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Subscribe to RSSLinda Potter looks forward to her annual trip on Continental (now Continental/United) from Houston, Texas, to Sacramento, Calif., to visit her son, her daughter and her three granddaughters.
But the proud grandma has a gripe about securing the right seat for her flight.
“I have MS and getting the bulkhead seat allows me to stretch my legs out a bit and to exercise them a bit during the flight,” said Potter. “In the past, the airline held these seats for those with a medical condition, only releasing them to the general public in the last 24-48 hours before the flight. Now I’m told these seats are no longer held, but sold to those who want more legroom.”
As she prepares for this year’s trip to California, Potter asks, “Is there anything I can do?”
For advice, Overhead Bin turned to FareCompare.com’s Rick Seaney.
“The days of boarding families and infirm first with preferential seating have pretty much come to an end in domestic aviation,” said Seaney. “Airlines now consider the bulkhead and exit rows as premium seating for elite, loyal travelers.”
But not always. “Now airlines are doubling down by offering these prized seats as an up-sell, even before [giving them to] their elite customers,” said Seaney.
With her occasional trips, Potter isn’t likely to achieve elite status, which is the best way to get first crack at better seating. In lieu of that, Seaney offers these tips:
- Some airlines make free seat assignments 24 hours before departure. “Go in at 23 hours 59 minutes and 59 seconds to get a shot at those seats.”
- American, Southwest and many other airlines allow any passenger to cut in line and book premium seats for a fee ($10 to $40).
- Some airlines offer discount paid seat assignments at the kiosk. “So even if you print your boarding pass at home, check with the kiosk at the airport.”
- Fly on Tue/Wed/Sat (the lowest volume passenger traffic days), on the first flights out or on flights at lunch or dinner time. “You're more likely to have some empty seats to provide potential comfort,” said Seaney.
Book early, and don’t give up on the airline. On its website, Continental states that “certain seats are made available free of charge to persons with a disability if the request is made at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled flight.” Airline spokesperson Mary Clark said some of those seats may be in the bulkhead, but confirms that, “Within 24 hours of flight departure, held seats are made available to other customers.”
Also, don’t assume the only seats with a little extra leg room are bulkhead and exit row seats or those in the premium areas that require an extra fee. Seating maps on websites such as SeatGuru.com sometimes reveal one or two seats with bonus legroom toward the back of the plane.
Have a travel-related pet peeve or question you’d like answered? Overhead Bin will track it down. Send us your question.
Other stories you might like:
- Q&A: What to do about overhead bin hogs
- Q&A: What to do if your seatmate won't turn off their phone
- Q&A: Flier squeezed by a seatmate of size
Find more by Harriet Baskas on Stuck at The Airport.com and follow her on Twitter.
Leave a Comment:
Best way to get an exit row seat, be in the military. They always like to put healthy people that react correctly in the event of an emergency in the emergency exit row. I'm guessing the same would be true for police officers.
They also will bump the occasional military person traveling in uniform to first class.
I can only wonder how long it will take the airlines to decide being able to go to the bathroom in flight is a luxury service that deserves a $20 dollar extra charge and if you want toilet paper, that will be $10 more.
I'm sure the TSA will then decide each traveller is only allowed to bring one square of TP on board because two or more squares could be rolled up and used to attack a Flight Attendant or thrown into a jet engine causing it to blow up!
Not sure if it's been done yet but a while ago, Ryanair announced plans to convert 168 of its aircraft to install a coin-operated toilet to cater for up to 189 passengers. This for flights of one hour or less. It's already a no-frills airline here in Europe but come on! I've heard the old expression no pot to piss in but this is crazy.
Come on, the bulkhead, usually the emergency exit also, only for people who can and will be able to help in the event of an emergency. So someone with MS, and kids fits this description. Who are you? Yes, I want this person/people to be there for the emergency.
Bulkhead seats are generally the seats behind the divide between first class and coach, or the frontmost seats in airlines like Southwest that don't have class-based seating. They are different from exit row seats.
On some plane configurations (I am thinking of the Boeing 757), there is a row of seats that is both a bulkhead row and an exit row at the same time.
At least one side of the bulkhead usually has a FA jumpseat on it, though.
Bulkheads have nothing to do with emergency exiting. I can say from experience, depending on the plane it could be the worst seat there is. Some have almost no leg room and not being able to fit your legs under the seat in front of you makes it even worse. For a six-footer it's miserable.
Bulkheads=Babies.
Exit rows for people who are willing and able to help in an emergency.
Southwest does not let you book premium seats for an extra fee. All you're paying for is a higher place in line. If people ahead of you or from the connecting flight have taken all the good seats, you're back where you started.
I wonder how the ADA requirement for reasonable accomodation for diasability would apply to this issue. If the condition of a person with a disability requires additional leg room to make for a reasonably comfortable flight, then wouldn't the airline be obligated to provide that accomodation at no additional cost -- especially since the seats already exist so wouldn't require an unreasonable effort or expense to modify the aircraft to make the accomodation. This is probably why these seats were offered in the past. But, I wouldn't be surprised if the profit motive has caused airlines to push the limits of ADA in order to increase profits.
Extra legroom? Where? I must not fly on long enough flights to warrent anything but puddle jumpers.
Bulkhead and exit row seats offer little in extra comfort for my long legs.
I'm 6'3, does that also mean that I should be entitled to a sear with extra leg room, maybe business class or at least exit row? It's so easy to complain that you don't get the free candy and that the airlines are all evil, but sometimes a quick reality check is needed.
LOL.
I'm 5'4", and I always get the exit row for no additional charge when booking.
On some planes, if I stretch my legs straight out in front of me, I can't even put my shoes on the seat in front of me.
It pisses people off, but, at the same time, a non-elite is not going to get that seat anyway, so it might as well be me.
At least I fly often enough to know how to work the exit door on all planes.
I have switched seats for military members and extremely tall people (my dad was 6'5", so you have to be pretty tall for me to think you are tall), so I am not entirely heartless. LOL