Emirates online check in and extra legroom seats....

Encantador

dmg24 wrote: »

You are best to ring them, and be first in line! Their customer service staff are excellent.

Tried that, all they say is the only option is to be at the front of the queue.

I assume if I don`t reserve seats online and then don`t get extra legroom seats at the check in, we will get allocated whatever seats are left, probably not together.

Any other options??

Encantador

sleep2much wrote: »

My thoughts exactly, I only wanted a window, ended up being squashed in the middle of three seats, but who wants to get to the airport three hours early? I know I don't.

So whatever you think you have bagged by checking in online means nothing until you arrive at check-in???

I would gladly get there 3 hours early if it meant getting extra legroom seats for the next 18 hours. If only it were that simple.

hammy_the_hammer

i'm not sure about emirates' policy but you could reserve a seat online (as a back up) and then check in on the day (early) and ask for an exit row seat. at this point if you have a connecting flight with emirates try and bag a decent seat as well on that flight

Strapped

Bear in mind that bulkhead seats are usually allocated to people travelling with kids.

Tojo_Ralph

Encantador wrote: »

So whatever you think you have bagged by checking in online means nothing until you arrive at check-in?.

In general terms, when you check in online you are checking in, naming your seat and printing off your boarding pass, so the seat you get can only be changed by a member of check in staff and I always make a point of making sure it is not changed..... Unless it's for a better seat, which I will make sure is a better seat because I will have the relevant print out from seatguru attached to my boarding pass print out.

Encantador wrote: »

Not quite sure what the point of checking in online is then?

Well, in general terms, at the very worst it means you can pick aisle or window and using www.seatguru.com you can avoid non reclining seats or poor seats that may have obstructions such as the metal entertainment box under them.

For example, the only aisle seats on the majority of the rows on a KLM 330-200 that don't have metal boxes are B and H and if a window seat is your thing, you will have a metal box at your feet.

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/KLM/KLM_Airbus_A330-200.php

At best you can get an exit row seat, or you can get nearer the front of the bus where it is invariably quieter, but remember many operators will have these seats showing as unavailable to passengers who do not have sufficient status with the relevant frequent flier programme or in the case of bulkhead seats, they tend to be held back for those with babys or toddlers.

An example of seats that are not generally made available to non frequent flyers are rows 9 to 17 on a KLM 747 or a 747 combi.

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/KLM/KLM_Boeing_747-400_combi.php

Encantador

Thanks for the replies.

As I was nearby today, I called into the airport and spoke to the Emirates desk staff. Same story, only option is to be first in line when check-in opens 4 hours before take off.

Seatguru seems to be a slightly different seat plan to Emirates site. Plane is 777-300ER. No mention of `ER` on Siteguru which might explain the difference.

Voyager2002

Encantador wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

As I was nearby today, I called into the airport and spoke to the Emirates desk staff. Same story, only option is to be first in line when check-in opens 4 hours before take off.

Beware: I have tried this before, only to find that the check-in desk had opened early and already given away the exit-row seats.

If this issue is so important to you, I suggest you pay a bit more and fly in Business class (which on Emirates is truly spectacular).

Tojo_Ralph

Encantador wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

As I was nearby today, I called into the airport and spoke to the Emirates desk staff. Same story, only option is to be first in line when check-in opens 4 hours before take off.

Seatguru seems to be a slightly different seat plan to Emirates site. Plane is 777-300ER. No mention of `ER` on Siteguru which might explain the difference.

The ER stands for Extended Reach and there are two seating configurations... Class Two and Class Three... The following link gives you links to both.

http://www.emirates.com/uk/english/flying/our_fleet/boeing_B777_300ER.aspx

Class Two highlights the problem with legroom seats. Approx 400 economy passengers, 10 bulkhead seats for folk with babies and everyone else after one of the 16 exit row seats.

Encantador

Voyager2002 wrote: »

If this issue is so important to you, I suggest you pay a bit more and fly in Business class (which on Emirates is truly spectacular).

If it were a `bit` more I would, but it`s getting on for nearly £4000 more. Maybe one day.....

M4RKM

Many airlines offer an at airport upgrade for a fee, this being considerably less than paying for a normal BusClass ticket.

And to the poster who says, i don't want to be at the airport 3 hours early.... well if you want to bag the good seats (as exit rows are rarely available online) this is the only way you can do it.

Some airlines (US Airways for example) don't even release the bulkhead seats until the staff get to the gate. It's what i call the gate dance, hanging around as the staff are setting up, and they know damn well what you want.

I've done this many times, and either bagged the bulkhead, or even got a row of 4 (middle seats) to myself.. (the 4 is brilliant... i can stretch out and sleep!!!)