Travel expert praises last-minute trick to score extra plane seat: ‘Cheaper’
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Travel expert praises last-minute trick to score extra plane seat: ‘Cheaper’
Some airlines are giving travellers the option to buy the seat next to them. Qantas, Emirates, Fiji Airways and Philippine Airlines have added the option. It enables passengers to enjoy extra space and comfort. You can’t book the extra seat until a few days before travel, so it only works if your flight isn’t already full. In terms of cost, you are likely to save money in comparison to an upgrade to premium economy or business. But the kicker with the Neighbour Free scheme is that even if you reserve the seat, it may need to be changed for operational, safety, or security reasons, even after boarding the aircraft, but you do get a refund if this is the case. If you’re flying with a family, that one seat could be a lifesaver. You might not want to spend extra for the whole family to have more space in premium economy, but an extra seat for bags, legs, and so you aren’t seated next to a stranger could be real help.
Flying economy is definitely not the most comfortable way to travel. You spend half the journey with knees squashed and body rigid as you try not to encroach on the space of the person you’re sitting next to, and then there’s that awkward dance when you, or they, have to get up to use the bathroom.
Add a few kids to the mix, and the start of your holiday can often become the most stressful part. But, before reaching for an expensive upgrade, carriers including Qantas, Emirates, Fiji Airways and Philippine Airlines have added a new option for the humble traveller.
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How you can get more space in economy
Instead of spending hundreds, sometimes thousands more for a seat in premium economy or business class, some airlines are giving their passengers the option to buy the seat next to them in economy.
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Qantas, which calls the policy Neighbour Free Seating, explains that it enables passengers to enjoy extra space and comfort. Meanwhile, Fiji Airlines allows its travellers to book up to two more seats, securing themselves an entire row.
“It’s great to see airlines innovating and looking for ways to offer more space and comfort to those travelling in economy class,” Flight Centre Travel Group Global Leisure CEO, James Kavanagh, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “The Neighbour Free Seat is a no-brainer solution that I think we’ll see more and more airlines offer to passengers.”
Qantas calls the policy Neighbour Free Seating. Photo: Qantas
How Neighbour Free Seating works
Essentially, you can’t book the extra seat until a few days before travel, so it only works if your flight isn’t already full. With Qantas, if you’re eligible, you’ll be sent an email invitation to reserve a Neighbour Free seat from 48 hours before your scheduled flight departure. For Fiji Airways, it’s 72 hours before, and Emirates will tell you at the airport check-in counter.
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In terms of cost, Kavanagh says you are likely to save money in comparison to an upgrade to premium economy or business.
“Using Qantas as an example, the cost varies depending on the route and works on a bidding structure; but in most cases it’s going to be cheaper than premium economy,” he says.
“It’s hard to make a comparison because premium economy is so much more than extra space – it’s better food, better entertainment and better seat configuration. That being said, there are examples of people paying around $250 to secure the seat next to them on a flight from Sydney to Dallas, which is pretty good for a bit of extra space on an international flight.”
Particularly, if you are flying with a family, that one seat could be a lifesaver. You might not want to spend extra for the whole family to have more space in premium economy, but the extra seat for bags, legs, and so you aren’t seated next to a stranger could be a real help.
Any downsides?
The main problem is the uncertainty, because you don’t know if it’s an option until you’re almost ready to fly. Kavanagh also points out that the airline might suddenly take the seat back.
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“What you save in cost you lose in guarantee,” he details. “The kicker with the Neighbour Free scheme is that even if you reserve the seat, it may need to be changed for operational, safety, or security reasons, even after boarding the aircraft, but you do get a refund if this is the case.”
Despite this, travellers are starting to take up the offer and post their happier journeys on social media.
“Pro tip: If ya can’t afford first class just buy out the seat next to ya,” TikTok creator Lexi Hensler advises in her video, which received an outpouring of surprised comments from her followers.
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“I can see it being fairly popular, especially since it’s only available 48 hours out from departure, so it definitely plays on that last-minute panic of crossing your fingers that the free seat next to you doesn’t get reserved,” Kavanagh says. “It’s great for solo travellers, but also families with young children who might want a bit more space”.
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