Airlines to begin charging extra for reserving seats

Customers traveling by air in the US and UK will now have to pay a small premium between $5 and $36 to reserve their seat. If not, customers may find themselves forced to sit next to the toilet, or separate from friends or family they are travelling with.

As the current system goes, all customers have to pay for the same seat, whether that seat is in the front row, or right at the back near the lavatories. However, airlines like the US airlines will now provide customers the option of choosing the seat they want, from the next year.

The airlines fully expect that passengers will want to pay extra in order to get a better place. Another advantage to this plan happens to be that travelers will be assured that they will be seating together incase they have booked two or more seats as well as be able to secure a window or aisle seat based on their preferences.

Tiger Airways already has this scheme in place and charges customers $5 to $25 in reference to the route. Passengers are charged $18 by British Airways to choose their seat.

Within Europe, the prices quoted are $18 for economy class, while for a long distance, business class flight, the price quoted by BA for seat-reservation is $36.

British Airways came into harsh criticism for its decision to charge the add-on fee for seat reservation, with many observers claiming they were now resorting to budget airline tactics. However, British Airways has been keen to point out that the fee is entirely optional, and customers who have no desire to select preferred seats do not need to pay it.

However, it appears that the add-on fee will now become commonplace with airlines all over the world, and passengers can now look forward to paying nominal charges—or ending up with less desirable seating.

Tags: British Airways, Tiger Airways, economy class, business class, booking a seat