Can the airline give one of my seats away?

He will be marked as a no show and on many/most airlines the seat will either be reassigned to a very frequent flyer as a status benefit or will go to an airline employee whose contract says that their travel benefit lets them have stand by tickets in premium class cabins.

I had a trip to Europe planned with two other people. Long story, but one of them decided not to go. The airline (United) was notified that the person wouldn't be on the flight when my friend and I checked in for our flights upon arrival at the airport. We figured the other seat would be empty. Nope, someone was sitting there. This was an economy ticket.

You might be able to. Are the two tickets on the same reservation? If so, this is possible.

Some people book two tickets for the same flight and pick seats next to each other. People of size are required to book two seats and others who just want more room do so.

The problem here however is that the seats are not in your name but in yours and your husband. You really won't know until you get to the airport and check in. You could call the airline.

If you are flying British Airways where people do sit facing each other, there is a divider that goes up between the seats so you don't have to see the other person. It must stay down until the safety briefing but after that it can go up and stay up.

What airline is this? As Frank II says, if it is British Airways with the “yin-yang” business class seats, you can simply raise the barrier. You do not have to face a stranger.

If you do not cancel his ticket and he fails to show up, the airline can still assign his seat to someone else. So there is no way to avoid having that seat taken if the flight is full.

Go buy a cheap guitar at garage sale with a case. Tell them it is a Stradivarius for your concert. What's the worst that can happen?

You may want to go to the appropriate forum in flyer talk. Post a question or check there to see how much privacy your particular airline, aircraft, seats afford. The folks there are very knowledgeable.

You can often recover some use from a non refundable ticket. For a fee you may be able to get airline credit towards future travel.

Good luck.

Go buy a cheap guitar at garage sale with a case. Tell them it is a Stradivarius for your concert. What's the worst that can happen?
If she really had a violin to carry, why would she put it in a guitar case and not a violin case but in any event, because the second seat is not in the OP's name, it will be assigned to someone else if the flight is full or even if it is not full if there is someone in economy entitled to an available upgrade. Anyway, it's not that easy to have a seat for a musical instrument. Most airlines have a process that must be followed when you buy the ticket. Ask someone who plays the cello and travels but does not check it.
@ Kari, I've never seen a business class yin/yang seat that did not have a divider that can be pulled up after the flight takes off. Also, all you really have to do is contact the airline and ask them to switch your seat and then cancel your husband's ticket and see if you can get some of your money back or if he can get a credit for future travel. If you wait for him to be a no show, you are extremely likely to have someone across from you.

Surely, in business class you are unlikely to get an undesirable sitting next to you?

This question fascinates me.

Of course there will be someone in that seat. That is what airlines do, is put people into seats of people who haven’t shown up for the flight (assuming the flight is oversold like most are).

Surely, in business class you are unlikely to get an undesirable sitting next to you?

Don't be so sure!

Whenever I've flown business, once all the passengers are boarded any empty business class seats are offered to frequent flyers and airline staff. I don't recall ever seeing empty business class seats.

Interesting thought, that undesirables do not fly business class. That means they are all in economy, with me. That explains a lot.

There is one solution. Since you are already in for a second Business class seat, not cheap, you could look into paying a change fee to have the seat put in your name and a note that it is a second seat.

To me though, that seems like an expensive option since others have indicated you can have the privacy you want anyway.

Rather than being a no-show, I would cancel his ticket, even if a non-refundable fare, you will at least get a credit for use on another ticket.

I think understanding your airlines upgrade policy will provide some clues. I typically fly Delta and try to fly out to Europe on Delta One when I can. Delta pulled back on upgrades on transatlantic flights to all besides Diamond members. So, if the flight appears less than full you may get lucky. Although flying business class to Europe with a stranger sitting next to you behind a privacy divider doesn’t seem unlucky to me at all.

As someone that gets upgraded to first class about 1 out of 3 times, I can definitively say the % of “undesirables” is not lower in the fancy section. In fact, based on my experience anyway, I could argue the opposite.

