GBobon

If it would work as you want, will someone pay for a middle seat? A3 is giving for free something nobody will pay for and keep ”sellable” product for people who wish to pay for a window seat

Chr04

I'm Aegean Gold member.
The last 6 checkins I had, the system gives either 4B or 4E. Always.
And if I choose the A or C (etc), it asks for money.

Argyris

On the return flight (MUC-SKG) system reserved 3B for me. I asked the agents at the gate if they could move me to a window/aisle seat.
Firstly, they offered me a seat at the emergency exit (for free) which I declined, and then happily moved me to an aisle seat.

DUBBRU

Couple of days ago on a busy all coach ATH-DUB flight I was also randomly given 3B. As I am only Silver I had to pay the full amount for changing seats (or selecting for free a seat from row 14). I asked at the baggage drop-off to change seats and got 14C.

Once on the plane after boarding was completed I noticed that in front of me the seats 12A through E (exit row) where free. I asked if I could move forward but this was kindly declined because these seats are "special". They remained unoccupied for the duration of the flight (I thought for safety reasons in every exit there should be at least one passenger able to quickly open the door in case of emergency).

frenchft

Well, I realised last week than on Flights operated by olympics (international route) was possible to book for free an exist row or first row.
I did it and amount was 0.

:D!

Yes that's what I said a few posts above you

Were you on a connecting flight in C?

DUBBRU

Exactly, in your case cabin crew acted as per safety requirements

In my flight they decided to leave the emergency exit vacant.

frenchft

yes.

frenchft

If someones does not speak English, too old, too young, not enough in good physical condition they remove pax from exit rows. They need people to be able to understand the safety orders in English and to open the door and move fast. This is why when seated in those seats luggage on the floor are not allowed and recline neither for reactivity in case of emergency and not to obstruct the way to the exit door.

headingwest

Regarding this 'sticking you in B or E seats', it's pretty dire. I'm sticking with my (free!) pre-selected 14A and done with it! Much better to know that I'm in a window seat than being dumped in the middle seat!

DELLAS

AFAIK the requirement for A3 is that regulations are there to determine who can sit there not if someone should sit there. Do you have a link to the new rules that exit rows on A3 should be occupied?

DUBBRU

I was not aware that EU carriers can have different rules to the ones laid down by the EU. According to Reg. 2016/1199 "All emergency exits, including crew emergency exits, and any door, window or other opening suitable to be used for the purpose of underwater escape shall be equipped so as to be operable in an emergency."

To my experience it is common practice among carriers, including LCCs, to always have at least one passenger by the emergency exit. I did not complain that I was not moved to a seat I haven't paid for, crew could had moved any passenger from the "special" (sic) rows 1-10 to 12A.

blackball

A quick google search yielded the following document: https://www.easa.europa.eu/sites/def...2017-012-R.pdf

Not sure what it is exactly, but if you search for the phrase "emergency exit", it gives some insight, including the following:

My understanding from this is that there is no EU regulation that requires emergency exit occupancy, but that it will (should?) be introduced at some point- But I could be wrong, not sure how the European Aviation Safety Agency operates and what the document means exactly.

DELLAS

That is my understanding also. Individual Aviation authorities still had the say over this matter. Some years back when Ryanair started charging for Exit seats the Irish Aviation Authority ruled that they had to seat people in exit rows after boarding free of charge if they were empty. That only applied to Irish registered aircraft being a local decision. Personally I think its a good rule but we must also be careful not to suggest A3 is breaking any rules unless we have factual evidence to back it up.

DUBBRU

I didn't suggest any bad intention or malevolent misconduct from A3's side and I didn't push to be "upgraded", if this term actually exists in a coach flight.

On the other hand, one of the reasons that the European regulation of 965/2012 that lays down the basic safety framework and is the core of the European executive agency for aviation safety (EASA) was amended in 2016 with the 2016/1199 regulation was a better definition on emergency equipment and operation. Still, the regulation is not that clear and EASA drafted an opinion (quoted by blackball) to ensure full alignment with ICAO and is expected to be in force next year perhaps? (things are going very slowly in European lawmaking).

Again, from personal experience I've noticed that carriers tend to seat people in emergency exits if vacant, but as you say it is perhaps internal wow.