Seat reservations on airlines can sometimes be harder to come by than a table at a hot restaurant.  Just like slipping the maître d’ a tip, there are ways around this problem. Airlines will routinely block seats for a variety of reasons that make sense to them. A recent study suggests that as many as 40 percent of seats are blocked off by airlines before the booking process is even opened. This can create misery for those without a reservation, who must face the possibility of a bad seat, being split up from children, or even running the risk of being bumped.

Preferred Treatment

If you are a member of a frequent or elite flier scheme you will automatically be able to access ‘free seats.’ There are two important points here. The first, is that frequent flier schemes do not really make it known that this is the case. It would be tantamount to saying non-members can’t get reserved seats. The second point is that these ‘free seats’ are in fact the seats the airline blocked off in the first place. Non- frequent fliers can book these seats but should expect to pay around $60 on a transcontinental flight. This is an incentive to sign up for one of these schemes.

Airlines are trying to do a number of things with this practice. The first is to encourage you to pay for a seat, maybe even a bulkhead or exit seat (ones with more space), this clearly raises their margins. The other thing they’re attempting is to reward loyal customers. You can’t really complain about this.

Pay the Full Price

Full price tickets will normally come with a reserved seat. This is definitely a factor in deciding if to go for a discount. If a reservation is important – think ‘can’t miss’ appointments or busy (Monday am, Friday pm) times – then the difference may well be worth paying. Remember the typical cost of $60 for a reserve seat listed above, this will be more for an in-demand flight.

As a corporate and private chauffeur service, we understand the importance of certainty for many people. While we may not be able to guarantee your seat, we can make sure that once you arrive, you’ll be met and transported in an efficient, punctual and luxurious manner. Operating in the New Jersey and the New York Metro Area we are proud to be listed as one of the top 50 limousine providers in the U.S. Call us today to see what we can do to make your journey better.

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