Yes, of course they can give the seat to someone else. You're "renting" the seat based on certain conditions, not buying it and the airline has the right (and every incentive) to fill an empty seat in the event of cancellations or "no shows". I hope I'm misunderstanding you, but are you willing to not cancel the seat and/or get your money back only to see the seat sit empty? As much as you may not want a stranger sitting across from you, what about someone else who wouldn't mind having a more comfortable seat and would also not mind sitting across from someone? Seating is a fixed space, I think it's the right thing to do not to try to save a perfectly good seat from better use than sitting empty. I would ask if you could be put in a non-facing seat if possible and leave it at that. By the way, these kinds of seats are totally common on trains (and some buses too) and I bet they are even closer together, so sitting in front of a stranger is not that traumatizing. The other person will probably be asleep at some point and/or buried in their electronics and they'll probably avoid eye contact out of the same self-consciousness as you feel.

The point here is not that someone is "undesirable" to be near; the point is that many of us introverts are horrified at the thought of having a stranger, no matter how "desirable," staring directly at us for a 12-hour flight. Just a personal space/personal privacy issue. I would be uncomfortable with this too if there was no divider, even if the most handsome celebrity crush were the person sitting there, ha!

When you use public transportation you must deal with the random folks who are doing the same, using public transportation. I've met some really interesting folks in the millions of miles I've flown, and there have been some complete zeros. As long as the adjoining passenger isn't doing something offensive just ignore them. You are under no obligation to entertain other passengers and it is equally likely that they have no interest in you. Travel can be either very interpersonal and entertaining or it can be completely obtuse...you choice. UA does have dividers. Seats are not always purchased by a couple travelling together. More often than not the seats are purchased by solo travelers.

Thank you so much for all your advice. The flight is with British Airways. The two tickets are on the same reservation. I called the airline and they said they were within their rights to sell my seat to someone if my husband is a "No show". Regarding the divider between the seats...I have the window seat. Who has control over whether the divider is up or down? Can't the other person lower it if they want to?
I went to "Flyer Talk" and was slightly overwhelmed by it's lay out and was flooded with pop-up ads. I will give it another shot at another time.
Thank you for some delicacy in addressing this topic. It is definitely a personal space/personal privacy issue. I am much more introverted than extroverted and appreciate my privacy rather than face someone I'm not familiar with in yin/yang seats. I intended on facing my husband when I booked the tickets. I'm not a seasoned traveler and did not know that "of course, there would be someone in that seat" that's why I posed the question.
I really appreciate everyone's input and look forward to finding a resolution. I like knowing what my options are and this is an invaluable forum to me. Thank you.

Check both you and your husband in on the airline app. (not in person at the airport) They won't know until the gate closes that he's not going to make it, and that reduces the chance of them giving away the seat. It's a huge waste of money though, and I can't imagine being in a financial situation that the cost of a business class ticket can be thrown away like that. wow

in all honesty, I would rather have an empty seat next to me

Don't we all! :)

It would be most helpful to know the airline. Since she says the seats are "basically facing each other" I assume this is British Airlines. Or do other airlines have the same yin/yang configuration for the business class seats? I have not seen any other.

If it is BA, I can assure her that she will not be looking directly at the person ( if anyone is seated there; see my comment below). We fly BA in business class every year and I am very familiar with the seats. Even with the barrier down at takeoff and landing, there is no direct eye contact with my husband in the facing seat. I cannot even see him ( or he see me) unless we both lean forward to the open space between the seats. Sitting normally against the backrest, my upper body is completely encapsulated on three sides by the seat. The window seat is particularly private in this respect. My husband, in the aisle seat, can see and be seen by people walking in the aisle.

Once the plane has taken off, all she has to do is raise the barrier for total privacy.

As for filling the empty seat, I don't think BA is particularly generous with upgrades to fill business class seats. I have seen empty seats, even on the upper deck of the 747 we flew home on last May.

She may increase her chances of keeping the seat empty if she doesn't cancel his ticket but simply fails to check him in. However, as a "no-show" they will forfeit any rights to credit for a cancelled ticket.

Kari,

I am glad you got some quality answers from people who took you seriously and who have actually travelled in the configuration you will be. I would feel the same way regarding facing a stranger for 12 hours. It would make me uncomfortable in the extreme.

Please ignore the rudeness of people who feel like they have the right to tell you how you should travel.

