Never flown - which airline & what to expect?

[anitract]

Date: 8/21/2006 12:05:42 PM
Author: phoenixgirl
Also, check out Seatguru.com if you can pick seats for yourselves. We prefer to be on the side rather than in the middle, and not to be blocked in by another person so we can get up easily.

The longest part of my flight will be from AZ to Kauai on a 757. Seat guru shows a chart like so; but on orbitz.com, the picture when you go to choose your seats doesn't show an isle...actually it looks like the isles are on both sides of the seats and the seats are all lumped together in the middle. Anyone that's flown on a 757, is their one isle down the middle with sections of 3 on either side, or are all seats lumped together with an isle on either side? Or are there both configurations depending on the plane?

Anyway, what does everyone prefer - isle or window seats? I am leaning toward isle.

The "getting bumped" makes me nervous and I would be extremely upset if it happened as we're trying to get to our wedding/honey moon!

 

[pearcrazy]

DH and I chose two aisle seats on the same row. We still sat next to each other but neither one of us was stuck in the middle seat.

As far as avoiding a short layover in Honolulu. The flight is so short that you will only get to about 16,000 feet or so. Not high enough or far enough to have the plane heavily pressurized. I have sensitive ears too and had no problem with that portion. If it saved me a 5 hour layover in Phoenix then it would be worth it to me. That''s a REALLY long time to be stuck in an airport to avoid a 35 minute flight IMO.

 

[tdiddy]

Every 757 I''ve flown on in economy has 3 seats on one side an aisle down the middle and 3 seat on the other side. Most planes with 2 aisles and seats in the middle (and on the sides) are 747s ("double decker" planes), 767s, and 777s. Although it is possible that a long haul plane would have a different configuration. Even the 757s I''ve taken to Europe only have 1 aisle though.

I always get a window seat b/c I like the view - but I''m in the minority there. Most people like aisle seats. On a 757, I''d go for the aisle seat for a long trip. Those planes are pretty stuffy if the flight is full. The suggestion above of both of you going for aisle seats in the same row isn''t a bad idea either. Or going for the window and aisle to try to "block" the row and trading if necessary (anyone will trade to get out of a middle seat).

The ear plugs don''t work for me - but anything is worth a try. And they''re not expensive so they wouldn''t be a huge waste of money to try out.

If the airline tries to bump you, just tell them you are on your honeymoon. Most airlines are understanding about things like that and won''t want to ruin the trip for you. Unless you are flying two independent airlines (not partners at all - like Delta for the 1st leg and United for the 2nd part to Hawaii) you are usually (like 90% of the time) checked all the way through so your seat is "safe" from that point forward unless you volunteer to give it up.

 

[anitract]

Well guys, I''m leaning strongly toward a 2 stopper flight. It would be Omaha -> Phoenix -> Honolulu -> Kauai. Total time is 13 hr 27 min w/ a price around $710 (the same as the first). My ears are a concern but if it''s that not much worse than driving through the mountains, then I should be okay.

On these multi-stop flight (or any flight at all really), how is luggage handled between stops? Do they load it from one plane to the other for you, or do you get it after you land and then re-check it in yourself each time?

 

[anitract]

I ended up booking the flight from the previous post through Orbitz.com. It let me choose the seats; however, when I went in to look at it the following day it now says "Your flight is confirmed. The airline is assigning seats at check-in". This really annoys me! I want to be sure to have a seat next to my fiance for the flight...now it''s not sure, or what? I emailed their customer service department and never got a reply back.

Anyone have experience with this?

 

[belle]

Date: 8/23/2006 10:03:18 AM
Author: anitract
Well guys, I''m leaning strongly toward a 2 stopper flight. It would be Omaha -> Phoenix -> Honolulu -> Kauai. Total time is 13 hr 27 min w/ a price around $710 (the same as the first). My ears are a concern but if it''s that not much worse than driving through the mountains, then I should be okay.

On these multi-stop flight (or any flight at all really), how is luggage handled between stops? Do they load it from one plane to the other for you, or do you get it after you land and then re-check it in yourself each time?

you don''t recheck luggage it is automatically routed to your destination.

 

[belle]

Date: 8/31/2006 12:03:11 PM
Author: anitract
I ended up booking the flight from the previous post through Orbitz.com. It let me choose the seats; however, when I went in to look at it the following day it now says ''Your flight is confirmed. The airline is assigning seats at check-in''. This really annoys me! I want to be sure to have a seat next to my fiance for the flight...now it''s not sure, or what? I emailed their customer service department and never got a reply back.

Anyone have experience with this?

get to the check in counter early and you shouldn''t have any problems. the airlines are quite accomodating. (unless you are late!)