How does extra Easyjet seat help with legroom?

[manywanderings]

Ok so we have flights booked next month with Easyjet and I have a disability and a problem with one leg that I need to stretch out sometimes. This wasn't so much an issue when the booking was made last year, but now it is. You can't book the extra legroom seats if you have a disability. I've googled a lot to try and work out the best option and got nowhere. For example it says if you have your leg in plaster you need to book three seats. I don't mind booking an extra seat but how does this work exactly? Do they mean three seats next to each other and sitting with your leg up across the seats? That wouldn't work for me. I need more room in front. Would they actually remove a seat in front if you needed extra leg room and booked an extra seat?

I know I'll have to ring them on Monday to find out what's what, but just wondered if anyone knew how it works with booking an extra seat for more legroom!

I can't answer about the actual extra leg room seats, but yes, if you have a broken leg they give you three adjacent seats so you can sit sideways with your leg up on them.

DS broke his leg skiing in January so we had to do this on the way home. He only got 2 because he's 7, but an adult would need 3. But if that's not suitable for you, hope they manage to sort something more appropriate!

They won’t take a seat out for you

Is flying business class with different airline an option?

How long is the flight?

They won’t take a seat out.

Either you sit sideways with your legs across the seats, or if you have just one extra, you sit diagonally with your feet in the nextdoor footwell.

I'd be inclined to go first class - you're gonna be horrendously uncomfortable otherwise.

The reason people with disabilities aren't allowed in the extra legroom seats is because those are the seats near the emergency exits and the person who sits there has to be able to help with the evacuation.

If the flight is quite short, could you just ensure you have the aisle seat and have regular opportunities to stand and stretch your leg, if you are able to weight bear ok?

Thanks so much everyone. Yes I guessed it was a case of sitting sideways with your leg up. I can weight bear a bit - in fact I'd rather stand the whole flight but that wouldn't be possible. The main issue is keeping my leg straight and avoiding twisting. I'll have to have a think about whether that is possible sitting sideways. And still having enough room to swing my leg round to shift position occasionally.

Someone mentioned a different airline - that's a possibility - if anyone knows of one that has better arrangements for legroom with disability!

The seats look quite short - I'm just wondering how easy it is to sit on them with a leg up without falling sideways!

I thought some legroom seats were available for people with disabilities, just not those next to emergency exits. It may vary by plane.

I think having three seats in a row might work - but how do you strap in if sitting sideways?

The seatbelt goes around your waist so that will still be possible if you're sitting sideways.

As another poster has said above, some airlines have planes that have extra legroom seats halfway down the plane and that aren't next to an emergency exit. We have some booked for our holiday in the summer as we can't sit next to an exit with a child.

Thank you - can you suggest which airlines? I still can't quite imagine how the seat belt goes round your waist if you're sitting at a 90 degree angle to where you'd normally sit!

It does vary by plane. On the kind of short haul aircraft easyJet use though all the extra legroom seats are classed as emergency exit so all ruled out for anyone with disabilities. It's bigger aircraft that may have some legroom seats between sections of cabin that aren't exit rows.

Row 1 seats E & F are extra legroom seats that you can book on EZY aircraft. They are there predominantly for if guide dogs need to travel!

I'm pretty sure no babies or people with disabilities can sit in the extra legroom seats as they're needed as emergency exits in case of a crash or swift disembark needed.

My mum had a lower leg cast and booked 2 seats. She sat in 1 and stretched her leg diagonally into the footwell of the other.

It's probably best see which airlines fly to your destination and then checking their websites.
There's no point someone suggesting Emirates if you're flying Manchester to Faro.

Thanks. We're going to the south of France. I think there's just Easyjet and Air France and Air France has the same restrictions with extra legroom seats being near emergency exits. I think booking two extra seats is the way to go probably.

Can you ferry and drive OP? It's a longer journey, but to be fair once you've had to fanny about in airports each side I found it not that much different!

At least in the car you can be comfier, and have more breaks if you need (plus you can bring wine home in the boot)

Last time we flew to south of France I realised that in addition to the flights we'd spent 7hrs travelling to and sitting in airports and might as well have done car and ferry.

I'm not sure about 3 seats on Easyjet. I didn't think the arm rests went up any more. Not certain.

I prefer that idea actually but H hates driving lol. I'm thinking about it though - except it will be a lot of driving as we live at the other end of the country from the ferry ports.

Easyjet info says if you have a leg in plaster (as an example) you have to book 3 seats to elevate it, so I'm guessing that's an option. Think I need to phone them.

Update - you can have the extra legroom seats on the front row, but only seats E and F if you have a disability (the two furthest on the right hand side). These are in front of the bulkhead and slightly less legroom than the rest of the front seats, but more than the usual legroom between seats. So we've booked some of the front row. A, B, C and D have to be for non disabled people as near the emergency exit. Just in case anyone else needs to know!