherwise, I don't really have a strong preference for window section vs. middle section on that plane; if I'm traveling with just one other person, I usually opt for the window side.
Dec 31st, 2006, 09:29 AM
#16
If you logon to united.com and have your user options set to expert mode then you can see the seating by fare buckets, but that won't give you the info you need because it is not related to E+ seat availability.
The UA flights between IAD and EZE are usually full, I think, so the chances of very slim of finding an empty D seat between you. Both ways are redeye flights so I would go with the F,G seats.
The UA flights between IAD and EZE are usually full, I think, so the chances of very slim of finding an empty D seat between you. Both ways are redeye flights so I would go with the F,G seats.
Dec 31st, 2006, 10:14 AM
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You can also use a site like seatcounter.com to get an idea of how full the flight is (e.g., if it is showing 9s for the lower economy fares such as V, S, T, etc., then that means there are still plenty of economy seats left to be sold). The reaons I suggested this (even though this doesn't correspond directly to E+ seating) is that if economy is close to being sold out, then you know they will start filling E+ seats with other passengers at the gate. For example, when I checked in online about 18 hours before my flight earlier this week, about two thirds of the E+ seats showed up as open, but the "flight details" only showed two seats for sale. That flight went out with just one empty seat in E+.
One other thing to think about re: booking C and E in the middle. I don't know how you are eligible for E+ seating--whether through elite (you say first time on United, so I was guessing not) or purchased E+ Access status, and whether one or both of you have that status. If just one of you has that status, you can take another "non-status" person into E+ with you, but the rules state that the "non-status" person must be assigned to the seat next to you. If only one of you has status and you tried booking C & E, the system may not permit it and sweep one or both of you out of E+ altogether (a little lesson I've learned through trial and error).
One other thing to think about re: booking C and E in the middle. I don't know how you are eligible for E+ seating--whether through elite (you say first time on United, so I was guessing not) or purchased E+ Access status, and whether one or both of you have that status. If just one of you has that status, you can take another "non-status" person into E+ with you, but the rules state that the "non-status" person must be assigned to the seat next to you. If only one of you has status and you tried booking C & E, the system may not permit it and sweep one or both of you out of E+ altogether (a little lesson I've learned through trial and error).
