> but lots and lots of people want to select their seats. . .and are willing to pay for it,
How did we ever get by before? I've been flying since 1984 and never paid to select seats until about a year or two ago.
How did we ever get by before? I've been flying since 1984 and never paid to select seats until about a year or two ago.
And when I had to book with an agent on the phone, I was able to pick not only aisle or window, but front of cabin, middle, or rear. Also for free.
Let's not normalize bullshit fees that are clearly a money grab. Kinda bizarre how many people are dissing this article and supporting airlines. I'm wondering if that's a Gen Z thing since they're used to paying service fees without realizing there are free alternatives.
Looks like the annual number of airline passengers roughly doubled between 2006 and 2019: https://www.statista.com/statistics/564717/airline-industry-...
Then you could check-in by telephone. Then you could check-in online. Then airlines started exposing the ability to select seats prior to check-in. Finally, someone realized this could be a revenue stream and started charging for it.
At this point, British Airways will make you pay to reserve a specific seat before check-in even if you're flying in intercontinental business class unless you have an expensive flexible fare or are a frequent flyer.
But luggage for example: having it was to some extent subsidised by people who didn't/you paid for it whether you wanted it or not, in the bundled price.
It's more a problem of advertising & comparison IMO, I don't mind (quite like) these things being separated out otherwise.