Poor Man's First Class
 

I find that my comfort level is much higher with an empty seat next to me. I am too cheap to pay for first and if my wife is with me, buying three coach seats is usually much cheaper than two firsts. Never done it before but it seems to me that this would be a "poor man's first class seat"

How does one go about buying an extra seat? Can it be done online or does it require a phone call?

What happens if the flight is overbooked, can you lose your extra seat?

Anything else to look out for?

I would be concerned if there is an aircraft swap, and the three seats that were originally assigned together could potentially end up in three different parts of the aircraft. IMO not worth the extra $$ to worry about something like that happening.

There is another airline that is in the process of changing their 738s from 160 seats down to 150 seats. With that, they are blocking the middle seats (the B/E seats) in rows 16 and 17. These two rows, directly behind the exit row, are literally being blocked like C cabins in Europe.

It's the old Seinfeld trick. He had a bit about booking extra seats so he wouldn't have to sit next to people (and that was before he had the TV show).

My first thought is Passenger of Size. They must have something in the system for it because they make them buy extra seats, one would assume they block the seats off somehow.

AFAIK there is no minimum size requirement for one to book an extra seat as a COS. It will be next to you, with moveable armrests, but keeping it next to wife also might be harder. Can two COSs share the extra seat? Don't expect to earn extra MQMs.

Lately what I've been trying to do when I book an EC seat is to look for a row where the aisle seat is the only one taken (hopefully the last row of EC), and then grab the window seat. I'm 3 for 3 in having the middle seat empty with this strategy. I'm too cheap to consider buying the middle seat next to me.

I was the bubble boy for an upgrade SMF-SLC and wasn't even close on SLC-DCA, but the empty middle seat and 4 extra inches of pitch (along with HOOU coupons) made the trip pleasant enough.

Great idea. I've thought about doing this very thing.

In terms of comfort per dollar spent, adjacent EC seats are much better value than first class, IMHO.

I know they used to give mqm's for this a very long time ago

There was a story posted about a guy who lost his Skymiles membership because he habitually claimed MQMs for his second seat (which was occupied by a musical instrument). So no, no MQMs for the second seat.

I actually downgraded myself from 1st to Premier Econ from MCI-LGA due to the config of plane ! There was more legroom in the 1st row of econ comfort!

I find this thread outrageously offensive*. Are you saying only poor people can do this?

It was simply a way of saying some people would like more room but find the price of seats in first to be too high. I was just exploring cost effective options.

My apologies if you were offended.

I do not think Mr Hudson was offended. At least not egregiously.

If he was offended, you would know about it in other ways!:D

Even though I usually fly up front, I do think it is a great idea. For the poor or rich or in between!

He wasn't! It's a reference to an (intended) humorous post he made a few days ago that a couple of people didn't think was funny.

T H is one of the few people that has an unusual sense of humor, that is sometimes needed to hold the fabric of this forum together!

. . . . not to mention - Keeping us in stitches!

;)

:D

Wow! I didn't realize that it was DOCTOR Hudson! Cool!

[QUOTE=jackplum;20373916]I do not think Mr Hudson was offended. At least not egregiously.

My sarcasm sensor must be malfunctioning. As you were.