What full-service airlines’ seating charges mean for travelers

LOW-COST CARRIERS or budget airlines have made it quite clear to travelers: If you want to pick a seat, you need to pay. Plain and simple.

United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) flag carrier Etihad Airways has started charging economy class passengers for “Standard Seats”.

Etihad Airways, the airline that offers the most expensive flight in the world, is now charging economy passengers to pick their own seats.

On its website, Etihad wrote, “We have developed some great ways for you to enhance your journey with Etihad. Whether you are looking for additional services at the airport, more space on board or want to personalize your travel experience, then we have some great options for you.”

The options listed are:

• Book standard seat (for a fee)
• Book preferred seat (for a fee)
• Book extra legroom seat (for a fee)
• Big for a neighbor-free seat (priority will be given to members of the airline’s frequent flyer program, Etihad Guest)

Passengers can expect to fork out US$25 to book a standard seat on Etihad during booking while those who wish to book a preferred seat will need to pay up to US$140 per flight.

Passengers who don’t choose their seat within 24 hours of departure will have a seat automatically assigned.

Source: Shutterstock.

Up until recently, booking a standard seat had always been free. And thus, some travelers see this new “enhancement”, which has been implemented by other airlines such as Malaysia Airlines and British Airways, as a service downgrade.

There were even allegations that airlines were intentionally splitting families and groups up in order to get them to pay for seat allocation.

It’s a cause for concern particularly for parents traveling with children, couples, passengers who need extra attention or care, business colleagues, and group-booking flyers.

According to UK airline regulatory body the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), almost a fifth of airline passengers has been separated from the rest of their group because they didn’t pay extra to sit together.

CAA also found passengers paying an estimated US$547 million a year to ensure they’re seated together.

“Airline seating practices are clearly causing some confusion for consumers. Airlines are within their rights to charge for allocated seats, but if they do so it must be done in a fair, transparent way,” The Independent quoted CAA chief executive Andrew Haines as saying.

Source: Shutterstock.

The agency later published guidelines as to how airlines should be handling seat assignment.

“Young children and infants who are accompanied by adults should ideally be seated in the same seat row as the adult. Where this is not possible, children should be separated by no more than one seat row from accompanying adults,” CAA wrote on its website.

“This is because the speed of an emergency evacuation may be affected by adults trying to reach their children.”

How do you maneuver this as best you can?

Understand that each airline may have a different policy so it’s important you check for any extra charges before you book.

Also, keep in mind that sometimes, it could be cheaper to pick your seat at the point of booking your airline ticket than having to fork out extra dough for the assignment later.

And check-in as early as possible together in order to avoid getting split up.

Meanwhile, the CAA will be looking into how airlines decide where to seat passengers that have booked as part of a group and whether any airlines are proactively splitting up groups of passengers when, in fact, they could be sat together.

“We will not hesitate to take any necessary enforcement action should it be required at the end of the review,” Haines said.

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Source: travelwireasia.com