Philippine Airlines - A Small Rant!

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

Last minute booking and seat selection may be fine for single travellers but is not a good option for a family of 5.

I was in the middle.  I used that method for a family of 3.

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 hours ago, stevewool said:

I have seen this many times even once family members are in there seats the stewards will do there best to move people about so they are together

Can you just imagine the whinging if I booked two seats together for Lyn and I and then another seat for the 5 year old boy, somewhere off where we don't have to look after him.   

[OnMyWay]

3 hours ago, stevewool said:

You will be surprised how the airlines can be accommodating if there is a large booking, I have seen this many times even once family members are in there seats the stewards will do there best to move people about so they are together,

Yes, I know it used to be like that, but now, if somebody paid extra for a seat of their choice, it is less likely that they will cooperate unless they think it is a better seat.

[GeoffH]

2 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

Yes, I know it used to be like that, but now, if somebody paid extra for a seat of their choice, it is less likely that they will cooperate unless they think it is a better seat.

I was asked to shift from an aisle seat which I'd paid extra for to a middle seat so that a guy could sit there.  

I just said "I paid extra for this seat and the seat you're offering me is a no extra cost seat", the guy looked annoyed and asked again and I refused again.  Then he asked loudly again and I said NO again.  Then he stormed away.  The cabin staffer looked worried and came back a few minutes later and asked me to shift again.  I just said "I'm happy to shift into another aisle seat because I paid for an aisle seat, but I'm not moving to a center or window seat unless you give me the cash back that I paid for the upgraded seat".  She said "we can't do that..." and I never heard anything from the cabin crew again.

 

[OnMyWay]

15 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

I accidentally found it that is needless in many cases.  I bought a couple of tickets a couple days before my flight and they wanted me to pay extra to choose my seats.  I didn't.  However I immediately did the Online Check In and got to choose the exact same seats for free.  So you go ahead and pay.  I like free.

What airline was that? I'm not sure they all allow you to chose the seats during online check-in.  Not sure though.

Each scenario and trip will be different, with different risks and rewards.

I booked our family of 5 last March at a very nice price.  One aunt got her visa and ticket just two weeks ago.  If she came home on the same flight as us, her RT ticket would have been double what we paid.  She is coming home 3 days after us and her RT ticket was about $250 more than ours.

Unfortunately I never had the option of online check-in.  After my March booking, PAL did their system upgrade and I had no online access to my booking.

It was not only my family of 5 traveling.  We had 8 total on the flight and we wanted to sit together.  We paid $15 X 3 for aisle seats on the flight over.

The risk in waiting til the last minute would be that the flight would fill up and there would be no possible way to sit together.

As it worked out, our seating was perfect and everyone was happy.  $45 well spent.  Of course I would rather not be forced to pay $15 to chose an aisle seat! The two aunts going home on a different day will sit in a window seat and not pay the $15.

Another factor for us is that we are attending a wedding that my girls are flower girls in, so no room for error.