Paying extra to select seats

It's a while since I've been back to the UK and I bought a sale fare and thought I was getting a really good deal. Problem is when I went to try to select seats I had to pay an extra $200 to do so.

It didn't help that I booked through an agent who selected seats. Then after I'd paid and been issued with tickets she told me that because the fare was on sale that I couldn't reserve seats and that I'd have to check in 3 hours early to flights to select seats. I'd specifically paid more to the agent rather than book myself on line because seat selection was important to me.

I've since booked the seats myself with the airlines directly and paid the extra. I'm now wondering if I'd have paid more for the fare upfront whether that would have been cheaper and more flexible in the long run.

I just selected seats ahead of a flight and got a free upgrade! I never pay for seat selection unless it is a few dollars.

sometimes if you call the airline direct you can get better seats as they do hold some back so people who turn up at desk can sit together.

Emirates was on sale a few months ago,

We booked with them through flight centre,

And picked the seats, there and then for all 4 planes, with the sales lady clicking the seats we pointed at on her screen

We booked seats direct via the airlines website and were able to book the seats we wanted at the time of booking. No fuss. This has been with Emirates and Singapore Airlines. Also in the past BA and Qantas and other airlines we've used.

 

And picked the seats, there and then for all 4 planes, with the sales lady clicking the seats we pointed at on her screen

Yes that's what I did with the travel agent for all 6 planes because. After I paid I get told I can't reserve them.

Last time I flew with Emirates and could book seats free of charge. This time it's Qantas to Singapore, then Lufthansa to Frankfurt then on to UK.

Clearly I don't understand the booking classes and their inclusions and exclusions.

I have booked via STA in the past but selected my own seats on the airline website a few weeks before flying. It can depend on code shares and if you have multiple airlines.

on my next flight which is Virgin Delta neither will acknowledge one of the six flights on line. When I called they each said i needed to speak to the other! Eventually Delta sorted it, still not showing on their system though, she assured me it was on the ticket so fingers crossed!

Also in the past BA and Qantas and other airlines we've used.

BA and Qantas do charge for seat selection though...quite excessively in the case of BA! For Qantas I think you'd be looking at $30 each direction if booking a sale fare so would certainly add up.

If you are not aware, this is a great site to help you chose seats. It also tells you exactly where the wing seats are, unlike the diagrams on the airline sites.

http://www.seatguru.com/

Booking through an agent is seldom a good idea unless it is with an airline that doesn't have its own online sales. There are often hidden extras, inflexibilities and irritations.

Buying tickets direct with airlines are usually the best way to go if wanting to pick seats at time of booking, also if doing on line and it is not letting you pick your preferred seats then try booking by phone and talking to someone the seats might then become available. the only time we have paid extra was with Malaysia and this was to get the seats on the upper deck on the A380 plane, but this was only the once the next time with them it cost zero.

Remember actually having a seat reserved is no guarantee that you will get that seat (small print) as happened to us with Virgin Atlantic.

Seat Guru is good for finding which are the best seats or rather more importantly which are the bad ones, I usually have the guru web page open in a separate tab when booking with the airline so I can check we are not getting a bad seat.

Most travel agents say they cannot book seats until the tickets have been issued, usually some 24hrs or more later, however this is not entirely true and it can be done but the individual agent may lack knowledge in how to do it.