Fattie

First class is so expensive, even business. Does anyone know of how to buy 3 seats on the plain, using only two, leaving the one between us vacant? I cannot afford business class, but three economic seats would be possible. I do not want to inconvenience slim passengers sitting besides me during my trans Atlantic flight. The claustrophobic feeling does not appeal either. But I do like to travel.

xxx

Have you tried buying 3 seats for 2 & been unsuccessful? Can't imagine the airline would turn down your money. I would try paying child's fare for the 3rd seat.

sam

Call the airline of your choice and talk with them about it<BR><BR>We do this all the time with AA, Continental and Alaska

Patrick

I know of two people who always do this -- buy three seats and use the two. But they had a horrible problem on US Air. They did it there, but the flight was oversold, so the flight attendant proceeded to seat a passenger between them. When my friends protested saying they had already paid for that seat, they were told that that &quot;ticket holder&quot; was being bumped, something the airlines have the right to do, and they seated a passenger there anyway. As a result the airline of course offered them a one way ticket later in the day, just as if one of them had been bumped, but obviously that was no good. So they were out the extra ticket they had paid for! That was the last time they flew US Air. They've done it on American many times, and never had a problem even with oversold flights.

sss

If people can buy an extra seat for guitars just buy one for your briefcase or anything else you want to carry on as long at it can be buckled in. I had bought 3 seats for myself and my boys on Co once and one of them could not go with us so i checked his ticket in along with the 2 of us and they didn't care. On a case of overbooking and bumping someone they usually do that at the gate not after you get on the plane right?

Cleo

That US Air experience sounds very dodgy. Can you imagine if three people (and worse, two adults and a child) were travelling together and the third person (presumably the child) were &quot;bumped&quot;? I just assumed that airlines would bump parties together - either let all 3 on or bump all 3, in this case. Can't blame anyone for avoiding the airline in question after that.

sss

cleo, very good point. It would have to be all or nothing. Those seats were bought together so should stay together, or bumped together.

Patrick

The bottom line is that the flight attendant knew what was going on and knew that there was no third person, so they claimed that seat and offered the required later departure, knowing full well that it was not needed. In other words, US Air is an airline to be avoided. I'm sure that this wouldn't have happened normally if there were really three people in those three seats.<BR>I must admit, I've been on flights ready to depart when the attendants took an actual count and found empty seats -- that's just what they were doing in this case.

John

Maybe, but no seat can be sold without someone's name on it. In the case of 3-for-2 two of the three seats HAVE to have one of the person's name assigned to it, so if they try to claim the seat because it's &quot;empty&quot; the passenger simply says, &quot;No, it's my seat.&quot; If they say it's the other one, then &quot;No, that's my seat&quot; works there, too. If they want to bump two seats, (and be liable for 2 involuntary bump compensations) then fine. The FAA reg says compensation up to $400 (per seat) is allowed &quot;at the gate agent's discretion&quot; - and obviously the US Air GA in question was a jerk/ette. Each airline has its own standards on this, but bumping half of your personal seat(s) is way outta line.

ttt

ttt

Fattie

Having my name on two tickets or seats being bumped was what I afraid of, but it seems many have done this successfully. Thank you )