TravelCommentator

Tagged: Economy Class

Air Travel / Tips & Advice

Empty Seats? Yes please. Then Disappointment

On one flight from Singapore to Milan (Italy) several years ago, I asked at check-in whether the flight was full and was told no, there were seats available. Reason why I asked is when I booked my forward section seat in Economy I had a whole row to myself but then when I checked a day or so before departure someone took the window seat. I had the aisle seat and was hoping to score all three to myself. So I decided to change seats at check-in. By doing this I was wasting the money I spent for the forward section seat. No big deal as an empty row anywhere, even in the tail section, trumps a single forward section seat. The check-in agent...

Air Travel / Opinion

Snippets: Economy Pax Upgrade Forces Flight Turn Back

Flight turns back after economy passengers upgrade themselves… A couple of Economy Class passengers decided to move into Business Class. A standoff ensued with cabin crew and the captain was forced to return the flight to its departure point where those passengers were subsequently arrested by police. The writer goes on asking, “Who even thinks they can self-upgrade?” He then makes some fair comments about the self-righteous and then asks, “Who does get upgraded?” Explaining that airlines don’t upgrade economy passengers just because there are empty seats, it’s the frequent flyers with status that do or you pay at check-in. No sweet deals. “What if economy class is full but not business?” Here he’s spot on explaining the rules with upgrades with platinum or...