Cjar

Some of you have been graciously helping me with some London/ Paris questions. One of the carriers available for our open jaw flight is Norwegian Air. It appears the available seats would be their base fare which doesn't allow you to select seats, no meal service included and only carry on is without an additional fee. My question is .... Have any of you ever used this airlines lowest fare seats for a long flight? I'm a bit concerned that the 4 of us will each be assigned a middle seat with no leg room ,no meals, which will make for a miserable flight. We have used low cost carriers in the US for short flights and it's fine, but perhaps not so great for a transatlantic flight. It is nonstop so I guess that's a plus.

Odin

Instead of choosing the lowest fare, choose the next level up (lowfare+) which includes seat assignment, meals and one piece of checked luggage. The website even prompts you that it is a better/less expensive option to take if you want the extras.

Whathello

I have taken them, nothing special.

Cjar

Thanks Odin. I did see that on their website, but since the up charge is for 4 people each leg, we are better served just paying more for our flight from another carrier.

I really just wondered if it would be a miserable 8ish hour flight. I had heard they put the lowest fares in all middle seats. Goodness knows no one wants the four of us scattered throughout an airplane. We're enough of a pain when we all sit near each other.

Whathello- was it a long flight ?

nytraveler

Unless there is a stop/connecting flight the time between 2 cities by air is the same no matter the place (commercial planes - not GA puddle jumpers).

Odin

Most flights are miserable when they are in economy class.

>>Unless there is a stop/connecting flight the time between 2 cities by air is the same no matter the place

Christina

I think it means it will be a 7-8 hour flight regardless of which airline you choose.

I have flown cheapest seats most of my life on transatlantic flights and many others have, also. It's not that shocking that some people have to fly in economy. Other reasons that flight is cheap has nothing to do with comfort (baggage fees or fees for food, you can always bring your own if you have to eat a lot, like a sandwich, chips, dessert). I would care most about seat selection.

The seat width is the same regardless of your seat in economy, and so is the pitch which is normal (31") and the same as most airlines in economy. The seat width is slightly less though (17.2, most are at least 17.5), but choosing a seat won't change that. It can't be that the only available seats are the base fare, as the fare upgrade doesn't affect which seats are available, it is extras.

So all it gets down to is that, yes, you most likely will get middle seats if you don't pay for seat selection. It isn't that they deliberately put you there, it's just what is left over after others select. You have to decide if saving that money is worth all that to you. If other airlines where you don't have to pay for those things are the same price as Norwegian plus the upgrade, I'd go with the others, of course (as long as I checked the seat measurements). And thousands of people fly transatlantic all the time in middle seats. The leg room isn't going to be different in a middle seat than in a window seat, for example. I always choose window seats, anyway, I don't care for aisle seats myself. It's just feeling you have a little more space when someone isn't on one side of you. But if there are four of you, you won't be together anyway if some don't sit in middle seats.

The difference between teh base fare and the one with addons isn't that great when I've looked, if you aren't willing to pay that, I'd choose another airline.

Odin

>>I think it means it will be a 7-8 hour flight regardless of which airline you choose.

Whathello

Was a short flight. Less cramped than Ryanair.

Cjar

Odin- If the Gods are willing to grant me a gift of business or first class, I'm open to it. We usually at least try to book aisle or window seats which wouldn't be an option on their lowest fare. At least that way , we are slightly less miserable than the poor guy in the middle seat and don't have to climb all over someone every time we have to use the restroom or stretch.

Whathello- Yes, I hear Ryanair offers some of the worst flights and seating around. I think I read somewhere that they charge you for using the oxygen in the plane and water. : )

Last time I looked there was a pretty good fare from Icelandair and they don't charge for checked luggage AND we can select seats. Perhaps we'll go that route.

powhatangal

I like Icelandair. I've gotten great economy fares from Dulles to CDG on Icelandair and chose my seats when I booked. I like knowing I have an aisle seat.

I was going to fly Icelandair to CDG this November with a friend but United had a companion sale last week and I booked Dulles to CDG for both of us for $1,348 total.

isabel

You can pay extra for seat selection without the meal and baggage. Then it's a bit more than absolute lowest fare but still considerably less than low fare plus.

But another concern is their crappy "on time" and canceled flight reputation. If you don't need to be there on a specific day you could risk it, but it's a concern with transatlantic flights. I booked with Iceland air for an upcoming trip for that reason. I have flown both and there's no difference in comfort though.

Cjar

Thanks Isabel.I want to be sure I understand you. Icelandair was more comfortable, right? And had flights that actually made it to their destination in a timely manor? If so I'm glad to hear that as I just booked with them. If not ........well at least we're still going on vacation ,right?

Heimdall

Icelandair is a very good airline. You change flights at Keflavik, but it is a very efficient transfer, and allows you to stretch your legs for a couple of hours midatlantic. Once I chose a 12 hour layover instead of the usual 2 hrs, and took the Flybus for a look at Rykjavik and a swim in the Blue Lagoon.

isabel

Actually I said that there was NOT a difference in the comfort level of Iceland Air vs Norwegian (as far as I know). The Norwegian flights I've taken were within Europe (e.g. Bergen to Krakow) and the Iceland Air were from the US to Europe. Norwegian is supposedly using new aircraft on their cross Atlantic routes that are very nice. Neither of them offers free meals. The price of Norwegian tickets, even with a seat reservation added is less than the Iceland Air flights.

BUT - Norwegian is getting terrible reviews re on-time and cancellations. I've flown Iceland numerous times and they were always on-time. The change in Rykavik always went smoothly, nice small airport. (Once I did a two day stopover that they advertise, Iceland was great, gonna do that again). Most of the time I've just changed planes there and continued on to where ever I was going in Europe.

That's why I booked with Iceland Air for this summer, I didnt't want to risk a flight cancellation and not getting where I was going for two or three days which apparently is happening with Norwegian.

Cjar

I got flights on Icelandair within a few dollars of Norwegian out of the airports I prefer, with seat selection. So I'm pretty happy with that.