If I ask for it when I book they say the seats are kept vacant until boarding to ensure they go to able-bodied people. But no matter how early I arrive for a flight they're always booked when I get there. Please, someone have mercy on my poor abused knees and share the trick for getting that extra legroom on a long flight!

They usually hold them out for people with infants as there is a drop down for a portable crib...however, on the right and left sides of plane in bulkhead-IF YOU GET THERE EARLY ENOUGH OR CALL AIRLINES AHEAD OF TIME AND PRE-BOOK , sometimes you're lucky to get a seat.

I think you have to own the plane. I guess then you would fly first class. <BR> <BR>You could also try for the emergency exit row. These are generally a little bigger and are not given out unless the clerk can verify that you are capable of helping in an emergency. I've had better luck getting these.

I must rant. I travel a lot with my disabled mother. They (name an airline; we've taken several) have never *once* saved a bulkhead seat for her. We arrive five hours early for a flight, with her in a wheelchair, and those seats they swear they "hold" for parents with children and the disabled are all booked. And every time, along with the mothers who need the room for bassinets (sp?), there are a good dozen fine, husky couples sans children enjoying the bulkhead legroom. Complain? I have. Result? Nothing. Do I sound pissed off? I am. It seems there's little to be done about it, in the end. I'm sure the ultimate response would be that if you're too disabled to fit comfortably into a standard economy seat, you shouldn't be flying. Maybe they're right. Whatever. But grrr anyway.

P.S. Yes, I always call ahead and try to make arrangements. Sometimes they say they can't do a thing and just tell me to check in early, because the bulkhead seats are held (they're not); other times they say they're entering the information into my record and there will be a bulkhead seat held for us (never is).

I have had some luck securing bulkhead or exit row seats by buying my tickets online at the Airline's website, where you can choose your own seat. Try that. <BR>A.M.

Rosenatti: Rant away. I too have a disabled mother and am more appalled by the airlines' mistreatment of your mother than I am by my own bruised knees. For the record, I would without hesitation give way to someone who clearly needed the seat. And yes, the exit row would suit me fine, too (should've referred to them both at the outset) but it's been the same with them: can't book them in advance, and they're gone by the time you get there. <BR> <BR>As far as failure to accommodate disabled people goes, my own feeling is that I'd demand that the gate personnel or preferably some supervisor give me the name of the airline's corporate counsel so that my lawyer could seek redress. I'm not lawsuit-crazy, but sometimes I think that's the only language these corporations understand anymore.

Most major airlines these days save those seats for their most frequent flyers or ones on higher fare coach tickets.

DaddyLongLegs -- Thank you for being so sweet and supportive of my rant. Maybe if enough people come after the airlines with attorneys in tow, the airlines will suddenly rediscover their sense of courtesy for those in medical need... not to mention their common sense. <BR> <BR>Mikey -- I think you're right about the frequent flyer preferencing. As for those who pay higher coach fares - would you believe I paid $400 more per ticket than I needed to on our last European vacation because I was hoping that might give us some priority seating (all the coach tickets are coded by type of fare)? Well, I did. Didn't work. It's enough to make one pitch a royal fit of air rage. <BR>

Airline policies vary, but very often the bulkhead is kept unassigned until 24 hours prior to flight. So, if it is a priority that you get that seat, don't wait until getting to the airport. Instead, 24 hours prior call the airline and state that you need the bulkhead due to disability status. Ask the agent to make a notation on your record to that effect in addition to assigning the seat. This can help if there is an equipment change (substituting one plane for another, happens more often than you'd think) and the seating configuration changes.

In terms of getting the exit row seat, you may have to get there earlier than you ever dreamed (to the tune of 3 hours sometimes). But if it's transoceanic, it could be worth your while, esp. if you're tall. Bear in mind that no matter how early you get there, no airline will let children 14 and under sit in the exit row.

I fly United, and at Premiere Executive frequent flyer status they are VERY helpful in reserving seats before my trip, including bulkhead, exit row, premiere zone, etc. <BR> <BR>They treat me with great service and I am very happy with United. And I am a tough customer to please... <BR> <BR>So the observation that they hold the better seats for higher mileage customers is probably accurate. <BR> <BR>Although I would think that they would accomodate a disabled flyer. <BR> <BR>David

A couple of years ago, travelling to NYC from Stockholm via Delta, I was able to secure exit row seats by calling Delta on the US 800 phone number right after midnight US time - which was early morning Stockholm time. A helpful Delta phone rep (on the US end) suggested that I try this and it worked. Might have been dumb luck, but worth keeping in mind (and worth the cost of the call to the US).