Neighbour Free on Jetstar Long-Haul?

[Rayesfeg]

Jetstar do not offer a neighbour free product unlike Qantas, Scoot etc. Has anyone requested this at the airport at all or know of any other ways to try and request the middle seat free on a long haul flight?
Jetstar planes are often at capacity given the relatively low fares, but I wouldn't mind paying a bit extra to have a neighbouring seat free if the flight is not full.

A bit of background: Booked a sale fare from Sydney to Vietnam. The fare was excellent and I chatted online to an agent on the process of booking the neighbouring seat (i.e. buy two tickets for one person - which was still cheaper than an economy fare on a full service airline). I was advised to book my seat, and come back to live chat with the booking reference and they will take the payment for the second seat. I followed instructions and was subsequently quoted a price three times my original fare for the extra seat! The agent insisted that extra seats are priced at full fare cost (i.e. not the sale fare I had originally paid) - quite a frustrating experience given the first agent told me that the cost of the extra seat would be the same.

Any insights, tips or experiences would be appreciated.

 

[oz_mark]

According to Jetstar you can, but the only way to do it is via contacting them.

https://www.jetstar.com/us/en/help/articles/can-i-purchase-an-extra-seat

I am surprised it would be so much more expensive!

 

[Rayesfeg]

According to Jetstar you can, but the only way to do it is via contacting them.

https://www.jetstar.com/us/en/help/articles/can-i-purchase-an-extra-seat

I am surprised it would be so much more expensive!

Thanks for the reply, sorry if my post wasn't clear. That is the process that I followed and is what arose to my problem with the pricing of the extra seat.

What I am hoping to understand is any tips or insights in getting the neighbouring seat vacant outside of this process.

 

[dajop]

Thanks for the reply, sorry if my post wasn't clear. That is the process that I followed and is what arose to my problem with the pricing of the extra seat.

What I am hoping to understand is any tips or insights in getting the neighbouring seat vacant outside of this process.

Not sure what other ways there would be other than creating a second booking in someone else’s name, allocating them the seat beside you and having them no-show.

 

[justinbrett]

Not sure what other ways there would be other than creating a second booking in someone else’s name, allocating them the seat beside you and having them no-show.

Which doesn't stop the gate agent moving someone into after check in closes.

 

[dajop]

Which doesn't stop the gate agent moving someone into after check in closes.

Of course not. No guarantees but is that is the probably the best chance of any other method than actually directly buying a “comfort seat”.

 

[justinbrett]

Of course not. No guarantees but is that is the probably the best chance of any other method than actually directly buying a “comfort seat”.

Seems like a very expensive gamble

 

[clifford]

Perhaps just buy a business class ticket, then it won't be such an issue (Y class on JQ 787's is absolutely awful, IMO).

 

[dajop]

an issue (Y class on JQ 787's is absolutely awful, IMO).

Yeh it’s almost as bad as Y class on QF’s older 330s.

 

[clifford]

Yeh it’s almost as bad as Y class on QF’s older 330s.

At least the 330's had fewer seats abreast, so a bit more elbow room.

But, 3x3x3 on a 330 (per Air Asia X) is woeful, even worse than 787's (if that was possible).

I will never again book a Y seat on a 787, but 330's with 2x4x2 config aren't too bad, even with QF's pathetic seat pitch.