A3 begins charging for advance seat reservations - limited discount for A3*G
#91
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: UK
Programs: A3 *G
Posts: 349
I must say that I am personally very surprised at the level of reaction here. It's somewhat of a contortion, though, to value these seats enough to, say, have been re-routing your travel via Athens such that you are going out of your way or adding to your travel time, apparently because of seating - but yet not valuing the seat enough to pay €8 per seat [or less, depending on your routes].
The seat charge is one step closer to making their *G's no more special than other airlines.
#92
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wedged somewhere between BTS and VIE ✈
Programs: Star Alliance Gold (A3 Gold), Oneworld Emerald (BA Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,338
I don't actually buy into this 'only €8' argument anyway, because that will only give you 'Up Front' seats and they really aren't important to me. I'd much rather have the 'Extra Legroom' seat because I like to stretch my legs. On that basis, the €8 that irishguy28 is quoting is completely irrelevant. Now to get the seats I normally sit in, just on my current bookings alone I'd have to pay a whacking €132. Sorry Aegean....not a chance!
#93
Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: AMS / ATH
Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold
Posts: 7,339
I must say that I am personally very surprised at the level of reaction here. It's somewhat of a contortion, though, to value these seats enough to, say, have been re-routing your travel via Athens such that you are going out of your way or adding to your travel time, apparently because of seating - but yet not valuing the seat enough to pay €8 per seat [or less, depending on your routes].
When we know already that they are going to have to give away a large portion of these seats for free, why can't they offer these for free to their loyal customers? It would be a minimal investment and show that they appreciate their best customers.
The same applied to KLM when they did something similar with EC. Difference is that with KLM the top tier does get these seats for free - showing that they do value the loyalty.
#94
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,737
I decided to have a look at Lufthansa's charges for seat selection, and A3 is not entirely out of whack with what, presumably, is the most prevalent version of a European Star Alliance seat-paying regime.
Neither HON Circle nor Sentaors receive any discount on short and medium haul seats. (The fees can only be avoided entirely by booking a Flex or Classic fare). Even standard seats are chargeable, for SEN and HON CIRC if purchased as a Light fare. [Note that they also seemingly charge everyone on European feeder flights to any longhaul flight - even if that longhaul flight is in First or Business, and regardless of status!!! ]
https://www.lufthansa.com/de/en/seat...-economy-class
That said, if there are other Star Alliance options that give you an extra legroom seat for free, then by all means, book them! The demand for such seats will probably surge, leading those operators to reconsider this lost revenue-generating possibility...
A3 should probably reconsider charging seat selection fees for Economy Flex passengers, though...
Given that I can't find any mention of paid seat selection for Croatia Airlines or Adria, I assume these are the last two European *A members that don't charge at all for seat selection. All the others do, with differing schemes - though none extend any exemption or discount offered to their own status members to passengers holding status in any other FFP.
Neither HON Circle nor Sentaors receive any discount on short and medium haul seats. (The fees can only be avoided entirely by booking a Flex or Classic fare). Even standard seats are chargeable, for SEN and HON CIRC if purchased as a Light fare. [Note that they also seemingly charge everyone on European feeder flights to any longhaul flight - even if that longhaul flight is in First or Business, and regardless of status!!! ]
https://www.lufthansa.com/de/en/seat...-economy-class
That said, if there are other Star Alliance options that give you an extra legroom seat for free, then by all means, book them! The demand for such seats will probably surge, leading those operators to reconsider this lost revenue-generating possibility...
A3 should probably reconsider charging seat selection fees for Economy Flex passengers, though...
Given that I can't find any mention of paid seat selection for Croatia Airlines or Adria, I assume these are the last two European *A members that don't charge at all for seat selection. All the others do, with differing schemes - though none extend any exemption or discount offered to their own status members to passengers holding status in any other FFP.
Last edited by irishguy28; Feb 8, 2018 at 6:19 am
#96
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,737
It woudl be unfeasible to levy a charge on a last-minute checkin passenger when there are no free standard seats available to assign to them.
#97
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wedged somewhere between BTS and VIE ✈
Programs: Star Alliance Gold (A3 Gold), Oneworld Emerald (BA Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,338
Personally I doubt anyone is going to pay 16 euro to sit up front. That part will remain empty until they will have to open it for free upgrades. Even other airlines with a comparable product (KLM, Economy Comfort) charge less, and, they market it a lot better by focussing on the extra legroom. Unfortunately with Aegean, at row 6-10, I don't believe there actually is any additional legroom.
#99
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Cyprus
Programs: LH SEN, A3*G, TK*G E+, ALL/Accor Plat
Posts: 644
Aegean now appears to be behaving very unfairly with seat bookings made before the cut-off date. I have checked several bookings and found that they have unilaterally moved me to standard seats - for example, on Feb 25th, I had seat 3A booked from LCA to ATH but it was changed to 12A with no notification. On talking to Aegean, they informed me that business class had been moved back to row 4 and the computer had therefore allocated me 12A. They were not allowed now to rebook me into vacant upfront seat 5A unless I paid the new fee. This is wholly shabby behaviour and Aegean will lose a lot of custom from formerly loyal passengers like me.
#100
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wedged somewhere between BTS and VIE ✈
Programs: Star Alliance Gold (A3 Gold), Oneworld Emerald (BA Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,338
Given that I can't find any mention of paid seat selection for Croatia Airlines or Adria, I assume these are the last two European *A members that don't charge at all for seat selection. All the others do, with differing schemes - though none extend any exemption or discount offered to their own status members to passengers holding status in any other FFP.
As far as I know, and it has certainly been the case the last couple of times I booked a cheapo SK fare, seat selection is for free for *G members on SAS on both shorthaul and longhaul. I usually get the bulkhold seat on TATL flights!
#101
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,737
#102
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wedged somewhere between BTS and VIE ✈
Programs: Star Alliance Gold (A3 Gold), Oneworld Emerald (BA Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,338
Seriously though, do we actually know that any of those paid for the seats? I think some people here have reported that they kept previously selected seats that were made before this change. We will see.
#103
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: WAW
Programs: A3(*G), Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 2,534
Why use LH as the yardstick of reference? They're the meanest airline in *A. Once you use the likes of LH and BA as comparisons you may as well give up, since all you have is a dismal race to the bottom.
#104
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,737
I have two forthcoming trips, booked via a third party, and for which I laterlly tried to get the agent to add the numbers. They said they did, but I could see no evidence of that when consulting the bookigns ont he SK website, who wanted to charge €15 for any seat.
I just rang SAS, had my number associated with both bookings, and can now select all seats for free. (Despite the website implying only Euro Bonus members being able to select seats for free).
Thanks for spurring me to contact SAS to sort that out!!!
#105
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wedged somewhere between BTS and VIE ✈
Programs: Star Alliance Gold (A3 Gold), Oneworld Emerald (BA Gold), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,338
Glad to help. I usually do it via their webchat, it's completely free
Anyway, I thought you said upthread that all seats are the same and you can't understand why people make a fuss about it!!!!
Anyway, I thought you said upthread that all seats are the same and you can't understand why people make a fuss about it!!!!
Last edited by headingwest; Feb 8, 2018 at 8:23 am