Pay for Sky Couch or hope for Twin Seat?
Nov 11, 2012, 12:02 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 4
Pay for Sky Couch or hope for Twin Seat?
Hi all,
I'm hoping you can help give me some advice with a "How long is a piece of string?" question.
My wife and I are flying NZ2 to London on the 25th of November and we're tossing up various upgrade options to make the long flight more enjoyable. We're both Jade and booking class T.
The options are:
1. Make a One Up bid to PE on one of the Legs
2. Pay to upgrade to Sky Couch
3. Cross fingers to buy for a Twin Seat at check in
One Up's a bit risky and I'm nervous about paying ~$1200 to upgrade to Sky Couch and finding that the plane's fairly empty. Based on the numbers below and your experiences, can anyone give me advice?
Do I bite the Sky Couch bullet and guarantee an extra seat?
Or risk Twin Seat given that the flight looks to have quite a few empty economy seats?
NZ2 AKL to LAX:
C4 D4 Z4 J4 U7 E7 O7 A7 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q7 V7 W7 T7 L1 S0 G0 X0 K0 P0
NZ2 LAX to LHR:
C4 D1 Z0 J0 U7 E7 O6 A0 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q7 V7 W7 T7 L7 S7 G0 X0 K0 P0
Thanks!
I'm hoping you can help give me some advice with a "How long is a piece of string?" question.
My wife and I are flying NZ2 to London on the 25th of November and we're tossing up various upgrade options to make the long flight more enjoyable. We're both Jade and booking class T.
The options are:
1. Make a One Up bid to PE on one of the Legs
2. Pay to upgrade to Sky Couch
3. Cross fingers to buy for a Twin Seat at check in
One Up's a bit risky and I'm nervous about paying ~$1200 to upgrade to Sky Couch and finding that the plane's fairly empty. Based on the numbers below and your experiences, can anyone give me advice?
Do I bite the Sky Couch bullet and guarantee an extra seat?
Or risk Twin Seat given that the flight looks to have quite a few empty economy seats?
NZ2 AKL to LAX:
C4 D4 Z4 J4 U7 E7 O7 A7 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q7 V7 W7 T7 L1 S0 G0 X0 K0 P0
NZ2 LAX to LHR:
C4 D1 Z0 J0 U7 E7 O6 A0 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q7 V7 W7 T7 L7 S7 G0 X0 K0 P0
Thanks!
Nov 11, 2012, 6:24 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: FSD/SUX/SFO
Programs: UA 1K, NZ*E, PC Platinum RA
Posts: 417
If you haven't already, it would be worth seating yourself in a window and aisle seat leaving an empty middle. If you're lucky, the seat will stay empty. If it doesn't, I am sure the middle-seater will have no issues swapping with one of you.
Nov 11, 2012, 8:02 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 4
Good idea!
I gave it a go, but the seat selector only shows 57E / F available.
I rang Air NZ and the agent said there's currently ~40 economy seats free on the first leg and ~30 on the second so I guess they block out potential Sky Couch seats until close to departure.
He suggested asking for Twin Seat at check in and pointed out that "you can upgrade to Sky Couch at check in".
So that might be the best bet!
I gave it a go, but the seat selector only shows 57E / F available.
I rang Air NZ and the agent said there's currently ~40 economy seats free on the first leg and ~30 on the second so I guess they block out potential Sky Couch seats until close to departure.
He suggested asking for Twin Seat at check in and pointed out that "you can upgrade to Sky Couch at check in".
So that might be the best bet!
Nov 12, 2012, 9:57 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 10,195
Nov 12, 2012, 10:10 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 10,195
I wonder if there have been any 'territorial' issues with the twin-seat?
I can imagine that for some, it might get awkward to enforce their 'rights' to the empty seat when the other other person dumps all of their junk into the what would usually be an equally shared spare seat.
I can imagine that for some, it might get awkward to enforce their 'rights' to the empty seat when the other other person dumps all of their junk into the what would usually be an equally shared spare seat.
Nov 13, 2012, 12:20 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 26
This is totally against the rules and I know that, but it works for me who normally travels solo...
When I fly on a fairly full economy flight, I make sure i'm the last person to board the plane... normally just before they page. Knowing your the last one to board, you can see where everyone is sitting, and if there is a spare two seats, just take one.
They way I think of it, you could move seats as soon as you where in the air, and it really just saves that mad rush you get sometimes with people running for the clear rows.
The Twin Seat is something I had not heard of, and I think is fairly well priced for what it is.
When I fly on a fairly full economy flight, I make sure i'm the last person to board the plane... normally just before they page. Knowing your the last one to board, you can see where everyone is sitting, and if there is a spare two seats, just take one.
They way I think of it, you could move seats as soon as you where in the air, and it really just saves that mad rush you get sometimes with people running for the clear rows.
The Twin Seat is something I had not heard of, and I think is fairly well priced for what it is.
Nov 13, 2012, 4:43 am
#9
formerly kiwi_norway
Join Date: May 2011
Location: London, UK
Programs: A3*G, NZ*S, Avis PC
Posts: 390
Nov 16, 2012, 8:08 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: MEL
Programs: VAG
Posts: 1,865
I wonder if there have been any 'territorial' issues with the twin-seat?
I can imagine that for some, it might get awkward to enforce their 'rights' to the empty seat when the other other person dumps all of their junk into the what would usually be an equally shared spare seat.
I can imagine that for some, it might get awkward to enforce their 'rights' to the empty seat when the other other person dumps all of their junk into the what would usually be an equally shared spare seat.
Nov 17, 2012, 10:56 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: AKL
Programs: QF Gold, UA*G, AZ Freccia Alata - SkyTeam Elite Plus
Posts: 361
At the check in line the other day, an Air NZ staff member was walking through the queue promoting the twin seat to couples. Nice upselling, worked on the older couple behind me who I could hear discussing it afterwards.
Incidentally, I had a free seat next to me on the fairly full flight. Didn't use it for anything but liked the extra room and not having to fight for the middle arm rest, and my aisle neighbour stored his bag under the middle seat.
Incidentally, I had a free seat next to me on the fairly full flight. Didn't use it for anything but liked the extra room and not having to fight for the middle arm rest, and my aisle neighbour stored his bag under the middle seat.
One Up
Jan 16, 2013, 10:13 pm
#13
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: here and there
Programs: UA Silver, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Avis CHM
Posts: 1,505
First time flying NZ
sorry for the slight thread hijack...
We are trying to book a window and aisle ala the strategy above, but the website won't allow it! The only options are to buy 2 seats together or split to separate rows. Is this an NZ policy or a glitch or???
Thanks!
Jan 17, 2013, 7:17 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: FSD/SUX/SFO
Programs: UA 1K, NZ*E, PC Platinum RA
Posts: 417
That's a "feature" of the NZ's online seat select process. You'll have to ring the call center (or travel agent, if booked that way) to ask for two non-adjacent seats.
Jan 17, 2013, 10:27 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG/BKK
Programs: TG*G, NZ*GE, QF G, Accor Gold
Posts: 10,195
There is now a 'radio button' allowing you to select 'set a group' or 'seat individually' in the seat selection page showing in all of my domestic bookings.