This tip is pretty straightforward—just ask at the counter. Here’s what happened:
During a layover in Istanbul, I approached the airline desk to check on my seat. I was hoping to grab an empty row. When I asked if the seat next to me would stay empty, the agent said they could block it for me. At first, I thought it was a one-time thing, but I had the same luck on my return trip when I asked if they could block the empty seat, and they agreed.
Of course, this only works if the flight isn’t full, but I thought it was worth sharing.
I tried this with other airlines afterward and generally got confused looks. Has anyone else tried this with Turkish Airlines?
EDIT: I fixed ‘lock’ to ‘block’ everywhere, except the title.
Turkish Airlines seems to really prioritize customer service. I haven’t tried this myself, but it’s great to know it’s possible when flights are not full.
@Ellis
I used to block seats without anyone asking—especially for families with young kids or bigger folks. It was often for the convenience of other passengers,
If a flight was packed or the person at the counter seemed unhappy, then I’d pass on blocking seats.
But remember, in the past, passengers couldn’t pay for specific seats—the airport staff had full control over seat assignments.
When I flew Turkish two years ago, I could purchase the empty seat next to me for $40. But when I booked my summer flight last week, it was nearly $600! I will definitely try this approach!
That’s incredible! I’ve heard a lot of positive things about Turkish Airlines but didn’t know about this blocking option—I’ll definitely give it a shot!