JetBlue

[RickFLM4]

I am trying to book a trip to see my dad later this year. Unfortunately, the only direct flight from PBI to PVD is on JetBlue. I am trying to book 3 seats to block the middle seat, which JetBlue seems to accommodate by asking if one of the seats is an extra seat and telling me when I select a seat it will automatically select the adjacent seat. Easy peasy. Until seat selection.

The website and app both clearly show plenty of rows with 3 open adjacent seats. But every time I select one it tells me there are no adjacent seats, please select another. I've been screwing around with this for an hour. Also tried calling but there is some issue causing people to re-book flights today so wait times are ridiculous. Starting to think the FLL to BOS on Delta + driving might be what I need to do, as much as I don't want to do it. Not loving JetBlue right now.

Anyone else have issues booking with JetBlue or have any solutions for their crappy seat selection process?

[chassis]

Are you trying to book all three seats simultaneously, in other words in the same web/login session or "order" or "reservation"?

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by chassis

Are you trying to book all three seats simultaneously, in other words in the same web/login session or "order" or "reservation"?

Yes. While adding passengers, it asks if one of the seats is an extra seat for me and I say yes. (The third is for my wife.)

[chassis]

Try booking one or two seats on one order. Then open another order an book the last seat. Or try booking three seats individually in three separate orders.

[M_Six]

Renting a car in Boston is a serious nightmare. Last time we tried (back in October), it took 90 minutes, an hour of which was waiting in the check-in line and then 30 minutes standing around in the garage until someone finally told us which car we had. Just FYI.

Hartford is an option if you were going to try PVD anyway. Hartford-Bradley is way easier for car rental than Boston and it may not be that much more of a drive. Plus you avoid the clusterf**k of Boston traffic.

[chassis]

Or have your wife put seats in her shopping cart at the same time that you are doing this, and execute the orders simultaneously.

[chassis]

Never book a rental car at the destination airport.

Always make a reservation beforehand. Sign up for the extra special membership and get a "pick your car" type of reservation where you walk to the car and skip the counter.

Avis offers this.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by chassis

Try booking one or two seats on one order. Then open another order an book the last seat. Or try booking three seats individually in three separate orders.

I don't think that will work because it won't be denoted as an extra seat. I tried booking the 3 seats with 2 names (instead of denoting one as an extra seat) and it wouldn't let me do that. I'll try calling tomorrow I guess.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Renting a car in Boston is a serious nightmare. Last time we tried (back in October), it took 90 minutes, an hour of which was waiting in the check-in line and then 30 minutes standing around in the garage until someone finally told us which car we had. Just FYI.

Hartford is an option if you were going to try PVD anyway. Hartford-Bradley is way easier for car rental than Boston and it may not be that much more of a drive. Plus you avoid the clusterf**k of Boston traffic.

I'll check, but doubt there are direct flights to Hartford. Really prefer not driving to Ft. Lauderdale and then from Boston. I'll try JetBlue again tomorrow and if I can't get that sorted I suppose we could always fly PBI - CLT - PVD on American (or live with someone else in the middle seat on JetBlue). Just hate to connect due to a seat selection.

[chassis]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I don't think that will work because it won't be denoted as an extra seat. I tried booking the 3 seats with 2 names (instead of denoting one as an extra seat) and it wouldn't let me do that. I'll try calling tomorrow I guess.

Are you paying for 2 or 3 seats? I don't get the 3 seats for 2 people. Why are you doing this?

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by chassis

Are you paying for 2 or 3 seats? I don't get the 3 seats for 2 people. Why are you doing this?

Yes 3 seats for 2 people so no one sits in middle seat. Just want extra space since I expect the discount airline to be packed like a can of sardines. JetBlue clearly offers it as an option (for overweight people, people traveling with musical instruments, or just people that want more space, but then seat selection doesn’t function properly.

I tried splitting the booking - 2 seats for me + 1 seat for my wife and then select seats in same row. Still not working so I’ll need to call or not get the extra seat.

[chassis]

Got it, thank for the background. I'm not familiar with the 3 seats for 2 people feature and have never flown JetBlue, but have extensively flown all over the world for decades.

