Qantas scooping bottom of the barrel?

[Ken Borough]

No comment, but this is from the SMH today

Qantas to charge passengers extra for exit row seats

Room to move ... Qantas will charge passeengers up to $160 to sit in emergency exit row seats.

Daniella Miletic
May 25, 2009 - 2:14PM

Qantas will introduce new fees of up to $160 for emergency exit row seats which offer extra leg room on long-haul overseas flights.

Under new plans confirmed today the airline will introduce a pre-purchase option for emergency exit row seats for international trips in economy class.

"This will give customers greater choice and access to seats that offer more leg room. A similar service is offered by many other airlines," an airline spokesperson said in a statement.

The new fees are still being finalised, however, the airline will likely charge consumers $80 for shorter flights and $160 for longer flights. Under the changes, Trans-Tasman flights will be excluded.

Frequent flyers will also be able to use points to pre-purchase the seats (ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 points).

The changes come as the airline also confirmed it would drop first-class travel on three of its longer overseas flights this winter as the economic downturn continues to eat into demand for top-end services.

The airline will not sell first-class fares for the Sydney-Buenos Aires route, the Sydney-San Francisco and the Melbourne-Hong Kong-London route until October 31.

"As a result of the economic downturn Qantas, like many other international airlines, has experienced reduced demand in premium cabins," Qantas executive manager Rob Gurney said. "Economy demand remains relatively strong."

He said the airline would monitor demand on these routes and hoped to reintroduce the first-class offer "as soon as possible".

Research by the International Air Transport Association has shown that business and first-class passenger numbers dropped by almost 20% in the first quarter of 2009.

However, domestically, seats are filling up. Lower domestic airfare prices and government stimulus payments have meant fewer empty seats in March than there were a year ago, according to new Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government figures. They show 78.2 per cent of seats on domestic and regional airlines were occupied in March 2009, up for 78 per cent a year earlier.

[Skystar320]

Most airlines are doing this now, likes to Singapore Airlines... VB do it

[TROJAN764]

It will be interesting to see what happens when someone turns up, after having paid the levy, who is excluded from occupying an exit row because of some physical imparement. What's the bet they won't get a refund!:uhoh:

[jungle juice]

The exit row seats in economy are the favoured seats by Frequent flyers seating Y/C.

No reason why they shouldn't make some extra money from them.Every other business in the world looks for ways to increase income and they do have a lot better leg room than the other economy seats.

[Flying Solo]

If it keeps me in the job, im all for it

[jungle juice]

What's the bet they won't get a refund!
They'll get a refund Trojan but it will take about 6 months:E
What will happen if the aircraft is fairly empty and not all the exit rows are taken and some other economy passenger moves into one of the seats to stretch out his legs.
Will the crew be told to enforce the rule and will some FF spit the dummy?

[twiggs]

If the aircraft is that empty, the one who paid the surcharge will probably move from the exit to an empty row of 4 anyway.

[jungle juice]

Twiggs,Who said it was that empty?
What if all the rows are taken by 1 or 2 pax but not all of the exit rows because not everyone wanted to pay the extra money?
Why is it that the office always takes examples of the extreme and never wants to accept what really happens on the aircraft?
They always like to give you hypothetical questions but when they don't like your hypothetical answers they walk off.

[Flying Solo]

well they cant sit there because my day bag is there..

[NZScion]

Is this really such a good idea? I would imagine that FF pax would be the ones most likely to pay for exit row seats - yet these are the ones who seem to read their newspaper throughout the FA's briefings. If a B738 goes off the end of 16R at YSSY, is it really smart to have someone who paid extra for the seat then ignored the briefing block the exit for precious seconds as he/she tries to pull the exit in (as per B734)

[twiggs]

Sorry JJ, when you said "fairly empty", my interpretation was that there would be rows free.
In your second example, it would just be tough titties, the punter paying the surcharge could do nothing if someone decides to move to a vacant seat after takeoff.

[Pegasus747]

why not do as Pam Ann suggests and charge them for the seat belt too :)

[jungle juice]

Wait for the advertising on the overhead lockers as I'm told either Jetstar or VB have done it already.

Then they will have adverts in the toilets and on the seat covers.Then someone will come up with the bright idea of crew having adverts on their uniforms.You will be offered a safety card for a price.
The styrenes in economy will have adverts on them as will the napkins.
The list is almost endless.

[Flying Solo]

And while serving food, you will need to use the product name... " sir, would you like the Ingam Chicken Stirfry, with Mccain Frozen Vegetables and Home Brand Rice?"

[heads_down]

would you actually pay $160 extra to sit in between 2 person at an exit seat?

[Massey058]

What worries me and I have seen it often on Valuair (JetStar) where they charge US$20 for an exit seat and then boarding the aircraft and finding no-one has paid and all the exit row seats remain empty.

It seems counter-intuitive from a safety standpoint to leave all of these seat unoccupied regardless of the load factor. Lots of people seated in non-exit rows might have the sense to be able to open the exit in an emergency but are airlines willing to take that risk?

[distracted cockroach]

From memory, some of the Emergency Exit rows don't recline, and are some of the more uncomfortable on the aircraft. Leg room's good tho:ok:

[barrybeebone]

If you can make extra cash from these seats then why not. Love doesn't pay the rent but people with cash do!:ok:

I assume the safety issues is something that the myriad of other airlines that already charge for the emergency row have had to deal with previously? Anyone know?

[Track5milefinal]

Everytime i fly VB i book a normal seat on web check in, then when i check in at the airport i ask for the exit row and get it everytime!

