When to book air, looking for First Class

[zzyzx409]

I am a fairly good sized man, with some mobility problems. I usually fly Fisrt Class to have a little extra room. In 2003 and 2004 i was able to find sales on FC for about $750 each, not too bad. I seem to remember booking as far out as I could.

I am planning a Dec 2006 trip to WDW. Looking at fares now they are about $300 for coach, and $1000 for FC.

With travel being what it is now, any chance FC will go down? or is this as good as it gets this year?

Also I have a friend who frequently books 3 coach seats for the two of them, and it has always worked out for them so far.

Any chance that if I were to book 3 seats that the airlines could decide that since the third seat is empty that it doesn't have to be with myself and wife?

Asking because once I booked coach early, made sure seat selections were on a side of the aircraft that had only 2 seats. It all worked out well until we got to Orlando for our return flignt, then out of the blue they decided to give us a center and window seat (max discomfort). We had checked in, were waiting to board, when they decided to give someone else our seats. That was the last time I flew coach.

Anyone got any ideas?

What is the history of FC going down?

Is the Airline "requred" to give me three seats in a row if I book and select seats for all flights 6 or 8 months out?

Thanks,

Andy

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

No one can know what air fares will be next December, but it appears from all signs that they will be doing up rather than down. I would grab any fare which looked reasonable now, if you know your travel dates.

Any chance that if I were to book 3 seats that the airlines could decide that since the third seat is empty that it doesn't have to be with myself and wife?

If you are paying for 3 seats, and don't actually sit in it, or use it for "spillover" space, it's still your seat. The airline cannot resell it to someone else.

Is the Airline "requred" to give me three seats in a row if I book and select seats for all flights 6 or 8 months out?

Lots of airlines won't allow you to select seats so far out. And they can always change your seat assignment at any time, due to aircraft changes or any other reason. If you buy three seats, you are never guaranteed that all of these seats are together. And in domestic first class, the seating configuration is often 2 seats across, not 3.

Unfortunately, seat assignments are never guaranteed.

You might want to consider booking (if possible) in something such as United Economy Plus. You get a lot of extra room at a much cheaper price than first or business. I would recommend booking via telephone with an airline ticket agent and explain your dilemma, playing up your mobility problems. You'd have a better chance of getting what you want then booking yourself online.

 

[zzyzx409]

Lots of airlines won't allow you to select seats so far out. And they can always change your seat assignment at any time, due to aircraft changes or any other reason. If you buy three seats, you are never guaranteed that all of these seats are together. And in domestic first class, the seating configuration is often 2 seats across, not 3.

I just called AA and talked to them about this. They recommended that I book over the phone, as there is really no way to code this on an Interent site, then she put special coding in to indicate what I was doing.


What she did was sell me three seats. Me, Wife and Extra. She sold them in two transactions. One for me and wife, the other for the Extra. That is so that she could get the seat assignments for me and wife as aisle and window. Then the seat coded the other seat as "Extra Seat my last name" as the center seat. She also said she put osme other coding in so that folks would know that the extra seat was meant to be between me an wife so as to have extra room.

She then made seat assignments for all legs of the flight.

Thanks,

Andy

P.S. The 2 and 3 seat peoblem I had was when I flew coach, when flying FC, only 2 very nice seats per side.

Sure would be nice if they brought back the Businsss class, something with FC room without the FC price tag.

 

[chamonix]

I'm glad that worked out well for you.

I wanted to answer your question about sales on FC seats though: AA sends me emails offering sales on FC occasionally. Not sure how often, no detectable pattern, and as I recall they are usually only for 5-10% or so off of full fare. They are also only for a very small time frame--usually less than a month--and not very far in advance, maybe within a month of flight time? I assume I receive these sale fares since I am a (very) frequent flyer and always manage to fly FC on AA. But who knows, lol, they may send them out to all their AAdvantage members regardless of their elite status.