I hope the airline is able to help you out and you can find a more comfortable seat if you end up traveling solo.

Yes, they will find someone who wants to sit in that seat. Unless the plane is fairly empty, having a business class seat empty is unheard of.

Even though you say the money doesn't matter, go ahead and check to see if his ticket is refundable or at lest get a credit for what was paid that can possibly be applied to your next trip.

If you were in economy, you would have the person sitting next to you possibly actually in contact with your body the entire flight. But then in economy, many airlines allow you to have the seat next to you empty if you purchase it as person of size (you can do this even if you are tiny and just want the space).

If you are truly an introvert and don't want small talk, then do what all other introverted flyers (even in the cheap seats do) - headphones, eyemask, book/kindle,etc... It generally a very good signal that you don't want to talk.

For what it's worth, I don't think any airline designs their seats to be "couples' seats" in the sense that they cannot accommodate strangers sitting across from each other, or are configured in such a way as to invite a response to keep the seat empty. Airlines don't want to lose money, period, so it's hard to believe they would put seats together in such as way as to make it onerous or overly uncomfortable. Is this simply a fear of the unknown, I wonder? I have to admit I found the suggestion that the other person will be "staring" for 12 hours to be a bit much - it shows a lack of good faith in people's intentions. Another person would likely be as conscious of the situation as the OP. Of course, not everyone would be an ideal seat mate, but knee jerk negative assumptions about an unknown person are premature.

Kari, I did not see your post confirming that it is British Airways until now, as I was writing my response which I hope is reassuring. To repeat, the seats are offset in such a way that there is no direct line of sight even with the barrier down, unless you lean forward. With the barrier up, there is complete privacy innthe window seat.

As for who has control over the barrier, I don't see this becoming an issue. Just put it up, you don't have to ask for permission. Assume the other person, if there is one, wants it that way too. In my experience flying BA in business class for ten years now, everyone is very respectful of privacy.

Kari,
Like Lola, I have flown BA business class several times though I stopped in the last year or so because I decided that their seat selection fee is ridiculous when I am paying thousands for a business class seat and I agree that you can only see the person sitting across from you if you want to do that. They have to do that because many people flying are not couples or even if they are who wants to have to stare at someone for 12 hours. That being said, if you know your seat assignment, that suggests that you paid the seat selection fee. My suggestion is that you go to seatguru.com and enter your flight number and travel date and see what type of plane will be used for your trip. I have a feeling that it will be a Boeing 777 with BA's yin/yang seat configuration. Pick out the types of seats that you want and then contact BA and ask for a new seat assignment -- you paid for the right to select your seat so please use it to the fullest. Also take a look at this review: https://onemileatatime.com/british-airways-club-world-777-review/. It's the review of the business class seating from SFO to Heathrow using the same type of plane that I think is used for the San Diego route. I think it will address your concerns about privacy. As you look at the seats, pay some attention to what will have to happen if you want to get out of your seat mid-flight. My daughter likes the "window" seat but only when I or another family member is in one of the the aisle seats because she hates dealing with a stranger (she is a major introvert) to get to the bathroom. Also, some of the so-called window seats have misaligned windows.

For future reference, know that the only thing the airline owes you is to get you to your destination sometime. The airline contract is written so they have all the power and "customers" have almost none. Overbooking means they sell the same seat twice and you can be bumped out of yours. I don't know of any other business that can sell the same merchandise to more than one person at the same time.

Another forum would be the TripAdvisor Air Travel Forum. It is not deluged with ads. See if they can help as well.

My wife and I have flown British - Business several times in the seat facing configuration. I find it difficult to talk to her without both of us leaning forward and I cannot really see anything except a book she may have propped up above her lap. It does not feel like we are staring each other in the face at all.

Just my two cents.

The San Diego flight is a 777, but that doesn't affect the seat configuration. All BA's business class seats, whether on 777, 787, 747, or A380, use that yin/yang setup. But it is worth looking at Seat Guru for their comments, as some of the 777 models do have a mis-aligned window. I think it is row 10 or 11 but I am not sure.

