EL AL Matmid - ELAL raises the price for preferred seating

http://www.elal.co.il/ELAL/Hebrew/HidePages/he_prferred_seat_fqa_270111#g

Long range: $99 or 199 points
Medium range: $49 or 105 points
Short range: $39 or 85 points

Long range = JFK, EWR, LAX, YYZ, JNB, BKK, and HKG
Medium range = I assume Western Europe
Short range = everything else

GL and higher remain exempt from this payment

I think you missed the fact that GL & PL companions will need to pay for prefered seating which was free before (at least to PLs).

Dont know if its only me, but all the latest changes in EL-AL make the whole matmid club or GL/PL/TPL quite useless....
(The fact someone can buy an upgrade in the airport for 250$ + 300 points is really killing the odds for free upgrades if used wise, Or the fact that they will not upgrade even if there is place and ability (believe me, i know the system, No EL-AL agent can fool me))

I think you missed the fact that GL & PL companions will need to pay for prefered seating which was free before (at least to PLs).

Dont know if its only me, but all the latest changes in EL-AL make the whole matmid club or GL/PL/TPL quite useless....
(The fact someone can buy an upgrade in the airport for 250$ + 300 points is really killing the odds for free upgrades if used wise, Or the fact that they will not upgrade even if there is place and ability (believe me, i know the system, No EL-AL agent can fool me))

GL companion always needed to pay, i think the PL too.
only companions of TPL didnt have to pay.

upgrade for 250$+300 points can also be bought before checkin . this is not new. but again, you need to purchase Y/S/M ticket and have R class available.

the changes are indid not welcome, but you can't say that the club is useless.

GL companion always needed to pay, i think the PL too.Indeed, which is just one of the reasons I've almost given up on LY.

I find it infuriating that I need to pay for my wife or child to sit next to me if I want a decent seat.

BA's seating policy has annoyed many that's for sure, but for me as a Gold card holder it's perfect, and no one limits the seats I can
Choose when traveling with others.

These increases are pretty steep too, especially on the long haul routs.

Big :td:

upgrade for 250$+300 points can also be bought before checkin . this is not new. but again, you need to purchase Y/S/M ticket and have R class available.
Wrong, from the 05/01 if you get to the airport and there are 4 C/I
class availble and no D/R/Z/W, you pay 250$ + 300 points at the airport
and upgrade yourself...
With the discount some of company have, you can buy S price almost in Q class....


the changes are indid not welcome, but you can't say that the club is useless.
I fly so much that bonus tickets doesnt intresting me much, I do care about
upgrades (Economy to Business (very rary), Business to First (Very)) and
when i fly and notice a non-tpl from business goes to F, Or that there are empty seats on F and i was not upgraded even when having the right class,
Then i am starting to think that the club is useless...

Medium range: $49 or 105 points


Really is expensive! With KLM I just paid only £12 for a exit seat!

Wrong, from the 05/01 if you get to the airport and there are 4 C/I
class availble and no D/R/Z/W, you pay 250$ + 300 points at the airport
and upgrade yourself...
With the discount some of company have, you can buy S price almost in Q class....




well, nice to know that this option exists at the airport. i wasn't aware of this.

about S ...
S is pretty expensive these days. but you can get M for much less.

Wrong, from the 05/01 if you get to the airport and there are 4 C/I
class availble and no D/R/Z/W, you pay 250$ + 300 points at the airport
and upgrade yourself...
With the discount some of company have, you can buy S price almost in Q class....


I fly so much that bonus tickets doesnt intresting me much, I do care about
upgrades (Economy to Business (very rary), Business to First (Very)) and
when i fly and notice a non-tpl from business goes to F, Or that there are empty seats on F and i was not upgraded even when having the right class,
Then i am starting to think that the club is useless...

Dear Ebzed,
Do I sense a wind of change? are you changing your mind about Elal?

It's interesting how relative everything is. To sit in an exit row on CO, EWR-TLV, it cost $169; $159 or $149 for the bulkhead. Significantly more than here on LY. However, Golds (50K miles/year) and higher get it for free, and can choose a companion to sit with them for free; 1K (100K miles/year) can choose up to 8 companions. (Silvers get it free starting from OLCI (T-24)

Dear Ebzed,
Do I sense a wind of change? are you changing your mind about Elal?

