The Right Seat ~ Part II

...

“Grande, extra hot, decaf, soy latte, please.” That’s the sort of thing you hear at your favourite coffee shop. If people are that particular about the coffee they drink, why shouldn’t they have strong preferences for where they will be sitting on an often crowded aircraft for hours? Aisle seat is the most requested. Statistically, twice as many people prefer an aisle seat to a window seat. Aisle seats allow you to get up without disturbing other passengers. They allow the quickest exit from the plane once you’ve landed. And, for some people who feel claustrophobic on planes, it gives a bit more sense of spaciousness and freedom. Unfortunately, there are only so many of these to go around.

If you fly a lot, you probably have “status” on one or two frequent-flyer programs, and therefore enjoy privileged access to the best seats on their affiliated airlines. Except, that is, when the flight is very full. Then, you’re in the same boat as everyone else. Airlines have been cutting capacity and refining their “inventory control systems” (ie. the science of over-selling flights as much as possible without getting caught), so more and more flights are going out full, leaving you limited seat choices unless you book six months in advance! In the U.S., flights ran a near-record 81% full in the month of March this year; so good seats have become harder to come by these days, regardless of your status.

Whether you are a frequent traveller or occasional one, here are some tips that might help you find that elusive “perfect” seat on your next flight.


Tips:

Ø Book further ahead. (Easier said than done, but your agent will offer to tentatively book a seat and hold it until you are ready to commit.)
Ø Check-in for your flight online. Many airlines, including Air Canada, British Airways, and even Southwest, now permit online check-in—in some cases up to 24 hours in advance. Take advantage of this, to get at the best seats.
Ø Even if you are not a high tier frequent-flyer, at check-in ask for a seat in the front rows. Often these seats have slightly better pitch.
Ø Pay a bit more for premium economy class—for example, Air Canada’s new “Club Class” on some international flights, British Airways’ “World Traveller Plus,” and United’s “Economy Plus.” Usually, these offer the same economy meal service, but give you the extra leg room that is more important. Some airlines, such as United, allow you to upgrade to this cabin for a very small charge at the airport.
Ø Reserve your seats at the time of booking. Your agent will never allow you to make the mistake of forgetting to pre-assign the best available seat at the time you book.
Ø Reconfirm the seats a day before the flight. Often airlines make last-minute changes to equipment; it can lead to a nasty surprise at the airport.
Ø Upgrade to business class. Either look for special business class fares or ask about using points to upgrade. (Air Canada does not offer points upgrades). If you are a high-tier member of a frequent-flyer program, make sure you let your agent know your status and wishes. He/she will automatically arrange for upgrades at the appropriate time and –equally important—make sure you pick airfares that permit upgrading. Many airlines, including Air Canada, restrict upgrades to certain higher airfares.
Ø Beware of online bookings. Most web sites, including Air Canada’s does not permit you to assign seats or even look at a seat map until you have paid for the ticket. You have no way of knowing if you will get a decent seat before you pay! Also, most online sites will not recognize your status with the airline, and therefore not offer you the preferred seats.
Ø Pass on your experiences to your agent, to better help him/her select the best seats for you on aircraft that you regularly fly. One of our clients, for instance, discovered that the “window seats” at row 13 on many types of Boeing 767s actually lack windows! We now know to avoid that row for this client.

...

Is Bigger Always Better?

Cruise lines have been battling for decades to outclass their competitors' ships by making vessels longer, bigger, and full of amenities like mall-size promenades and ice skating rinks. What started as small refurbished ferries have turned into vessels bigger than aircraft carriers.

Carnival Corp., the top cruise operator, launched the world's largest passenger ship last year—the luxury liner Queen Mary 2 which stretches nearly four football fields. But the monarch's reign isn't lasting long: rival Royal Caribbean Cruises will start sailing an even bigger ship in early 2006, the Freedom of the Seas.

As the industry builds ships that keep getting bigger to meet growing demand, these megaships also create new problems. The lines have to balance the preferences of passengers who want flashy new amenities with those who are looking for quiet vacations. Many ports say these vessels make it tough to process thousands of people in just a few hours. Environmental groups also complain that bigger ships mean more pollution.

Cruise executives say they have worked to relieve those problems. For example, passengers can now check in online to reduce congestion at the port. And most passengers are clearly happy with the massive ships: passenger numbers have risen an average of about 8 percent a year for more than a decade.

The first modern cruise ship in the 1960s held just 560 passengers. In the 1980s, Carnival Cruise Lines launched three new ships that could hold nearly 1,800 passengers each. At the time, many observers wondered if there were enough travelers to fill them. The Freedom of the Seas will be able to hold 4,370 passengers. And Carnival is kicking around the idea of building a ship to take the title back, but it doesn't have any firm plans.

Clearly cruise lines favour big ships to take advantage of the economy of scale, and therefore offer passengers best value and at the same time realize maximum profitability; but what do passengers really think of all this? "A cruise on the big new ships is primarily what people want to buy. People are clearly voting with their wallets," said Adam Goldstein, president of the Royal Caribbean International brand. "We would be very happy to operate smaller ships if they could generate greater profitability than the big ships, but they don't."

Others, including some of our agents, aren’t so sure. “I’m not a fan of long buffet lineups, the search for a free deck chair, or the congestion getting on and off the ship at ports,” says Cathy Moore, our office manager and a frequent cruiser. “If you are more interested in the ports of call than the ship itself, I’d hunt down a small ship.”

“The smaller ships get into ports that the large ships can't get near. You can pull right up to the dock in ports rather than having to go in by tender,” adds Lindy Rothenberger, our vacation dept. manager and a cruise specialist.

But others love the giant vessels: you’re definitely not going to get bored on one of these: whether it’s miniature golf, a half dozen restaurants to sample, or just people-watching, the megaships offer lots of variety and activity for the more outgoing personalities.

Other issues with megaships are high cost for ports to accommodate bigger and bigger vessels and some environmental concerns. Maneuvering and fitting those ships into ports puts pressure on destinations, especially smaller ones. Antigua's port, for instance, recently spent $22 million to accommodate larger ships, but it's unclear whether Carnival’s monsters will fit there. Many smaller ports are worried that cruise ships might avoid them as cruise lines have to cater to a lower common denominator in passenger tastes. Add to this extra pollution and large-scale damage to reefs and the underwater ecosystems and you have the classic tension between economy and environment.

Right now, the momentum is definitely with ever-larger sized ships, but remember—we baby boomers are fickle!

Source: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/travel/3450666