Haven't tried with QF as yet...

At least my little red card has more of a use than a discount on my morning coffee run in the terminal:}

[MELKBQF]

I hope they dont charge extra for seats A and K on a 747 exit row, the slide bustle that intrudes makes it more uncomfortable than a normal Y class seat.

[Shazz-zaam]

So true, A and K seats on the 747 have limited legroom due to the door bustle, I get a lot of passenger complaining about it. The passengers always seem to angle their legs across almost overlapping the B and J seats as the bustle is in their way.
If I remember correctly the BA 747 that Qantas leased a few years back rego NLH did not have A and K seats at the exits, which allowed generous legroom for the A seat immediately behind the exit row.
I would feel a little ripped off if I paid $160 and got A or K.

[twiggs]

The A380 doesn't have the A and K seat at the doors, so they could charge the surcharge for the A and K seat behind the exit row.
Some full service airlines even charge for aisle seats.

[Skystar320]

The Aviation Industry is changing rapidly, out with the old ways in the new. Who cares? Most people now want to fly less...

Either grow up with the changing industry or be the dry wood

[twiggs]

Thanks for the info A_B_P.
There is another seat that they could charge for in y/c on the A380 which is a D seat that has no seat in front of it.

[Mr. Hat]

Qantas scooping bottom of the barrel?

No, just charging where they can like all companies that want to keep their doors open.

[jungle juice]

I don't have any problem with a company charging a relative worth for an item that is in demand.
The problem is the greed from a number of company's that have caused this crisis is that they will use any excuse to raise prices or charges.
It was announced the other day that the big 4 banks have raised around 1$ billion in the last 12 months from fees and charges.
If we are honest large corps will increase their prices if the wind changes direction.It has little do to with financial neccessity but instead if they feel they can get away with it.

[twiggs]

Yes it's fair enough to pay for such things, but I don't think it's fair that there is still an international fuel levy.

[Mr. Hat]

Jungle, point noted on banks but if you pay close attention to all your statements and strategically place your money you will be able to avoid most fees. If I get charged a fee I ring them up and tell them to put it back. You'd be surprised how well it works. If they refuse I generally offer to close the account and if this doesn't work I close the account. I agree with your principles about the fat cats geting fatter but choose to get even in different ways than I used to.

Anyway this one was about QF. Good luck to em.

[jungle juice]

Mr. Hat, I agree with you on both counts.
I too closed my account at the bank and went with the credit union and with this thread I think if people are willing to pay for more leg room then go for it.

[Boomerang_Butt]

Big deal. Other airlines have been doing it for years. Qantas aren't here to be warm and fuzzy, they're a business. And with redundancy breathing down 1750 necks, whatever keeps the company up and running, well, do it.

I think people have been lucky to get exit rows for free for so long, to be honest. Thought they'd have done it a lot sooner and was surprised when then didn't. Don't be shocked if the CityFlyer booze gets cut back a bit either, say, after 4pm on Perth runs also...?

[Lookleft]

Just some advise to any SLF that peruse this forum. If you pay the extra for the emergency row don't use web check because it doesn't recognise that you have paid the extra. It can lead to nasty scenes at boarding when the pax demands the seat he paid extra for and they are already taken. The LCC have been charging extra for the emergency seats for a while. As someone stated Qantas is a business not a charity. I would be surprised if they weren't looking at ways of generating extra revenue.

[jetsrule]

Airline: Welcome aboard sir. May I see your ticket?
Passenger: Sure.
Airline: You're in seat 12B. That will be $5, please!
Passenger: What for?
Airline: For telling you where to sit.
Passenger: But I already knew where to sit.
Airline: Nevertheless, we are now charging a seat locator fee of $5. It's the airline's new policy.
Passenger: That's the craziest thing I ever heard. I won't pay it.
Airline: Sir, do you want a seat on this flight, or not?

Passenger: Yes, yes. All right, I'll pay. But the airline is going to hear about this.
Airline: Thank you. My goodness, your carry-on bag looks heavy. Would you like me to stow it in the overhead compartment for
you?
Passenger: That would be swell, thanks.
Airline: No problem. Up we go, and done! That will be $10, please.
Passenger: What?
Airline: The airline now charges a $10 carry-on assistance fee.
Passenger: This is extortion. I won't stand for it.
Airline: Actually, you're right, you can't stand. You need to sit, and fasten your seat belt. We're about to push back from the gate.
But, first I need that $10.
Passenger: No way!
Airline: Sir, if you don't comply, I will be forced to call the air marshal. And you really don't want me to do that.
Passenger: Why not? Is he going to shoot me?
Airline: No, but there's a $50 air-marshal hailing fee.
Passenger: Oh, all right, here, take the $10. I can't believe this.
Airline: Thank you for your cooperation, sir. Is there anything else I can do for you?
Passenger: Yes. It's stuffy in here, and my overhead fan doesn't seem to work. Can you fix it?
Airline: Your overhead fan is not broken, sir. Just insert two quarters into the overhead coin slot for the first five minutes.
Passenger: The airline is charging me for cabin air?
Airline: Of course not, sir. Stagnant cabin air is provided free of charge. It's the circulating air that costs 50 cents.
Passenger: I don't have any quarters. Can you make change for a dollar?
Airline: Certainly, sir! Here you go!
Passenger: But you've given me only three quarters for my dollar.
Airline: Yes, there's a change making fee of 25 cents.
Passenger: For cryin' out loud. All I have left is a lousy quarter? What the heck can I do with this?
Airline: Hang onto it. You'll need it later for the lavatory



:):):)