CNBC Reported this morning that they had "spoken with an executive" (but never named them) and were told "Elite were asking for this charge"......it's quite clear the reporter failed to do any research on the topic...bad reporting as evidenced by this and the other threads

I just e-mailed a request to confirm that I will not be charged $15 each way for the Exit Row seats that I selected prior to the "Coach Choice" program being implemented. I have 2 rountrip flights in the next two weeks that I of course selected Exit Row seats for as soon as I booked. Apparently I should look back on these bookings as "the good old days" when being a lowly Silver Elite had some kind of advantage associated with it... I want the response in black & white from NWA, and I would encourage everyone else in the same boat to do the same for peace of mind, and in hopes that the flurry of responses will let NWA know that we are watching closely and are not pleased.

I wonder if there will be a "Coach Choice" waiting list looming on the horizon?

One press release said United does this on some flights, as well as Virgin Atlantic. Maybe they are taking about the enanced coach united offers?

bad move Northwest bad move

I decided to do more experimentation as to which seats appear to be affected by this change and now come with a $15 price tag and which seats do not. As I originally noted, the Coach Choice selections are fairly bizarre.

Making dummy bookings while logged in as a Platinum elite on wide-open flights approximately 90 days out, this is what I found . . .
Just bizarre.

On most narrowbodies, one random row of foreward aisle seating now costs money, but not the bulkheads, which surely are more appealing.

And the entire right side of the exit row on the 319 (including the middle seat) comes with a charge, but the entire left side is free.

Meanwhile, on the 320, the middle and aisle seats of both sides of the reclining exit row are tagged for this surcharge, but the window seats are free.

On the 753, its two random rows of forward aisle seating that come with a cost. And the entire over wing exit row comes with a price. But row 40 is still free.

this is another straw... makes me upset. i just shot an email via customer first link and i think wp members should take a min to do the same. i'm tired of our benefits being marginalized steadily.

if i'm not happy i suppose i can go elsewhere.. and that's exactly what i'm willing to do. i will make that extra stop at ORD, DFW or DEN, damn it.

I'm flying from MKE to MSP today - just bought the ticket. All the aisle seats are gone - so some MIDDLE seats at the front of economy have the $ on them when one looks at the seat map.

BAD MOVE Northwest.

Wow - elite members can purchase these seats 36 hours before departure rather than 24 hours for everyone else! Will elite benefits never end???

Just read it in the Wall Street journal and cannot believe it.
I was thinking about not renewing my $90 per year Visa Signature Visa and they made up my mind for me (that's 6 exit row seats :-)

...and the additional income that they would have recieved from the charges you make on the Visa probably would have added up to a few "snack boxes" every month.

Maybe we should not use "$" anymore, and just refer to combinations of Visa Fees, Choice Seats, and Snack Boxes, kind of like Roman Numerals.

Elites were asking for this change? Good job, CNBC. Idiotic reporting like this will just cloud and confuse the issue - we need more focus on NWA's best customers being outraged.

Can you tell us the name of the CNBC reporter? I want to send a note to them so they can check out our forum and ask some people what they really think of the program.

I had seriously considered doing a lot of flying on NW this year (I even got comped Gold for my WN travels), but this is, by far, the most alienating rule I've seen on an airline, and I refuse to give even one cent of business to the airline if this is how it will treat its most loyal customers (by which I refer other Elites on the forum, not me. ).

It looks like the NW Gold card will have exactly one use for me...a speedpass through the PHL security lane for my WN flights.

Wonder how this "pay for a better seat" deal will work with award tickets. Can you purchase the exit row or aisle seat when you book an award ticket on-line or will NW make you call in thus collecting a second fee for the phone booking?

Just one more reason not to fly NW.....

Ok there is a whole big thread on this. No need for this one.

I thought this is the big thread...