It could be the latest thing on your Hawaii flight amenity cart for sale: a better seat. Change is afoot on whether an unsold superior seat in economy should be up for grabs once the flight starts? These airlines are starting to say “no.”
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89 thoughts on “Don’t Move! Hawaii Flight Attendants Now Enforcing Economy Seats”
This is Not a service to the customer. These ‘extra cost’ seats should be marked to prevent any ‘misunderstanding’. They could put those old ‘head doilles’, like the airlines used to have on the seatback way back when, on those ‘premium’ seats, letting the basic economy folks know that the seat is extra cost. Don’t set things up for confrontation with the flight crew. They have enough to deal with.
I agree. Mark the extra-cost and special-purpose seats. Avoid passenger confusion and embarrassment. On a recent HA OGG-LAX flight, after the door closed, I moved directly from my chosen aisle seat near the back of the plane across the aisle to a vacant aisle seat . The flight attendant soon informed me that I was in a section designated as “attendant rest area,” a place where the flight attendants could take a nap mid-flight. The seats were not marked and if they had been, I would not have moved.
That certainly should be marked with something indicating that it is not occupied by anyone other than “Crew” or something to that extent. The Average Person wouldn’t move to those open and marked seats thus problems “Should Not Arise.” Unfortunately there always seems to be that One person that would try to take advantage of it. Your Rationale is certainly worth exploring, it’s just convincing the Airlines to initiate it.
Agree. This is what I’ve seen them doing on my last 6 flights between the mainland and HI. This flight I’m on now we were told not to move/ and they removed the TV’s as well.
I’ve been a loyal Hawaiian Airline customer, paying extra to reach gold status. I’ll be looking at Southwest and other options now though. I wonder if this has anything to do with them being bought by Alaskan…
Regardless, it’s unpleasant and if that’s how they’re going to treat loyal customers then turn about is fair play. So sad. I love(ed) flying Hawaiian.
Somehow they’ve managed until now. Funny this coincides with all the other nickle and dime fees. When SW takes market share, they’ll understand…
Was it ever a privilege to change to a higher priced seat??
In my opinion,the seats are too narrow in basic economy. However,people are conditioned to bargain hunt for Cheap Seats.
So,they will buy a seat even for a dollar less.To compete,on a search engine ,airlines offer cheap uncomfortable seats fearing the passenger will opt for Cheap.Maybe ww need regulation?
Supposedly Congress will be taking several issues up in the Transportation Safety Committee within “Months” which could mean sometime between yesterday and the End of Time. Some of the Issues are Seat Size and Leg Room. For Safety of the individual passenger in any emergency whether the current sizes are enough to allow for passengers to get out of their seats without any reasonable time delays and problems. Hopefully this will bring back more of the leg room and larger seating. We will see. If it does occur I would expect the Airlines to increase ticket prices just for their own inconvenience, never mind the loss of income from the then missing seats. I honestly don’t expect any changes for several years if the decision is made.
I will stick with Southwest for all my flights to Hawaii. Flight Attendants are so much more friendly, bags fly for free (only airline doing that) and of course the cost are cheaper too. No nickel and diming with Southwest, it’s a no brainer.
The Southwest Airlines effect seems to be beating out Hawaiian hands down, is Hawaiian that certain of their continued Dominance in the Hawaiian Niche Market? I don’t see it lasting that much longer with their Customer Responsiveness approaching New Levels of Disappointing Unresponsiveness daily. Time will tell but so far the money is on Southwest to Win, Hawaiian being a “No Show!”
Bottom line the airlines want to keep making enough money and have no regret for the passengers
When is this going to stop ! All it is $$$
What a shame . That’s awful .
They “Collectively” seem to have the Markets Sewn Up and, Short of Private Rentals and Owning Your Own Plane, are the only “Game in Town!” Are We to finance the “Big Splash” where a multi lane tunnel is created from several mainland areas converging together and traveling to each Hawaiian Island? Don’t forget that Scamtrack needs dedicated rail service each way and while we are at it, Freight Service by multiple sets of track! What could possibly go Wrong with something like that? Am I a Visionary or just another Mental Case!
The airline business is not really a moneymaker The airlines often lose millions and millions of dollars.
The passengers are fickle and want a premium experience for bargain basement prices. The airlines are mostly just trying to keep their heads above water and need these extra revenue seats to do do.
I think we should be allowed to change seats within the confines of the class of seat purchased. We are not allowed much discretion when purchasing the initial seat because we cannot see which seats are available at that time.
AA, UA, DL charge extra for window or aisle seats, so you can’t move to them
Evan We just flew round trip on United and there Wasn’t Any Extra Charge for Window or Aisle Seats, I for one cannot understand where your information comes from. I do,however, know that a few Aisle Seats have been designated for disabled individuals if needed, again at No Additional Cost. Even with our Last Round Trip to Hawaii in February 2022 on United there Wasn’t Any Extra Charge for Window or Aisle Seats.
I’m going to stick with Southwest Airlines, where everybody gets a fair shot at all seats, and everyone can check two bags for free. Southwest doesn’t fly to Hawaii? No problem. I’ll cruise to Hawaii!
Actually, Southwest does fly to Hawaii.
Do you think any vacant seat in economy should be up for grabs after the plane is in the air?
No!
No, the better seats are at an extra cost so passengers shouldn’t be able to move to those seats without having to pay the extra cost. If I pay the extra fee and someone gets to move to the same type of seat at no cost, then I should be refunded the price difference or they should have to pay the difference.
The issue is we don’t all pay the same for the same seats. I might pay $100 more per seat upfront, due to when I book or whatever other factors they interject into the process. We the consumer continue to allow the airlines to nickle and dime us while cramming us into smaller seats, less amenities and added fees. Now we’ll be crammed three across while looking at the empty seats across the aisle? This BS has to be stopped. I was back and forth about signing up for the HA mileage card, and now seeing this article, not happening. I have had good flights on HA, but they to are leaving the customer service behind. And flight attendants are dealing with more unruly, angry customers? No way… I can’t imagine why. We pay more, get less.
Adam unfortunately much of what you’ve said is the truth. We all pay different ticket prices for basically the exact seat depending on variable factors in booking. The Airlines “could” decide on a different formula for pricing in order to negate any problems, charge the exact same price for Every Seat in a given section. No more jockeying for Best Price or Seat Assignments as this approach makes first come first served Seat Choice the only way to get what you may want. No more wondering, everyone pays the same for that section!
I paid 69.00 extra for extra comfort on my flight from HNL to San Jose. round trip. I expect the same should apply to anyone who wants more comfort. If they want the seat, they should pay for it just as I did.
Did you pay the same for the seat as the person next to you? You’ll never know, stop perpetuating they’re ability to profit off us. We wonder why this country is the way it is today, no one can stand to see someone get something they didn’t. Sense of entitlement is at an all time high!
Other than at a Fixed Price Venue where do you expect everyone to pay the same? Sometimes waiting and watching the flights and seat pricing can get you a real deal and other times cost you more, it’s a gamble that many take. Sometimes people book at a certain time due to a seat assignment needed, departure and arrival time, but to expect that everyone in a certain class paying the same would lead to many booking at the last possible moment leading to the airlines not knowing the capacity, necessary fuel, etc. It all factors in.
Entitlement has been rising for 2 decades and every year has been worse than the previous. Give thanks for this to the Parents, Teachers, Coaches and everyone else that gave out Trophies for Losing, for Participating. Those who gave Passing Grades for “Trying” despite being Wrong, It has now come back to Haunt Society.