Q & A
Regarding your recent advice on how to find the best seats in the air (Q&A, Nov. 19), why not suggest my solution? For years I have bought three adjoining seats in coach and slept like a baby, completely flat. The price is always much less than business class, and you get more real estate. I would add three warnings, however: Never buy the first row in the coach section (the armrests cannot be raised); never buy just two seats; and bring an extra pillow. -- Janys Harvey, Paris
In fact, back in the old days, before business class emerged in the late 1970s and there were only two cabins (first class and economy), travelers used to do just that, except that they tried to get the seats free. The idea was to find an 'empty' flight and get four seats behind the bulkhead so you could stretch out. It was far more comfortable than first class, which had seats that could recline only about 15 degrees.
You may be right when it comes to pricing. British Airways quoted me $476 for a round-trip economy ticket from New York to London for travel in March, compared with $3,868 in business class. I could therefore have bought four economy seats for $1,904, half the business fare. Of course, getting a row of seats would require planning. British Airways, Continental, Delta and Virgin Atlantic are among the major airlines that accept multiple bookings from people who wish to buy more than one seat.
A few more caveats: Booking adjoining seats does not always ensure that you will get them. Airlines, drawing upon reserves of small print, may say, 'We can never guarantee seat assignments' and that 'personnel and computers often reassign seats.' Check aircraft seating plans before you book, and make sure your seats are preassigned and together. I heard of one traveler who found that the two seats he had booked for himself were on either side of the aisle.
Also, be sure that armrests are not fixed in the down position on the type of plane you will be flying. It's best to book directly with the airline and get an advance seat assignment. Bear in mind that certain seats (like those in emergency exit rows) are allocated only at check-in. And always make sure that the airline understands and authorizes what you are doing. You don't want to be faced at check-in with 'Sorry, we have had to split up your party.' Of course, the multiple-seat strategy makes sense only if you are flying nonstop. And, finally, you may find it hard to defend your territory in the case of overbooking.
ROGER COLLIS
Q & A