[M_Six]

Is booking 3 seats in the main cabin still less expensive than 2 seats in first? Or is Jet blue one of those airlines that doesn't offer first/business class? (Never flown Jet Blue.)

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by M_Six

Is booking 3 seats in the main cabin still less expensive than 2 seats in first? Or is Jet blue one of those airlines that doesn't offer first/business class? (Never flown Jet Blue.)

Jetblue I believe only has one level of seating.

That being said OP may want to look into Spirit as they do have a couple of rows of extra large seats. So instead of 3 seats in the row it's 2. It's basically like business class seats, except that's all you get, there's no other perks, but the times I've used it it's been like under $100 extra to get the big seats.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Jetblue I believe only has one level of seating.

That being said OP may want to look into Spirit as they do have a couple of rows of extra large seats. So instead of 3 seats in the row it's 2. It's basically like business class seats, except that's all you get, there's no other perks, but the times I've used it it's been like under $100 extra to get the big seats.

Thanks. Only direct flight is JetBlue. I'll try calling today.

Edit: JetBlue also has extra legroom seats, which is what I got.

[RickFLM4]

Got it resolved by calling. A mere 45 minutes on the phone - actually not too bad. Something wrong with website. Case closed.

[M_Six]

When you grab an extra seat like that, do you ever get pressured by the gate staff to give it up to someone on stand-by?

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by M_Six

When you grab an extra seat like that, do you ever get pressured by the gate staff to give it up to someone on stand-by?

This is actually the first time I’m trying it. Someone told me about it. But I’ve actually thought about this scenario. If pressured by gate agent I would tell them I’d give it up if they refunded all 3 seats and let me keep 2. Otherwise I wouldn’t give it up voluntarily.

[oneofew]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I am trying to book a trip to see my dad later this year. Unfortunately, the only direct flight from PBI to PVD is on JetBlue. I am trying to book 3 seats to block the middle seat, which JetBlue seems to accommodate by asking if one of the seats is an extra seat and telling me when I select a seat it will automatically select the adjacent seat. Easy peasy. Until seat selection.

The website and app both clearly show plenty of rows with 3 open adjacent seats. But every time I select one it tells me there are no adjacent seats, please select another. I've been screwing around with this for an hour. Also tried calling but there is some issue causing people to re-book flights today so wait times are ridiculous. Starting to think the FLL to BOS on Delta + driving might be what I need to do, as much as I don't want to do it. Not loving JetBlue right now.

Anyone else have issues booking with JetBlue or have any solutions for their crappy seat selection process?

I know exactly what you're experiencing, very recently I tired to book 3 seats for wifey and myself leaving the middle seat open, same exact issue, seems to be a glitch in JB system, I've book LAX > MIA quiet frequently in the past, empty seat was auto selected without any complications. Only way to get around this at the moment book the 3 pasengers, ask for seat assingment over the phone.

[M_Six]

The Sumner Tunnel from Logan Airport to downtown Boston is going to be closed for maintenance from July 5 to Aug 31. That means twice as much traffic using the already crowded Ted Williams Tunnel. Another reason to avoid flying into Boston this summer. What a nightmare that's going to be.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by M_Six

The Sumner Tunnel from Logan Airport to downtown Boston is going to be closed for maintenance from July 5 to Aug 31. That means twice as much traffic using the already crowded Ted Williams Tunnel. Another reason to avoid flying into Boston this summer. What a nightmare that's going to be.

Yeah I saw that. We aren’t going until September but I don’t really want to drive from / to Boston even when it re-opens (assuming it re-opens on time).

I have only been through the Ted Williams tunnel a few times. Most of my time in New England preceded it.

[Kilabyte]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

Yeah I saw that. We aren’t going until September but I don’t really want to drive from / to Boston even when it re-opens (assuming it re-opens on time).

I have only been through the Ted Williams tunnel a few times. Most of my time in New England preceded it.

My cousin lives in that area and said that it's going to be a nightmare for the next few months.

Where in Massholeland are you going exactly if you don't mind me asking? TF Green is just across the border in RI and depending on your final destination it might be a good alternative. Much easier to get in and out of than Logan.