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Airlines are not averse to blocking seats with imaginary sales to encourage bookings at inflated prices. Similarly, tour operators often block book seats for prospective customers on a sale or return basis meaning that if they do not sell all their places they are then released, often quite close to departure. Bucket shops thrive on this as the airlines are then desperate to fill the seats at short notice. Takes cojones and sometimes will not pay off. You takes your chances.

The upgrade to economy plus is the relatively inexpensive one. I ended up with one of those seats, by surprise, on a flight home a few years ago. Booked the flight thru 1.800.FLY. EUROPE. I'm in a normal-sized body, so the extra room wasn't all that noticeable. Wouldn't have even known it was an economy plus seat, if it wasn't for the sticker they put on the tray table facing you.

If I could wrangle a $250 upgrade to a full-recline seat, I would have to consider that, but that seems a little too good to be true. Enduring a transatlantic crossing in economy is like a game, and I like to make the best out of that by at least getting an empty seat next to me.

The airlines like to play the game, too. They attempt to poison me every time I get on a transatlantic flight. I don't really know what's under that foil, but it just ain't right...for me. I'm amazed at how many travelers scarf that meal down. My in-flight entertainment.

Nimrod cant hurt to ask when you check in, my first question when i check in , how much is it to upgrade to business, i usually get it when i fly hoem from Amsterdam i get to the airport early and goto the klm counter and ask, dosnt hurt to ask.

Peace Matty

matty223 wrote:Nimrod cant hurt to ask when you check in, my first question when i check in , how much is it to upgrade to business, i usually get it when i fly hoem from Amsterdam i get to the airport early and goto the klm counter and ask, dosnt hurt to ask.

Peace Matty

That sounds like the way to play it, if they've got the spare seats I guess you can bargain for one.

Sailor59 wrote:Airlines are not averse to blocking seats with imaginary sales to encourage bookings at inflated prices. Similarly, tour operators often block book seats for prospective customers on a sale or return basis meaning that if they do not sell all their places they are then released, often quite close to departure. Bucket shops thrive on this as the airlines are then desperate to fill the seats at short notice. Takes cojones and sometimes will not pay off. You takes your chances.

Well put. I now see the folly in my earlier approach.

spidergawd wrote:

matty223 wrote:Nimrod cant hurt to ask when you check in, my first question when i check in , how much is it to upgrade to business, i usually get it when i fly hoem from Amsterdam i get to the airport early and goto the klm counter and ask, dosnt hurt to ask.

Peace Matty

That sounds like the way to play it, if they've got the spare seats I guess you can bargain for one.

Yep. An arse in the back weighs as much as an arse in the front. What is the value of the extras? Nowhere near $200 so everyone is a winner.

Taylor wrote:Equivalent of $100 for me to fly to A'Dam and back from London.

Rub it in, why don't you! See you at the end of May, perhaps? I'll be there.

mafufero wrote:

Taylor wrote:Equivalent of $100 for me to fly to A'Dam and back from London.

Rub it in, why don't you! See you at the end of May, perhaps? I'll be there.

Haha, yeah we'll need to organise a T&T. Where do you want to meet? Wheres the comfiest sofas!

Taylor wrote:

mafufero wrote:

Taylor wrote:Equivalent of $100 for me to fly to A'Dam and back from London.

Rub it in, why don't you! See you at the end of May, perhaps? I'll be there.

Haha, yeah we'll need to organise a T&T. Where do you want to meet? Wheres the comfiest sofas!

I agree, comfort is key. We'll have to figure out which CS is most central to our respective locations and which has comfortable seating.

Just for stoner kicks, I looked up the cost of traveling to Denver from Central Europe. The dates are the 18th through the 22nd of April.
R/T Economy $790, nice. Continuing on, I did a little light reading and discovered that when using my retiree discount, I can stay at a 4* for $50 per night, sweet.
All in, $1300 plus an unknown $$$ for incidentals (cannabis) = ONE LARGE TIME!!!
Not bad when compared to 4/20 Amsterdam, all in about $1280 plus an unknown $$$ for incidentals (cannabis) = ONE LARGE TIME!!!
Choices and decisions... hmm................
...

Just wait until you see the fare breakdown. We pay more for taxes, fees and surcharges than the actual airfare, and they can surcharge us even more if need be. What a scam.

Really?!?

U.S. Customs User Fee:5.50
U.S. Immigration User Fee:7.00
U.S. APHIS User Fee:5.00
U.S. Federal Transportation Tax:34.40
September 11th Security Fee:7.50
Netherlands Airport Security Fee:17.20
Netherlands Passenger Service Charge:20.70
Netherlands Noise Isolation Charge:2.70
International Surcharge:536.00
U.S. Passenger Facility Charge:13.50

Wow, that's quite a list. International surcharge? What the heck is that? Are you sure that's not the fuel surcharge? The last time I flew to Europe, a year ago, the fuel surcharge was about half of the total cost of the ticket.

mafufero wrote:Wow, that's quite a list. International surcharge? What the heck is that? Are you sure that's not the fuel surcharge? The last time I flew to Europe, a year ago, the fuel surcharge was about half of the total cost of the ticket.

You're probably right.

Would love to be able to not have to pay for the food that I don't eat.

Someday, that toilet will have a credit card slot on it. Just imagine what's going to be happening with empty water bottles under those blankets.

Friend worked as a buyer for a large company producing airline meals. A typical long haul flight from LHR would be allowed £4 economy/£11 business/£21 first. Got to put the drinks on top of that. This was about 6 years ago.

Just bought our tickets for April and it's £98.11 taxes and £2.00 for the fare, each. Bloody hell!!