Do you remember the days when after the boarding door closed, you could move around within your class of service on a flight to Hawaii and take a better vacant seat? It looks like there’s a trend afoot to remove that privilege, and it started with American Airlines and United Airlines.
The issue is not about the premium economy cabin.
We’ve talked about extra legroom seats in economy that you pay extra for, and about a separate premium economy cabin. Since true premium economy has its own cabin, you obviously cannot move there from economy. You can try it, but it will likely result in bad repercussions. It would be like someone trying to take a vacant first-class seat. We’ve seen this happen before, and it didn’t work.
But when it comes to extra legroom and other seats simply deemed more desirable, it gets more complicated. Those seats are mixed about the economy cabin, per the image below. And it isn’t necessary just aisle and window seats that can be deemed superior for a higher fee. It can be those at the front of the plane as well.
For the most part, airlines don’t differentiate between the service provided within the economy cabin, be it for passengers in seats deemed superior or not. But even that isn’t always the case. On Hawaii flights by Alaska Airlines and United Airlines (maybe others, too), certain amenities re offered to those passengers who paid for the better seats in the main economy cabin. Oh boy.
According to a Twitter aviation guru, JonNYC, American has told its flight attendants to enforce keeping passengers in their regular coach seats, rather than allowing them to move to what, in American’s case, is called Main Cabin Extra (MCE) seats.
American said, “Customers may not be familiar with our seat change policy; particularly when it comes to MCE seats. While you may allow a customer to move to an available Main Cabin seat after boarding is complete, they’re not permitted to move into an MCE seat unless they are booked in that class. So, if a customer asks to move to a seat in a different seat classification… politely decline their request.” American added that we are working “to ensure our seat change policy is communicated directly when customers inquire.”
We hadn’t heard of this before but aren’t surprised. It is just somewhat complicated and awkward when the seats aren’t differentiated in any way other than the price and not, for example, the cabin.
Will flight attendants later also sell you the extra legroom seats?
We wouldn’t be surprised to see flight attendants asked to both act as police on the seating and as salespeople to help out the airline’s bottom line. It could be the latest thing on the amenity cart for sale: a better seat.
Let us know your thoughts. Do you think any vacant seat in economy should be up for grabs after the plane is in the air?
The photo above is intentionally stretched to give the humorous appearance of lounge chair seating.Â
I pay for my upgraded seat and don’t see why some else should get a free pass just because the seat is available. You get what you pay for.
This is a very good and long-overdue development. Flying, particularly in steerage, is stressful. Seeing others exploit random opportunities when others do not, makes the blood boil. It leads to resentment and increases the chance of unfortunate encounters.
Good. If you didn’t pay for the seat, you shouldn’t be allowed to sit in it.
They took away handicap seats and now call them extra Comphort and charge I have been flying with Hawaiian and Still believe they are the best! At service but when all the changes came down Handicap seats fell by the way side and no one has given me an answer as to why? Hawaiian Air lines has the best flight attendant bar none especially the Older Seasoned one’s hopefully the new ones will follow in by Example much Mahalos Hawaiian
I don’t know about Hawaiian but United doesn’t have Handicap Seats anymore, at least not marked as such. I did find out by accident that United has a certain number of seats, aisle, that if needed are for hanicap. If someone has booked one of the seats that become needed that passenger is relocated elsewhere. I was extremely grateful and surprised by this, very Thankful that I fly United.
I was just in an inter island flight in Hawaii, flying Hawaiian Air. At 6’6″, I was jammed into a small seat. I asked if I could move just behind me to an empty emergencey row seat after the plane was loaded and was told no. Very disappointed, but a 40 minute flight so not the end of the world.0 but why not make your customers as comfortable as possible?
Well, it seems that the president of Hawaiian Airlines continues to devalue the experience, yet this is another example. Sadly, I think I am saying aloha to flying on Hawaiian airlines, it just isn’t the same anymore. The food has become terrible, the exorbitant charges for “extra comfort“ seats is really a joke, when you see how high the premium is, and on and on. I am switching to Southwest and United as those experiences are much more positive, and there’s no more nickel and diming, squeezing every possible nickel out of the passengers that Hawaiian can. So sad. Aloha Hawaiian .
I agree. I was thinking about a Hawaiian Air credit card, but not interested in flying with them again so why do it.
It seems that despite all of the problems that people have identified with Hawaiian Airlines that no one is paying attention in the Main Office. With the potential loss of passengers, both short and long term devotees, typically at least some of the identified issues would be addressed, why won’t Hawaiian? Is Management still of the Belief that They are the Only Real Choice for Flights to Hawaii? It seems that way. If Passengers are not content they Will look and Book elsewhere. Fixing the Problems and keeping customer satisfaction high will be Easier than Finding New Customers. BTW Hawaiian what’s Your Customer Acquisition Cost per person? In the Long Term which Will cost you Less?
If I paid extra for an MCE seat, why should someone who didn’t pay be allowed the privilege for free? Kick the freeloaders out.
It makes perfect sense that anyone moving to a better seat be charged, just like all the other pasengers who had to pay more to get a better seat. We pay around $50 each way to be able to choose where we sit.
When 30% of the comments are from one “person”, often back to back posts, it might be reasonable to ask if the airlines are paying to avoid bad public relations.
If referring to me….. I have time on my hands and attempt to catch up when I am able. This at times leads to back to back to back, you can get the picture, replies and postings. I find many of the postings quite interesting and want to reply to them, sorry if that seems manipulative in any way. I am Retired but working and have No relationship, past or present, with the Airline or Aviation Industries whatsoever. Have a Wonderful Day!
No… simply because it is unfair that one person might grab a better seat before another…and conflict might arise. If there was a lottery process (I know Too Complicated)but at least it would be fair. However, I have no issue if a row is full and someone moves to an empty row for space If that row is the same category… it is the higher cost seat that is the variable.