When the teething problems are sorted it could be a good thing. I was unable to purchase ahead, arrived 4 hours prior to my flight and asked at check in only to be told there were none available. Having sulked for the next four hours, it was only at the gate my ticket got changed.

Id rather pay 50 quid in the knowledge I don't have to chance my luck at check in especially when status doesn't seem to give you a better chance of getting one anyway.

Indeed all seats are free at check in, was just wondering if this new fee system will change that. I ask this to every airline and sometimes they don't want to give it even if all exit rows are empty because it's only for extra paying customers.

Mobile app check in with new policy
 

I purchased this ticket prior to the change in seat policy, and checked in pretty close to the 48hr before flight point. I am gold, and was still assigned the seat that was chosen when I purchased the ticket. Info on the second picture, did not match the seat map (I could have chosen a twin seat at the back of the plane for free, but the info indicates I should need to pay for it).

A little amused that the extra leg room seat converts to around $50 USD for a 1 hour flight!

https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Em...IMG_2386-M.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Em...IMG_2387-M.png

Thanks for sharing.
It really looks like a LCC screen shot.

They learnt a lot from their EasyJet partnership :D

This thread gives me an explanation now - I checked in for flight the other day (Amsterdam to Dubai), I was the first person to check in (at the check in counters), asked if any exit rows were free, was told no, they've all been taken. Thought ho hum..

I didn't realise that you can now pay for them.

For me, this sucks and is a downgrade in what Emirates offers - I prefer a first come first served.

As someone mentioned above regarding low cost carriers... I wonder if this is part of a slippery slope, eg BA style, charging for sandwiches etc (the sandwiches here in Dubai leave a lot to be desired!).

But this is first come first serve...

Not necessarily the case. I had a flight on the 23rd (two days after this came into effect) checked in early only to be told all extra legroom seats had been taken. This was impossible for people to book so unless they had booked their ticket after the 20th. So unless there had been a surge in bookings within two days of the flight and all purchasing the extra legroom seats then they should all have been available.

When you say "checked in early" where and when are you referring to checking in?

You're right, it is. I meant, charging for the seats - for me, this is sucks.

LHR - DXB, checked in 4 hours prior to the flight.

Ticket got changed at the gate to my original request.

Why not offer this option to elite FFs for free? I will never understand the logic of getting maybe 0.1% extra revenue on a flight, at the cost of potentially alienating your best customers.

It is free for them...apart from extra leg room seats, which were never given to elite FFs anyway, but first come first served at the airport.

But the whole game with elite FFs is that they get 'perks' that others don't get, and that the airline creates a differentiated service level for elites, so they feel better treated than 'regular' customers, and keep spending with that airline.

Objectively, elite FFs have exactly the same deal now than before: there is no privilege for elites in choosing emergency seats.

However, in the past, there was a clear logic as to why elites were not getting that priilege: emergency seats could only be allocated at the airport, because of security reasons.

Now, with allocation for emergency seats being possible ahead of time, the question is why Elites are not getting that as a benefit? The airline does not want to give them that benefit cleary, which automatically reduces the perceived value of being elite, in my view at least.

In summary, although objectively the 'value' of benefits for Elites has not decreased, the perception of those benefits has decreased in my view.

That's like saying Plats should be getting unlimited complimentary upgrades, and them not getting it is a devaluation of the FF program, even though unlimited complimentary upgrades has never existed as a perk to anyone. EK not offering Plats something as a perk, which has never been a perk, isn't a devaluation. In fact I find in recent months EK has in fact greatly improved the Skywards program through additional perks to FF members:

- Plats get complimentary selection of Twins and preferred seats, while Golds get complimentary selection of Preferred seats, something for which other members have to pay
- Free seat selection for entire itinerary for Golds and Plats, regardless of fare type
- Unlimited Free Wifi inflight, even in Y for Gold and Plats

Sure, the implementation of seat selection fees and the increase in Wifi pricing are devaluations of the EK product, but not of the frequent flyer program, the frequent flyer program has increased value as a result of that general devaluation of product.