Dec 10, 2015, 9:45 am
Last edit by: Prospero
Booking an extra seat on for POS (Persons Of Size) or other reasons
American Airlines sells adjacent seats for various reasons; the most common one is for persons of size who can't comfortably occupy a single "Main Cabin" (Economy) seat, though others might consider purchasing an extra seat for comfort or to protect items of exceptionally high value. This seat was referred to by AA as "XTRASEAT" or “EXST”, and this JOHN BROWN
EXST BROWN
is how it will reflect in some documentation. There is no discount for the second seat, which must be purchased in advance; walk up purchases of extra seats will incur full "walk up" fares, if available.
As these can not be booked online, calling will work best; no telephone service charge will be made.
The extra seat does not earn Elite Qualifying or Redeemable miles or earn extra baggage allowances, etc. EQ instruments can only be earned by the individual person occupying a seat on AA (not an empty seat, a "proxy passenger" or animal or inanimate object). In the example above, EXST BROWN will have no AAdvantage earnings.
Other reasons for purchasing extra seats would be for allowed musical instruments, objects of high value such as art works, or materials for human transplantation.
American Airlines sells adjacent seats for various reasons; the most common one is for persons of size who can't comfortably occupy a single "Main Cabin" (Economy) seat, though others might consider purchasing an extra seat for comfort or to protect items of exceptionally high value. This seat was referred to by AA as "XTRASEAT" or “EXST”, and this JOHN BROWN
EXST BROWN
is how it will reflect in some documentation. There is no discount for the second seat, which must be purchased in advance; walk up purchases of extra seats will incur full "walk up" fares, if available.
As these can not be booked online, calling will work best; no telephone service charge will be made.
The extra seat does not earn Elite Qualifying or Redeemable miles or earn extra baggage allowances, etc. EQ instruments can only be earned by the individual person occupying a seat on AA (not an empty seat, a "proxy passenger" or animal or inanimate object). In the example above, EXST BROWN will have no AAdvantage earnings.
Extra space during travel Link
For the safety and comfort of all customers, if a customer’s body extends more than 1 inch beyond the outermost edge of the armrest and a seat belt extension is needed, another seat is required. We encourage customers to address all seating needs when booking.
For the safety and comfort of all customers, if a customer’s body extends more than 1 inch beyond the outermost edge of the armrest and a seat belt extension is needed, another seat is required. We encourage customers to address all seating needs when booking.
- When you call to book, Reservations will make sure you get 2 adjacent seats at the same rate.
- If you didn’t book an extra seat in advance, ask an airport agent to find out if 2 adjacent seats are available.
- You may be offered a seat in a higher class of service that may provide more space; in this case, you’ll be responsible for the fare difference.
- If accommodations can’t be made on your original flight, you can buy seats on a different flight at the same price as your original seats.
Booking two seats / extra seat for person or object (EXST, XTRASEAT)
Sep 2, 2009, 7:43 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: EDI
Posts: 792
Booking two seats / extra seat for person or object (EXST, XTRASEAT)
A friend of mine is rather larger and will have difficulty being accomodated by an economy class seat.
She is due to take a UK to USA flight, then another cross-country flight in the USA (and then the same in reverse).
She cannot afford a business seat, and there is no way she's going to be accomodated by an economy seat.
Further, anyone who is seated next to her *will* have an unpleasant flight. My friend will need to overspill the seat significantly.
What is AA's policy? Are they likely to allow either booking two seats next to each other, with assurance from AA they will be alocated adjacent or AA blocking the seat next to my friend?
By the way - I'm aware this might sound a bit "off" - but I do worry about the safety of squeezing such a large lady into such a small space. I did enequire about using my own BA miles to upgrade her on AA, but apparently this isn't possible.
Advice for the larger traveller appreciated.
She is due to take a UK to USA flight, then another cross-country flight in the USA (and then the same in reverse).
She cannot afford a business seat, and there is no way she's going to be accomodated by an economy seat.
