Island Air is committed to providing a safe and comfortable travel experience for all customers. As a friendly reminder, passengers who are not able to safely and comfortably fit in a single seat are required to purchase an additional seat for each leg of their itinerary.
Extra seating is required if any of the following criteria is not met:
- The passenger must be able to properly attach, buckle, and wear the seatbelt, with one extension* if necessary, whenever the seatbelt sign is illuminated or as instructed by a crew member.
- The passenger must be able to remain seated with the seat armrest(s) down for the entirety of the flight.
- The passenger must not significantly encroach upon the adjacent seating space. See our seat dimensions.
*The average length of the seatbelt extension is approximately 22 inches. Seat designs on our aircraft vary and it is possible that the seatbelt extension presented may provide less than 22 inches of additional coverage. Regardless of the actual additional length the extension provides, if a passenger does not meet criteria #1 listed above when using the extension provided onboard, it will be necessary to purchase an additional seat, where available.
Island Air reserves the right to deny boarding of a customer who declines to purchase a ticket for an additional seat for each leg of his or her itinerary when required.
The second seat may be purchased for the same fare as the original seat, provided it is purchased at the same time. We strongly recommend advance purchase to secure your travel plans as the fare to purchase a second seat may be higher on the day of departure. Airlines are not required to provide additional seats free of charge. No refunds will be made should your flight have available seats upon departure.
Additional Procedures
The additional seat must be available without unseating another customer. If an additional seat is not available on the same flight, the passenger is required to rebook on the next Island Air flight with seats available for accommodation. Island Air will waive penalties or fees that may otherwise apply to this change.
If the customer is away from his domicile and must rebook for a flight the following day, amenities, meals, and hotel accommodation are at the customer’s expense.
Baggage Allowance
Checked baggage allowances are determined by the number of seats purchased. When two seats are purchased for one passenger, the allowance for checked baggage is doubled. The number of carry-on items permitted is determined by the individual passenger allowances set by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), rather than Island Air policy. Consequently, the carry-on allowance is not doubled. See our baggage allowances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: If I change my flight plans, do I have to pay change fees for both seats?
A: Yes. Any additional collections or change fees will be charged based on the fare rules for the tickets purchased.
Q: If I am traveling with a family member and they don’t care that the armrest is up, do I still need to purchase a second seat?
A: Due to safety considerations, you must still purchase the extra seat if you are unable to properly attach, buckle and wear the seatbelt, with one extension if necessary, whenever the seatbelt sign is illuminated or as instructed by a crew member; and remain seated with the seat armrest(s) down for the entirety of the flight. This does not mean that you cannot lift up the armrest; however, it must be demonstrated that the armrest can go down. We have to consider the safety and comfort of the customer requiring an extra seat as well as the family member, particularly in the event of an emergency.
Q: If I purchase an additional seat, does that mean I will accrue double points?
A: No, Island Air will award Cloud 9 points and participating frequent flyer partner miles for just the one traveling passenger.
Q: Does this policy violate the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Air Carrier Access Act?
A: The Department of Transportation (DOT) has confirmed that airlines are not required by law to provide additional seating or an upgrade in the event additional space is required for a passenger.
Q: What happens if I’ve purchased an extra seat, but then someone sits there?
A: In that event, you must be an active participant in preserving your extra seat. You will be provided a boarding pass for both seats. If necessary, you can ask the flight attendant for assistance.