One thing to know about the window seat, as noted above, is that if the person in the aisle seat in the row behind yours is in recline mode, you will have to step over their footrest and legs to get to the aisle if you want to use the restroom. It is not easy for a small person ( I am 5'1"). One reason I prefer the upper deck on a 747 is there are some aisle seats there where I can avoid that stretch by going around behind my own seat, between the seat and the cabin wall, and get out that way. I don't know if there are similar seats on a 777.

If you have paid to choose seats in advance and want to change, you can do that yourself in Manage My Booking; you do not have to call BA.

The control for the divider is on top next to it. I have flown BA in BC more times than I remember and have never had a problem raising the divider. In fact, on some flights, the flight attendants came through the cabin and raised them.

The only time you will see it come down is during meal service. It's easier for the FA's to pass your tray through the opening than trying to go around the seats.

You only live once....upgrade to First and solve the issue 😁

Thank you so much to all of you for each and every comment. I have really appreciated the helpful suggestions shared here. We leave in 7 days and he has yet to give me a definitive answer. But it's looking good. I just need to be a bit more receptive to "change". I feel a lot better about whatever the outcome is. Thanks, again.

Kari, take the plunge. If the stranger sitting opposite is of no interest to you, stick your nose into your phone or, better still, into a book. Looking on the bright side, the stranger may turn out to be man who is both handsome and witty, who shares your interest in travel, who will go out of his way to be accommodating.

If she paid for the seat, and the airline does not offer a refund, I don't see how they have a right to take it away if they check her husband into the seat, and he just doesn't show up. They literally wont know until the gate closes that the seat will be unused, how are they going to give it away to someone else?

They literally wont know until the gate closes that the seat will be
unused, how are they going to give it away to someone else?

That's why every airline has a time window by which you need to be checked-in, including either a person or a machine reading your passport. This is from the British Air website: "If you are flying from the United States, you must have completed your Check-in 2 hours before departure." Airlines have stand by and double booking for this reason - they always have to contend with the possibility that not everyone will show up and claim their reserved seat or have a last minute cancellation. They fill empty seats in that case. They do have that right since it's in (their own) contract of carriage/ ticket terms.

BlockquoteThat's why every airline has a time window by which you need to be checked-in, including either a person or a machine reading your passport. This is from the British Air website: "If you are flying from the United States, you must have completed your Check-in 2 hours before departure." Airlines have stand by and double booking for this reason - they always have to contend with the possibility that not everyone will show up and claim their reserved seat or have a last minute cancellation. They fill empty seats in that case. They do have that right since it's in (their own) contract of carriage/ ticket terms.
Blockquote

That's why you check in online, up to 24 hours ahead of time. Hell, if it really bothered her, her husband could go to the airport with her, go through security, wait with her until boarding, and then turn tail and walk away. I stand my my statement that she's ALREADY PAID FOR THE SEAT. It's hers, and if she doesn't give the airline a reason to think that it's going to be vacant, they are less likely to fill it with someone else.

The fact that she, the OP, paid for the seat is, in my opinion, of no consequence. The seat was booked in her husband’s name. It is his seat, not hers, even if she does ask if the airline “can give one of my seats away?” Does anyone think the airline gives a hoot who paid?

The most recent poster said something interesting that gives the OP yet another viewpoint:

That's why you check in online, up to 24 hours ahead of time. Hell, if it really bothered her, her husband could go to the airport with her, go through security, wait with her until boarding, and then turn tail and walk away. I stand my my statement that she's ALREADY PAID FOR THE SEAT. It's hers, and if she doesn't give the airline a reason to think that it's going to be vacant, they are less likely to fill it with someone else.

In theory, this may work. However, if the plane is close to full, the OP will no doubt have to lie at some point during the boarding process. The gate agents will call out for her husband to board, possibly causing a delay and the ire of some flight attendants and passengers. Probably not worth it or appropriate but I suppose it could be attempted.

There is always a final head count fo an airplane, and an attempt to reconcile checked in passengers against passengers whose boarding passes were scanned at the jet bridge entry, and possibly including a 'Mr. Kari, please push the flight attendant call button' in case the passenger's boarding pass didn't get scanned correctly.