Further, anyone who is seated next to her *will* have an unpleasant flight. My friend will need to overspill the seat significantly.
What is AA's policy? Are they likely to allow either booking two seats next to each other, with assurance from AA they will be alocated adjacent or AA blocking the seat next to my friend?
By the way - I'm aware this might sound a bit "off" - but I do worry about the safety of squeezing such a large lady into such a small space. I did enequire about using my own BA miles to upgrade her on AA, but apparently this isn't possible.
Advice for the larger traveller appreciated.
Last edited by JDiver; Dec 16, 2018 at 12:52 pm Reason: Restore original post
Sep 2, 2009, 8:12 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,176
They dont actually "block" the seat next to it as such, it is actually allocated and assigned so it can not be unblocked by someone else .
If your friend has enough AA miles, you can purchase one seat and use miles to get the second seat.
You will need to make the reservations over the phone as it can not be done on AA.COM.
Whne your friend checks in, she will get two boarding passes, one for each seat.
Sep 2, 2009, 8:47 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA Plat, DL GM and Flying Colonel; Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 24,231
It's not a silly question. These forums (fora?) are full of reports by people who booked two seats for this reason, only to find that they were assigned seats across an aisle from each other or separated by a fixed armrest. Watch out for exit rows that way: they often have tray tables in the armrest, because the next row forward is too far away or to prevent a tray table from obstructing the exit, so their armrests don't raise out of the way. (Seatguru.com would have details for specific seats and aircraft types.)
Sep 2, 2009, 9:05 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YYZ
Programs: Hilton Diamond Mariott Plat UA Silver Aeroplan E25K SAS Gold NEXUS
Posts: 1,307
Sep 2, 2009, 9:11 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
You can book at AA.com (and avoid the pesky reservation fee) by booking the extra seat under the same last name and first name XTRA SEAT, but you need to call web services for correct pricing and correct PNR annotation.
Source: http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...eats_index.jsp
Source: http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?...eats_index.jsp
Sep 2, 2009, 9:14 am
#10
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Tennessee, USA
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, HH Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 322
Sep 3, 2009, 11:36 am
#11
Moderator: New York City and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Programs: AA PLT, Natl EC
Posts: 10,855
This thread is about the logistics of booking two seats for one passenger on AA. General comments regarding persons of size and responses thereto have been deleted as they are off-topic and better suited for TravelBuzz, where one can find any number of threads on such topics.
/Moderator
/Moderator
Sep 3, 2009, 12:41 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,137
Remind your friend to sign up for an AA account, register for the DEQM promo if traveling between now and Dec 15, and by the time her flights credit to her account, she will be near Gold.
ASFAIK, she won't get miles for the extra seat, but the flights to/from LHR and then around in the US may get her close to 20K with DEQM.
ASFAIK, she won't get miles for the extra seat, but the flights to/from LHR and then around in the US may get her close to 20K with DEQM.
Jun 25, 2010, 4:24 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: in the vicinity of SFO
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Posts: 19,781
If you've got two people traveling together, I assume the same "XTRA SEAT" booking could be used for a (paid) blocked ticket between the two of them? This is a lot cheaper than J, and even for people who don't need the extra seat, I can see split across two tickets it being worth it for comfort.
Jun 25, 2010, 4:28 pm
#15
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
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I don't know, but it's free to call and find out before you book.
Also, sometimes fares can be surprising - if domestic, check the "instant upgrade" fares, particularly if this involves a person of size. It may be cheaper to buy the "instant upgrade" than to purchase XTRA SEAT in some instances.
Also, sometimes fares can be surprising - if domestic, check the "instant upgrade" fares, particularly if this involves a person of size. It may be cheaper to buy the "instant upgrade" than to purchase XTRA SEAT in some instances.
If you've got two people traveling together, I assume the same "XTRA SEAT" booking could be used for a (paid) blocked ticket between the two of them? This is a lot cheaper than J, and even for people who don't need the extra seat, I can see split across two tickets it being worth it for comfort.
