sadiqhassan

I am looking at booking a flight from YYZ to AKL via YVR in Y and am interested in purchasing a second seat for additional space. I cannot find much about how to do this or whether it is possible - does anyone have any experience with getting an extra seat? I do see that you can purchase a second seat for a musical instrument at 50% of the price but am not sure if this can be done without the instrument.

Thanks!

Equipment Check In (aircanada.com)

vancouver25k

They don't specify a minimum size for the instrument. Bring a flute or harmonica?

Far Siren

Or to be safe bring a kid size violin as the website specifically allows that:

Exception: String instruments (e.g. guitars, violins and violas) can be carried on board - even if their dimensions slightly exceed Air Canada’s carry-on size requirements - as long as they fit in the overhead bin and there is space available in the cabin at time of boarding, or you have purchased a seat to accommodate them.

zappy312

If your extra seat is needed for an accessibility need, that would be done through the medical desk. Accessibility Information is found here: https://www.aircanada.com/us/en/aco/...ssibility.html, and then seating information is under "Special Seating" towards the bottom.

mjrobson

Sky Couch on Air New Zealand!

bakersdozen

Sounds dangerous... I can just see the flight attendants trying to move someone to your seat.... or the aisle/window person swapping out with some couple....

sadiqhassan

Looked into it but the price difference is significant - the total cost for 2 passengers with skycouch is about $5200 USD vs $4100 USD for 3 AC seats (assuming all 3 at full price). Am considering YYZ-YVR on PD in Y connecting to YVR-NAN-AKL in J on FJ which comes to $6800 for both of us.

There are two of us, so I would select the window and the aisle and keep the middle for the instrument.

zappy312

Would buying a seat for your musical instrument guarantee that it's next to you? If they provided a Y seat in a completely different part of the cabin for your instrument, that likely fulfils their obligations outlined on the baggage page regarding seats for instruments.

Changeup2000

You can always pay for seat selection. It’s pocket money compared to the ticket you bought for the instrument.

zappy312

And if you don't get the seat you paid for, AC just refunds the seat selection fee that was paid for your recorder or whatever.

I'm not saying it won't work out, I'm just curious if the policy actually seats the instrument next to you. Or would normally provide seat at the rear of the cabin against a bulkhead for the instrument to minimize chances for injury. (Although in this case, there's a tiny, or no instrument being transported)

fbrdky

I flew YYC-LHR on March 24. I saw that 19A was occupied but 19B and C were empty. On EF's seatmap, 19B was blocked but 19C was vacant. Another pax (SE judging from bag tags) scooped into 19C after takeoff. But 19A told the scooper that she had paid extra for all 3 seats. Scooper talked to the FA and FA sent the scooper back to get original seat. (During the night, 19A slept across 19A,B,C)
What happened? Can't imagine buying a J seat would be more expensive than what 19A did.

canadiancow

You're also assuming it's true.

I had a YUL-YYZ once, on a narrow-body aircraft, booked in full Y, on the upgrade list, and the upgrade went to a 35K. I called the concierge, who looked into it, said the system had screwed up, but worked with the GA to get me something like 19ABC all to myself.

I boarded, sat in 19A (in hindsight, should have sat in B), and an FA ended up moving someone to C. I didn't really care, but I did find it amusing that they'd made such an effort to say they were doing something for me, and then before boarding even ended, it was gone.

So did I "pay" for three seats? No. Was I entitled to them? About as entitled as one can get without paying, I suppose.

And if it had been any longer than an hour, I might have actually raised the issue with the FA.

I just don't think anyone actually paid for those 3 seats. I don't think crew are supposed to move people into preferred seats unless there's an operational reason (go pay the GA the $40 or whatever). I've certainly made comments to crew before along the lines of "these two/three/four seats cost extra". Not that I paid for all of them, just that there is a surcharge to sit in them. And they usually back down from whatever they're trying to do when I say that.

Row 19 on a wide-body I believe is a priority seat, so it doesn't actually cost more, it's just only available to status pax (until check-in?).

If you really want to get a "better seat" when you board, board last. As long as you're not jumping cabins, I doubt anyone is going to say anything unless they've actually paid for an extra seat, since seat changes can happen all the time. But if you're moving after take-off, it's very obvious it's not your assigned seat.

(When I board a flight, I usually just sit in the first empty J seat I see, and it's only caused me a problem once.)