I was thinking the same thing!

It's interesting how relative everything is. To sit in an exit row on CO, EWR-TLV, it cost $169; $159 or $149 for the bulkhead. Significantly more than here on LY. However, Golds (50K miles/year) and higher get it for free, and can choose a companion to sit with them for free


And going back to BA again, as Gold I'm not restricted to how many seats I can choose for traveling companions so for instance if I'm traveling with 5 others on a 777 I can take all 6 exit seats free of charge.

And while those with no status can pay to choose a seat in advance, exit seats are free for all once OLCI opens.

And going back to BA again, as Gold I'm not restricted to how many seats I can choose for traveling companions so for instance if I'm traveling with 5 others on a 777 I can take all 6 exit seats free of charge.

And while those with no status can pay to choose a seat in advance, exit seats are free for all once OLCI opens.
Once the new MileagePlus kicks in on March 3, 1K and Global Services will be able to choose E+ for them and up to 8 companions, free of charge, from booking. Golds/Plats can do +1 for free from booking. Silvers +1 are free from OLCI. Before OLCI, Silvers are like everyone else.
(E+ is the name for exit rows, bulkheads, as well as the front section of United planes, which have 4-6 inches of extra legroom)

Long range: $99 or 199 points
Medium range: $49 or 105 points
Short range: $39 or 85 points

Long range = JFK, EWR, LAX, YYZ, JNB, BKK, and HKG


golly gee.
For YYZ, i get to pay $99 (or 200 points) for a "prefered seat"
on a 767-200.:confused:

golly gee.
For YYZ, i get to pay $99 (or 200 points) for a "prefered seat"
on a 767-200.:confused:
No, only 199 points, NOT 200 :p

And going back to BA again, as Gold I'm not restricted to how many seats I can choose for traveling companions so for instance if I'm traveling with 5 others on a 777 I can take all 6 exit seats free of charge.

And while those with no status can pay to choose a seat in advance, exit seats are free for all once OLCI opens.

Agreed - BA is vastly superior here. One of the many reasons I opt for BA over El Al.

I also think it's funny how so many people think the airline is required to fill up all their premium class seats and just upgraded all their status passengers. Since when did this start becoming "expected" ?

I like that BA doesn't just run through the lists and upgrade everyone. Maybe it's just an Israeli thing, but people seem to think that if there are empty seats in premium classes, they should get them. Weird.

Agreed - BA is vastly superior here. One of the many reasons I opt for BA over El Al.

I also think it's funny how so many people think the airline is required to fill up all their premium class seats and just upgraded all their status passengers. Since when did this start becoming "expected" ?

I like that BA doesn't just run through the lists and upgrade everyone. Maybe it's just an Israeli thing, but people seem to think that if there are empty seats in premium classes, they should get them. Weird.
You think that's an Israeli thing? Clearly you've never read the UA/CO, DL, AA, or US boards!

I also think it's funny how so many people think the airline is required to fill up all their premium class seats and just upgraded all their status passengers. Since when did this start becoming "expected" ?



As long as people opted in to the Last Minute Upgrade they should be upgraded. I don't think anyone is suggesting it be done for free.

Looking for some guidence.

Folks are somewhat brand loyal to El Al but comfort for them on a such a long flight is also important, and with AC being an alternative direct flight, they can pay upfront for preferred, and know that those seats are theirs.

Are preferred seats ever guaranteed on El Al or is just waitlisted and then they figure it out at boarding time?

Looking for some guidence.

Folks are somewhat brand loyal to El Al but comfort for them on a such a long flight is also important, and with AC being an alternative direct flight, they can pay upfront for preferred, and know that those seats are theirs.

Are preferred seats ever guaranteed on El Al or is just waitlisted and then they figure it out at boarding time?
It's possible they can get guaranteed preferred seats, but no guarantee that'll happen, and no guarantee the guarantee will stick. I don't know how AC deals with extra legroom seats, but if it's like UA/CO, just pay up front and they're yours, and comfort is important, I'd go with AC on this one.