Bring on the British Airways choose-your-seat charge
I’ve been reading a lot about the plans by British Airways to begin charging for those who’d like to select their seat. Here’s a BBC story on the subject:
British Airways passengers will have to pay to choose their seats before they travel from October, the airline says.
The charges will affect those seeking to ensure they sit together on a flight and people with a preference for window, aisle or emergency exit seats.
Prices range from £10 per person for European economy flights, to £60 for long haul trips in business class.
via BBC NEWS | UK | British Airways sets seat charges.
I say bring it on.
I much prefer the option choice. If it’s just a 50 minute flight to Scotland, then fine, I’ll sit wherever I’m allocated. But if it’s more than a few hours, I’d like to select my seat. And I’ll happily pay extra for that privilege. Because it means I get to skip the virtual scrum, 24 hours before the flight departs — and because it means I don’t need to get to the airport early.
I’m also a big fan of upgrading at the airport anyway. For instance, Virgin America offer a brilliant discount if you’d like to upgrade at the gate — $100 gets you upgraded to their ‘premium economy’ whilst $250 gets you upgraded to their first class offering (which is simply fantastic). That’s typically a $600 saving over the ‘list’ price if you bought online.
I like the control that comes with this kind of price choice. If you’re on a budget, sit wherever you’re told. If you’d like to choose 10D, because it’s on the aisle/near the loo/whatever, then stump up the extra cash and it’s yours.
