Etihad allows flyers to bid to keep adjacent seats empty
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Re: Etihad allows flyers to bid to keep adjacent seats empty
#2gross
Re: Etihad allows flyers to bid to keep adjacent seats empty
#3Doesn't go into how it works - if I bid $50 to have an empty seat next to me, and the flight ends up being fully booked, is my $50 refunded?
Re: Etihad allows flyers to bid to keep adjacent seats empty
#4gross
Do you care to elaborate? If someone is willing to pay the additional price to get more personal space why is that bad? This doesn't necessarily mean that people will be kept from flying altogether. If this is successful airlines will likely just increase capacity rather than keeping potential customers on the ground.
Re: Etihad allows flyers to bid to keep adjacent seats empty
#5From an ecological point of view, this is very problematic. As far as it's value as a business idea goes, I'd say this an interesting idea.
Re: Etihad allows flyers to bid to keep adjacent seats empty
#6gross
Do you care to elaborate? If someone is willing to pay the additional price to get more personal space why is that bad? This doesn't necessarily mean that people will be kept from flying altogether. If this is successful airlines will likely just increase capacity rather than keeping potential customers on the ground.
I agree with you mostly, but I would like to bring up the ecological concern of flying with empty seats. It increases the avg carbon footprint per passenger.
Re: Etihad allows flyers to bid to keep adjacent seats empty
#7This is a smart move. Such a model could allow passengers to choose from a continuous range of options from being packed like sardines, to flying first class, to flying completely privately on _any_ flight. Picture an airliner cabins as easily reconfigurable as a minivan's.
Re: Etihad allows flyers to bid to keep adjacent seats empty
#8gross
Do you care to elaborate? If someone is willing to pay the additional price to get more personal space why is that bad? This doesn't necessarily mean that people will be kept from flying altogether. If this is successful airlines will likely just increase capacity rather than keeping potential customers on the ground.
I think the concept of letting people with enough money get to do whatever they want is a bit unsettling.
Re: Etihad allows flyers to bid to keep adjacent seats empty
#9My two tips for how to keep the adjacent seat empty on normal flights:
1. If you book when there are still many empty seats, choose a window/aisle seat near the back of the plane. Those middle seats are usually the last to be filled.
2. If you're traveling in a group of 2 and there are 3 seats per section, choose the window and aisle of an empty section (preferably near the back of the plane). Chances are good that if there are any empty seats left on the plane, it could be your middle seat. If someone does happen to book that middle seat, I think 99.99% of the time that person would be happy to change to the aisle/window so you can sit next to your partner.
Re: Etihad allows flyers to bid to keep adjacent seats empty
#10Flew back to the states from London yesterday. Had the whole row to myself (planned it that way). People in front of me were upset that I wouldn't give up one of my seats. Nope. Slept like a baby.