Seat selection charge at T-24?
Nov 18, 2018, 9:53 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: Aeroplan AA
Posts: 249
Seat selection charge at T-24?
Daughter travelled home for reading week YWG-YYC - when checking her in, WS asked for a seat selection fee of $18, even though we were well within the 24 hour limit. Is this something new and unwelcome?
Nov 18, 2018, 10:37 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,792
My guess is she had a Basic fare.(cheapest) ticket
12 A Basic fare will have a seat assigned during check in; guests have the option to move to another seat for an additional fee at time of check in. In the event a seat number is not automatically generated after checking in, a seat will be assigned a
Dec 12, 2018, 6:10 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: The World
Programs: WS Platinum, Marriott Titanium, DL Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 1,475
But with their regular Econo fare, you can choose any seat at time of check-in.
Dec 12, 2018, 7:22 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYZ/MGA
Programs: AA 1MM Lifetime Gold, AA Platinum, WS Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 7,607
WIth the new Super Ultra Basic even cheaper fare you get a seat on the airplane, literally on it, like a horse.
Dec 14, 2018, 7:35 am
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: May 2002
Location: YEG
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 56,438
Dec 14, 2018, 12:04 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2007
Programs: No single airline or hotel chain is of much use to me anymore.
Posts: 3,278
Sigh... I feel like I saw this coming when Aerobod mentioned that the reconfigured rows at the front of the plane would have a more legroom. Although Air Canada must have eliminated this five years ago or more.
Although like with basic economy in the US this just incentives checking in at the last possible moment to get a better seat assigned.
Although like with basic economy in the US this just incentives checking in at the last possible moment to get a better seat assigned.
Jun 7, 2019, 11:43 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 1
Worst seat preassigned by Westjet basic economy - for everyone?
I just went to check in for my flight and had been preassigned the window seat in the last row by the washroom. In reviewing Trip adviser, another passenger reported that for their flight, they also had been pre-assigned the exact same seat. Do all basic economy passengers get assigned the exact same worst seat as an incentive to pay for a seat change? Is westjet encouraging passengers to check in later, after somebody has accepted the assigned seat? Any other stories like this?
Jun 7, 2019, 3:45 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,444
I just went to check in for my flight and had been preassigned the window seat in the last row by the washroom. In reviewing Trip adviser, another passenger reported that for their flight, they also had been pre-assigned the exact same seat. Do all basic economy passengers get assigned the exact same worst seat as an incentive to pay for a seat change? Is westjet encouraging passengers to check in later, after somebody has accepted the assigned seat? Any other stories like this?
Jun 7, 2019, 4:21 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: YHZ. Previously YYC
Posts: 1,924
The Basic Economy seat assignment will be based on least desirable seats (likely from historic information on the last seats to be chosen from online check-in). Most likely middle seats first when both aisle and window have been taken in a row, then back rows with no recline next, if no orphaned middle seats are available. The idea is that those who have a non-Basic ticket will be left with more desirable seats no matter when they check-in, vs the Basic ticket holders are receiving a discount to take the least desirable seats, but can upgrade if they are willing to pay.
I checked in and was 008 in sequence and was assigned 16 H,K. One of the worst seats in my opinion. There was no other pair seats left on the whole plane.
If your theory was true, those seats would have been given to Basic Economy ticket holders. Since I was 8th to check in, i doubt hundreds of people paid for seats so was a bit miffed they put me in those two seats.
However I gambled by not paying for my seats in advance and I lose that gamble. Don’t hate the player, hate the game.
