How to Avoid the Middle Seat

By Mike Grasso

Assuming you would prefer not to sit between two strangers on a flight, there are several steps you can take to prevent getting stuck in a middle seat:

• Immediately choose seats when booking your flight. If tickets are booked through a travel agency or group tour, you may need to call the airline directly to confirm seats.
• If only middle seats are left on a flight, check back with the airline (online or on the phone) frequently to see if other seats open up.
• Monitor your flight for possible schedule or aircraft downgrades, either of which could result in your seat assignment being changed by the airline.
• Inform the airline of your seating preferences in advance. Frequent fliers may be able to update their profile to indicate window or isle seats. Others may need to call the airline directly.
• Use Online check-in for your flight. This provides you one last look of the seating arrangement, and an opportunity to switch to a better seat.

For more information on picking the best airline seats, consider a visit to SeatGuru.

Petition to Save U.S Airways Dividend Miles

On August 6, 2008, U.S Airways is scheduled to officially end the bonus miles program for Preferred status Dividend Miles members. This change, which we reported back in June, is an unprecedented move by the airline that hugely impacts its most loyal flyers. A core benefit to elite members of most frequent flyer programs is the 25-100% bonus miles for each paid flight. Come August 6th, U.S Airways will rip that benefit entirely from its Dividend Miles program.

Even if you are not an elite flyer of U.S Airways, there is reason to be concerned. Such a drastic move to a frequent flyer program is undoubtedly being monitored by other airlines. If this change slides through without flyers voicing their disapproval, it's likely other airlines, perhaps your airline of choice, will follow in the footsteps of U.S Air.

Now a grassroots effort is underway to stop U.S Airways from implementing this significant reduction in elite benefits. The website www.savedividendmiles.com, provides an outlet for those concerned about the change to go on record. While at this site, you can learn more about the scheduled program change, read an outstanding editorial from Flyertalk founder Randy Peterson about why U.S Airways should rethink their decision, and finally sign a petition demanding the airline rescind their planned change.