I always turn up last for a flight from Turkey as I have my own transport and get the best seats.

John

We checked in last coming back from Turkey in July with Thomas Cook and were given the only seats left - the bulkhead ones.

Bridd

You can just as easily find they're all gone and get the worst seats on the plane - the last row at the back.

Just depends if you want to take the risk or not. You are paying your £15 to guarantee extra legroom. Plenty of people are willing to pay to do that.

its always risky waiting for an upgrade at check in, i would always attempt to pre book them first, getting to check in ridicolously earlier can also ensure that you get a extra leg room seat, at a smaller fee.

I would pay the £15 for the seats, especially on a longer flight, but can not do it as I have children under 16 years old. If we want the extra room we have to pay for premium which costs at least £195 each way each. makes £15 sound a little more enticing.

i have had 13 year old children sitting on the front bulk head of a B757 aircraft, theres no problems with that, just as long as they are sat in the middle or window seat and not aisle seat.

Children under 14 are not permitted to sit near exit rows due to there lack of strength to through the doors out of the aircraft in event of an emergency.

Does anybody know how far in advance you can book extra legroom seats?
Ian

in most cases when you book your holiday, the agent can do it there and then

Thanks for a quick reply. I will enquire at the time of booking.

I believe that the seat pitch minimum is 28 inches .The UK is unique in having a minimum.Even CAA has admitted this is not enough.Ther has been a study into this by CAA I have not seen the results.
This is a serious problem for tall people who physically cannot get their legs in front of them which means the airlines are not fulfilling what should be a safety, even legal, requirement to provide you with a seat where you can take the brace position in case of an emergency. These passenegers themselves constitute a safety hazzard as they could not get out of their seats quickly in an emergency and could be blocking fellow passengers escape.
My brother has the same problem and has often been given his extra legroom seat when pointing this out, and offering to take the matter further.
The Sunday Times ran a campaign to get seat pitch increased in airlies for this very reason to say nothing of other health and safety issues like DVT. Airline space is geting smaller while the average size and height of the human race is geting taller.
It seems American Airlines had the best seat pitch of 34/36 Inches.

Apparently the charter flights that Thomas Cook now use for Canada have a seat pitch of 35", which means that they fair better than some schedule carriers.

Kath HT Admin

yes but unforunatly thats only to Canada a long haul route, same for First Choice they are intoducing new leg room and so on yet this is only for long haul.

Most people in a recent survery believe it or not said they were happy with the seat pitch on a short haul flight with a charter carrier. 68% or something like that.

As I mentioned when starting this thread, I am 6' 5". I always have a quiet cynical smile to myself whenever the safety video mentions "the brace position". No way could I get into the position on anything but a bulkhead seat.

The recent replies make me wonder about using it as an argument, by saying the airline is not fulfilling the legal requirements.

That could be interesting!

One of the brace positions accepted by the CAA is to rest your hands on the seat back in front with your head resting on your hands. I therefore don't think you would get very far with the arguement.

We fly to Cyprus every year and always book extra leg room seats,okay it costs me £30 per person return but I really think its worth it because your on board for 4 3/4 and I like to chill out and relax getting ready for my holiday.

i am flying monarch scheduled in december to alicante and booked through lastminute.com, i rang monarch and booked the extra legroom seat for 15 pounds each way, they have allocated me seat A26 on both flights,

lets hope it all works out as it should

We are flying to Dom Rep in May with First Choice but on a Britannia flight. There are no premium seats left outbound and I would like to upgrade for extra legroom.

First Choice can't help apart from suggesting I ring Britannia. When I rang them they tell me that all the upgrade options belong to Thomson so I appear to have no way to get the extra legroom unless I turn up very early to check in and am extremely lucky.

Am I really at a dead end or does anyone have any alternative strategies that work in these circumstances ?

Scubaman

hi
Well if you are tall, like my other half you could try requesting a special need seat or a seat by emergency exit.Brittania have never let me down in 5 flights, I have e-mailed them prior to flying and they have been brilliant.HTH,
EMMA

Many thanks for your replies - I will give them a go and let you know how I get on. I am 6ft 2 ( ish ) but I have a feeling that you need to be taller than that for special needs.

Scubaman