Travel News - Even the Cheap Seats Come With a Fee




jn in ca
Nov 3, 11, 11:42 am
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204621904577013914231157508.html
Now, Even the Cheap Seats on Airplanes Come With a Fee

Why post this link? Because just yesterday I was making this complaint in the Southwest forum. I increasingly have this problem when I go to book reservations: the seat map shows only middle seats available, but the other seats aren't occupied, they are just reserved for elites.

When I see this, I simply fly on Southwest instead.

The most galling aspect of this is that the airline the Wall Street Journal chose to single out is Frontier, the very airline that is getting the snot kicked out of it by Southwest.

Limiting access to the better seats is something a company does when it is flying full planes, and can afford to lose a few disgruntled passengers to the competition. It seems ridiculous for Frontier, which is reported to be close to bankruptcy, to do this in the face of competition from Southwest.


Allan38103
Nov 3, 11, 12:04 pm
To OP, Good for You

If you don't like the way the airline reserves seats (and if you have another reasonable choice), then choose someone else

djk7
Nov 3, 11, 4:25 pm
Why post this link? Because just yesterday I was making this complaint in the Southwest forum. I increasingly have this problem when I go to book reservations: the seat map shows only middle seats available, but the other seats aren't occupied, they are just reserved for elites.

When I see this, I simply fly on Southwest instead.



As one who no longer has elite status with any airline, I see the same thing regularly. On WN, I'm over 50% getting an exit row, and have never had a middle, except voluntarily when travelling with family members in the window and/or aisle. So WN is my preferred airline now.


GUWonder
Nov 6, 11, 4:24 am
... and this approach isn't really doing anything great for all those who buy day-of-departure tickets even on airlines on which such persons are holding top-tier elite/partner elite status.

Ending up in middle seats has actually increased for some such customers as airlines increasingly try to monetize more passenger seat selection in any given cabin.



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