For me, the trouble comes when I sit in front of a kid, say, under about 12. It seems they are content to practice their karate kicks on the back of my seat for the duration of the flight… which is totally awesome.
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Willing to take the risk, since most of the time, the amount of Gs makes no difference?
Got it. Comfort Plus which is just extra leg room and can be both on domestic and international. Premium Select is a premium economy class and has wider seats but as far as I can tell is only on international flights. I was only talking about domestic flights when I was talking about Delta and United but clearly got the name wrong when I said Premium Economy as that is for the international flights, at least at Delta.
Except for Spirit (which I have never flown), the economy plus version is the same coach seat but with more leg room.
So, no benefit when considering oversized neighbors. I definitely like the seats on JetBlue the best.
Interestingly, Delta has Delta One (flatbed suites), First, Premium Select, Comfort Plus and Main Cabin on international flights. No business class, although the first looks like an old international business class seat.
Um, you understand it’s not just the person in the wheelchair taking the risk, right? During a sudden stop, the person and wheelchair become projectiles.
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Code shares operated by a different airline should be noticeable when booking, though you may have to look at the fine print (“operated by [some other airline]”), or know that ranges of flight numbers indicate code shares.
If you are on a code share flight, you will need to check in with the operating airline. The six character record locator for the booking airline will not work with online check in, so you need to call one of the airlines in advance to find the record locator for the operating airline.
Premium Economy class is offered on some domestic routes where widebody jets are used (since it’s only available on those jets). Domestically, airlines use the widebody jets on the most popular transcontinental routes (e.g. NYC to LA or SF), and sometimes between their major hubs.
Delta One is considered business class (Delta doesn’t offer international first class) even with its flatbed seats and suite doors. Fewer and fewer airlines offer international first class these days because it has become harder to differentiate between the two classes (by physical appearances alone). Among the US airlines, only AA still offer international first class (called Flagship First), but I believe it’s doing away with that product too.
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The six character record locator or confirmation code may be the same between the two airlines if they use the same reservation system (e.g. Amadeus or Sabre). In cases where they’re different, some airlines (e.g. United) now automatically provide both.
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Hm - since I also do have a LH account, I haven’t run into problems either way. But I’m fairly certain that a flight booked through UA had me use the UA app/site to check in (not necessarily using the 6 char record locator) - it didn’t force me to the LH site (or vice versa).
On a round trip ticketed through one airline code, different airlines might operate each leg of the flight, and I feel I would have noticed if I had to have any awareness, which was which for each leg.
How? If they have spots where the wheelchair user can tie down their chair like on public buses, how many slots do they allot? Two in the front? Four at the rear that then can’t be used for other passengers if no need for a wheelchair on any one flight? Does every regional plane have to reconfigure for that? Who is responsible for the tie-down? (Cuz here the bus driver doesn’t do that) Does it have to accommodate every type of chair- electric, athletic, basic, deluxe? My friend with MS has a pretty big chair, electric, with his additional equipment on board too (O2, suction, feeding pumps). He can’t travel at all now, but if the requirements are to accommodate any chair, this chair would take up at least an entire row of an airplane. If he were to have to fly somewhere, he’d need medical transport.
Airplanes aren’t like buses or theaters or stadiums where a jump seat can be pulled down if the wheelchair space isn’t needed or a folding chair added.
Oversized passengers have to decide if they can afford to travel by air if that means buying 2 tickets. We all have our lines in the sand. Mine is frontier (and Spirit, but I’ve never flown Spirit). I pay more to fly non-Frontier. I pay more to fly at convenient times. My friend invited me on a trip and had picked out Frontier flights. I said I’d meet her there (she flew SWA with me in the end). She couldn’t believe I was so adamant about not flying Frontier, but I pointed out the $300 ticket wasn’t really $300 as we’d have to pay for luggage each way, pay to pick a seat if we wanted to, she’d have to pay to carry on her cameras…it’s not cheaper in the end and it’s more uncomfortable.
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Even if the wheelchair can be tied down, the wheelchair is not designed to stay in place, or even stay together, with anywhere close to 16Gs of load placed upon it. Aircraft seats have pretty rigorous safety requirements that people don’t think about. Putting rolling wheelchairs in the cabin in a silly idea.
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Thanks @1NJParent. I don’t fly Delta nearly as much as other airlines, though I think we have a flight this summer on DL to Calgary, probably in Comfort+.
I have been on international AA flights that have no first class, so the phaseout of F is probably underway. (I do use the Flagship Lounge in the US, whichever class I’m flying, and those lounges are reasonably nice.) BA by contrast still has F between Boston or NY and London.
FYI - At airports that are major Delta hubs, Amex Platinum includes Sky Club lounge access. Depending on airport and terminal, that can be a welcome perk.
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Also, I know folks say that people have options for travel, but when you live on an island the options are extremely limited if you want to go anywhere off the island. Most of my flights are 5+ hours. Except during covid, we fly about 30,000 miles or more per year, so yes we are affected by airlines and decisions they make.
looks fantastic, but note it takes up the space of First Class seat.
Standard wheel chair width is 26" vs 17"/18" in Economy. Standard wheel chair length is 42" vs. a 31" pitch in Economy.
Will they charge a first class price for using up a First Class seat? If not, they could do the same for ‘large’ persons. Just offer them a FC seat at Economy prices.
ETA: already posted above.
Actually no, platinum medallion status does not get lounge access. Delta Platinum AmEx cardholders can purchase a pass to the lounge- If you can get in. Lines are long and lounges are crowded. They started to put some restrictions on how many hours before flights customers could access the lounge, they stopped allowing employees to use the lounge, and they stopped, but then re-allowed due to pushback, passengers from using the lounge to freshen up/eat something after a flight.
Again, platinum in this case applies to the AmEx Platinum card. They have to pay a fee to access the sky club. Just because a delta passenger is a platinum medallion does not allow for access to the club. Delta reserve amex cardholders can access the club at no extra cost, if there is room! They may in the past have allowed Delta platinum medallion fliers to select lounge access as their annual benefit, but no more.
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Nope - my daughter uses it on most trips. There are fees if you bring non-carded guests. (https://www.delta.com/us/en/delta-sky-club/access)
Yes, I’ve read about problems at some locations/terminals, I suppose she’s been lucky thus far.
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Delta allows diamond fliers in, and people with the reserve amex card. If she was a platinum flier and got club access before they took it away, then she is lucky- just for this year. But that benefit is no longer available to be selected unless she is a diamond flier. It is also open to first class or Delta one passengers. Or, she bought a club membership.
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She’s a student - no money to spend on any memberships, and been flying frequently in the past weeks and months (so have I). I’m sure you are correct, with respect to Delta-issued, and various other cards that you are personally familiar with.
But I can’t help the facts with respect to Amex Platinum cards and Amex Business Platinum cards:
(They also refund $200 in airline/baggage fees per card holder and year, and reimburse TSA Precheck and Global Entry fees.)
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