Doc Holiday: Here's how you can get an extra seat on a plane

Long flights can be very difficult, especially for people with circulatory problems. Luckily, there is something you can do about it.

Escape's Doc Holiday, Dilvin Yasa, answers your travel-related questions.

My wife has problems with her veins. Is it possible to book three seats for the two of us on international flights?

Yes, absolutely, although the rules on exactly how to do this vary with each airline. Emirates, for example, allows passengers to book up to three adjoining seats but this can only be done once you have a confirmed booking. Qantas requires passengers to book the extra seat when the initial booking is being made, while Virgin Australia and Jetstar requests passengers contact them directly to make the booking. Since armrests aren’t all created equal (some don’t move, defeating the purpose of your booking), contact the airline before you make a booking. You want to make sure you’re getting exactly what you paid for.

You’ve mentioned you’re not keen on paying for business class, but – depending on the airline – there are cheaper alternatives to booking an extra seat. You could, for example, book a premium economy seat, which has around five to seven extra inches in legroom (Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines have some of the roomiest premium economy seats). Another option is to pay for a seat in the exit row or bulkhead, where there is a little more room to stretch and get up regularly, all with the bonus of not having anyone recline their seat in your face (interestingly, a study some years ago by the American College of Chest Physicians revealed the risk of developing deep vein thrombosis is lower in aisle seats than it is in first class since you’re more likely to move around).

It’s important to search the details of these rows (in fact, any seat you book) through SeatGuru, which will give you the details of seat pitch and width, plus provide you with a colour-coded graphic that pinpoints the best seats on the aircraft. While hand luggage will have to be stored for take-off and landing in exit or bulkhead seats, your wife can easily use a bag to elevate her legs once you’ve reached cruising altitude.

Asking for an upgrade at check-in can be a risky business, but I was recently by a friend’s side when he politely asked for one with Scoot and he was upgraded to an exit row seat for no extra charge. I guess that old “if you don’t ask, you don’t get” saying continues to ring true and that’s helpful for all of us to remember.

Whether your stopover is covered or not comes down to individual policy providers. Picture: iStock.

When buying travel insurance, do you need to include countries where you transit?

Whether your stopover is covered or not comes down to individual policy providers, all of whom have a different take on the situation.

InsureandGo only require a stop over to be declared if it is within the continents of North America or South America for longer than 48 hours. Otherwise, the passenger would only need to list the destination they are staying the longest in. InsureandGo, for example, says: “even if you are stopping in a destination for a few hours, you should make sure that destination is covered by your policy, just in case something happens” and that “if you travel to a destination that is not included in your cover (including transit destinations), any claims made during that entire trip will be denied”.

Travel Insurance Direct, however, says: “Although you should list all countries you’re visiting, there are some exceptions. For example, if you’re passing through a destination and will be spending less than 24 hours in that country as a stopover, you won’t need to list it as a destination.”

When I spoke with the team at Southern Cross Travel Insurance, they explained that their policies cover stopovers that are less than 48 hours, even if the stopover destination isn’t listed when you buy the policy. The advice is to read a provider’s Product Disclosure Statement carefully and give them a call to double-check whether they include the stopover destination and, if so, what the limitations are regarding the length of transit. Just be sure to get confirmation in writing.

Rarotonga is only a five-hour direct flight from Sydney and offers something for every generation. Picture: iStock.

At 83, I have truly exceeded my use-by date but I’d like to keep travelling with my grandchildren. We loved Fiji, but where do you recommend we go next?

Not at all! Here’s to many more years of travel for you and your grandkids.

Have you considered Rarotonga? Only a five-hour direct flight from Sydney (with Jetstar), this spectacular island offers something for every generation, from thrilling buggy tours and mini golf to relaxed swim and snorkel spots. 

When I visit with my own parents (88 and 77, respectively), we like to rent a bungalow with a large deck and barbecue, but there are plenty of family-friendly resorts dotted around the island as well. Check out cookislands.travel for further information on the activities, attractions and accommodation options available to you.

Originally published as Doc Holiday: Here's how you can get an extra seat on a plane