And then they'll throw the airline employees flying stand-by into the seats of passengers who checked in but did not board in the amount of time it takes to check to make sure none of the no-shows have bags in the cargo hold. (Remember that international flights require positive bag match and they must verify the negative in order to proceed with the flight)

selkie has it exactly right as to what will happen. The only way no one ends up in the seat is if there is no employee flying standby or there is no one in economy who is entitled to an upgrade but did not get one because business class was sold out. The only reason why it might work out that the seat stays empty is because this flight is a BA flight from the West Coast of the US and BA can be stingy on upgrades and there may not be an employee flying standby on this particular flight. Despite what some think, the seat is not yours because you paid the fare. If you do not show up, the airline can give it away.

Here is my recommendation: Call BA and request a different business class seat. First, go online and see which seats are still available assuming BA offers that functionality. If so, then you can see which seats are available that face nobody and make your request. If you get an agent who refuses you, I recommend saying thank you, hanging up, and calling back until you find somebody who can accommodate you assuming seat availability.

I am a bit surprised that your husband would leave you in this situation especially since you you describe yourself as hesitant to travel alone facing a traveler you don’t know. If there is no ability for you to change seats, it sounds like you won’t have to stare at a perfect stranger for 12 hours. You also might develop a LOVE for traveling on your own!

If you look at the seat maps for BA Club World (business class) on a 777, you will see that all the seats are arranged as facing seats. There is no single seat that doesn’t face another (please excuse the double negative). But in each case the seats are offset, so you really are not looking right at another person, as I and others explained above. It is not like sitting across the table from someone like you might on a train.

https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/seating/seat-maps/club-world-seatmap

With the window seat she has booked, she has maximum privacy, especially after raising the screen. I would not recommend changing to any other, unless she objects to facing backwards.

Just a little reminder that the airlines don't view you as having bought a seat. They view you as having purchased passage for a specific person. Now this can be a little hard to take when you are the consumer, especially if you have indeed paid fees to reserve a particular seat.

However, if that person is not flying, the airline will fill a seat with someone who also has paid for passage and is there on the flight.

Seems harsh, but it is the way things work.

Speaking from economy on Iceland Air in 2007, my H, daughter and I had roundtrip flights to France. A round trip ticket was less expensive than a direct flight on that occasion. My daughter was moving to France, so she did not return with us. The airline attempted to seat someone in the middle seat. I advised the young man that I paid for that seat and it was going to stay empty. The stewardess came over and I explained the situation. She took the young man back to another seat and the middle seat stayed free. I'm not usually pushy, but when it comes to my money, well I guess I am. Considering you spent more money than I did, perhaps you might have good luck as well?

I'm not usually pushy, but when it comes to my money, well I guess I am. Considering you spent more money than I did, perhaps you might have good luck as well?

The difference in your case was that you were in economy, that man would have had his own seat assigned. There is no 'upgrade' to economy so the only occasions people will be moved is for an upgrade into business of first. An empty business or first seat is far more vaulable than an empty economy seat.

Not every flight has empty seats filled with upgrades. I can recall empty seats on two of the first class flights. Business class long haul I can't say as I usually opt for the smaller, quieter upper deck which is typically fully occupied. Intra Europe there are often empty business class seats on BA.

If you look at every airlines' website it will say while the airline does not like to do it, they reserve the right to change your seat assignment.

Do not check 8n the husband as this will cause problems when they try to close the flight.

Do not change your seat as some middle section seats have even less privacy. The only time the divider has to be down is prior to the safety announcement and the few seconds it takes to serve your food and then remove your plates. While eating the divider stays up.

Here's a better idea! I would be happy to take that seat, and we'll meet before so I won't be a stranger, you can have control over the window, and I will be quiet as if the seat where empty! Yes, perfect solution!! :-)

Kari,
I hope your husband changes his mind and decides to join you on this trip, and you both have a wonderful time!

This Beatles song came to mind when I read this thread.

The airline attempted to seat someone in the middle seat. I advised the young man that I paid for that seat and it was going to stay empty.

I can only assume the flight attendant preferred not to deal with you and make a scene. Your daughter was a no show, so they have the right to seat someone, in fact, per the rules of carriage, they could have went back to your daughter and charged her the extra amount for a one way ticket, and taken the seat.