Chance of getting empty row in E+?
 

Hi guys,

Tuesday I am flying DTW-IAH-LHR-BRU on UA. (Yes I know I could have simply done DTW-EWR-BRU but that's less fun and around 1000 less miles :D)

I would like to try and get 3 seats in E+ on the IAH-LHR flight as the seat map looks pretty open. Here the seatmap as of know: (72 hours before flight)

http://s4.postimg.cc/8wolr9q99/Scre...3_52_07_PM.png

Should I pick a seat now? Or wait until Online Check in and see how it looks at that time? I guess my chances are greater on the middle seats?
Also I am not really interested in paying the extra fee for E+ unless I get the 3 seats.
If the price for Business Class goes down to around 500 euros I might just take that as well. If I do so, will I have access to the LH Business lounge in DTW as my DTW-IAH sector will be in economy?

Thanks,

OK, now I get it. You're not traveling in a party of 3; you're looking to get a row of seats to yourself. I'd say chances are very low of seeing that at flight time. Remember that the seat map only shows assigned seats, not sold. Things can fill up quickly. Or... sometimes not. I saw a half-full CDG-EWR flight the other day that ended up flying... half-empty.

Thank you for your answer and sorry if I wasn't clear.
I was also wondering if selecting a E+ seat would change my booking class or is it just a seat assignment?

No change in booking class.
Edit: By that I mean the fare code wont change if you pay for the E+ seat.

Almost zero chance of this happening. Non-revs will very likely scoop up those remaining seats

IMO, looking at that seat map, I'd say your chances are slim.

Plus Silvers have not moved up yet. There is about zero chance a passenger will have 3 across to themselves.

"If the price for Business Class goes down to around 500 euros I might just take that as well. If I do so, will I have access to the LH Business lounge in DTW as my DTW-IAH sector will be in economy?"

No access to LH lounge, but you would get access to UCs along the way.

I got it once, LHR-IAD. I switched to a particular flight just so I could do that. got lucky. Last month, I thought I was going to easily have a row to myself for LAX-SYD. As soon as I got to the lounge, I looked at the standby list. Oops - 31 people on it.

I would say your chances are not great on this one. But the computer will typically fill seats from from to back, so row 23 would give you the best chance.

My rule of thumb is to always pick my seat like every seat will be taken. Because that happened to me once--wide open seat map coming back from London and then the school group of fifty kids and adults heading to Colorado to ski got on and took every remaining seat.

Given that seat map, especially a few days before christmas, I'll be surprised if that flight doesn't go out 100% full.

But even if you could get them, the exit rows/bulkhheads have the tray table in the armrest, which means that you can't raise them. Having the middle seat free is still a (small) bonus, but having 3 free together doesn't gain you anything.

3 free together means you can lay down!!! Not as nice as F or C but waaay better than sitting up or having an empty middle. I used to be able to get that often during the recession but now a days, don't count on it. I plan on the flight being full, and watch the app seating chart like a hawk. When the door closes and seats are still open I will move if it allows me extra space, but others may do the same and it is hard to claim a full row especially middle vs, sides, when someone else is just trying to get an open middle along with you...

Not when there is a fixed armrest as mentioned. Possible in some rows, just not all.

No. No it doesn't. As the rest of my post said, the exit rows/bulkhead arm rests on the 787 (and 777, 747, and some others) are fixed, so you can't raise them, which means no lying down.

Naturally, I would avoid exit row in that case, but watching the app like a hawk til door close is worth everything, as it changes rapidly...and there were 3 non exit rows in the diagram

Well, you could lay on top of the armrests if you bring enough carry-on to fill up the seats...

To the op - I'd say you have approximately a 0.001% chance of a full row being available (and that's being optimistic).