View Full Version : Selling assigned seats
davidjohnson6
23rd Jul 2020, 09:04
Plenty of airlines in Europe during a booking process for shorthaul flights tell pax to either pay for a seat of their choice... or get a free seat of the airline's choice (with various exception - eg those with FF status or flying business class rather than cheap seats) Presumably this makes a decent pile of cash for airlines
When flying with children, there's a need to ensure people are not completely split up. However when the party making a booking are able bodied adults, the airline will typically assign a seat within a minute of the pax deciding they won't pay for an assigned seat, taken from a pool of what's left, with typically the less desirable (or least frequently sold for money) seats being picked first. Seat 26E will be assigned for free before seat 1A, etc...
Why do airlines need to grant a free confirmed seat at the time of booking ? By doing so, they limit the choice for pax who are willing to pay for assigned seats, and thus limit their revenue earning opportunities. Instead, perhaps airlines should assign a free seat on a *provisional* basis, with something to say it might be changed later. On the seat map, airlines could still make that provisional seat available for sale, and not tell the cheapskate pax until checkin, where they will *definitely* sit
Note - I write this as someone who very rarely pays for an assigned seat
Pistonprop
23rd Jul 2020, 09:20
No general rule. They all have their own little ways. A German carrier I fly often with (correction: used to fly often with) offers pre-assigned seating for a price. If you don't go for that option you may select your own seat, from what's left, free when checking-in online (from 72 hours prior if I recall correctly). I was never disappointed.
highflyer40
23rd Jul 2020, 10:02
Plenty of airlines in Europe during a booking process for shorthaul flights tell pax to either pay for a seat of their choice... or get a free seat of the airline's choice (with various exception - eg those with FF status or flying business class rather than cheap seats) Presumably this makes a decent pile of cash for airlines
When flying with children, there's a need to ensure people are not completely split up. However when the party making a booking are able bodied adults, the airline will typically assign a seat within a minute of the pax deciding they won't pay for an assigned seat, taken from a pool of what's left, with typically the less desirable (or least frequently sold for money) seats being picked first. Seat 26E will be assigned for free before seat 1A, etc...
Why do airlines need to grant a free confirmed seat at the time of booking ? By doing so, they limit the choice for pax who are willing to pay for assigned seats, and thus limit their revenue earning opportunities. Instead, perhaps airlines should assign a free seat on a *provisional* basis, with something to say it might be changed later. On the seat map, airlines could still make that provisional seat available for sale, and not tell the cheapskate pax until checkin, where they will *definitely* sit
Note - I write this as someone who very rarely pays for an assigned seat
Regulations say that small children must be sat with at least one adult, if the didn’t overtly or covertly assign those seats at time of booking then the may need to move people around who have paid for a seat necessitating a refund to those who paid for the seat they were moved from.
All seats (even paid seats) are provisional as the airline always reserves the right to change your seat at their convenience. It’s in the T’s and C’s. most will try not to do this though as they would most likely have to refund your seat charge.
davidjohnson6
23rd Jul 2020, 10:19
Perhaps I should have been clearer.
Letting pax choose a seat for free 24h before departure on a LCC is a bad idea - it discourages pax from paying for an assigned seat in advance, and thus gives up ancillary revenue
If I choose not to pay for a seat of my choice, I get an assigned seat - eg 26E on a 737. While the T&C lets an airline change if necessary, it usually means 26E will be marked as 'occupied' on a seat map and no longer available for sale. Instead I propose telling the pax they will *probably* be in 26E but keeping the seat marked as *vacant* on the seat map so it can be sold if someone wants to pay for it... the cheapskate knows they will likely end up in the relatively undesirable seat, but the airline doesn't forego potential revenue opportunity because someone else decides they want to pay for seat 26E. If a pax does pay for an assigned seat, then it would be marked as 'occupied' on the seat map
The idea is really that for shorthaul non-connecting pax flying in economy without kids, airlines should be pushing harder for pax to pay for assigned seat, and boost airline revenue
highflyer40
23rd Jul 2020, 10:28
Perhaps I should have been clearer.
Letting pax choose a seat for free 24h before departure on a LCC is a bad idea - it discourages pax from paying for an assigned seat in advance, and thus gives up ancillary revenue
If I choose not to pay for a seat of my choice, I get an assigned seat - eg 26E on a 737. While the T&C lets an airline change if necessary, it usually means 26E will be marked as 'occupied' on a seat map and no longer available for sale. Instead I propose telling the pax they will *probably* be in 26E but keeping the seat marked as *vacant* on the seat map so it can be sold if someone wants to pay for it... the cheapskate knows they will likely end up in the relatively undesirable seat, but the airline doesn't forego potential revenue opportunity because someone else decides they want to pay for seat 26E. If a pax does pay for an assigned seat, then it would be marked as 'occupied' on the seat map
Most airlines that charge for seats won’t allocate a seat until online check in opens, so your whole premise is moot. They let you select for free at online check in as it speeds the process up as most (LCC) don’t have any check in faculties at the airport or (main carriers) have significantly reduced check in staff and prefer you to use the kiosks.
Also at 24/48 hours check in... etc you don’t have that many people making a new booking anyways.
One further thought. In your example above 26E I’m assuming would be a middle seat. So for a single traveller that would entice them to go back and pay for a seat so they weren’t stuck in between 2 strangers.
Donkey497
23rd Jul 2020, 10:36
There's also the situation where the planned aircraft goes "tech" and the replacement doesn't have the same seating arrangement, even if it is the same basic type, so you can end up paying for a specific seat, say the 26E of the example, actually sitting in 26E and not actually getting the amenities you thought you were, or conversely a better seat than you had budgeted for. Sometimes the seat doesn't even exist anymore.
You pays your money & takes your chance.
CabinCrew87
23rd Jul 2020, 10:52
From a business perspective this is a nice idea. From a customer/cabin crew perspective this is a terrible idea. From my own experience passengers do not like having their seat changed and many continue to ignore the changes and take their original seat which is a huge inconvenience for everyone involved.
Dave Gittins
23rd Jul 2020, 11:49
I'm waiting to see what happens about my seats to go to Colorado for Christmas (if Covid 19 lets it happen at all).
When I booked and paid for my premium economy seats a few weeks ago it was going to be a 747. Not any more.
Or do as I do and skip the pay for your seat con and after booking phone up and say my Wife (who I always travel with) is a WCHC always get given good seats (through not emergency exits sadly)
highflyer40
23rd Jul 2020, 19:35
Or do as I do and skip the pay for your seat con and after booking phone up and say my Wife (who I always travel with) is a WCHC always get given good seats (through not emergency exits sadly)
That is awful. If the plane gets full then someone who actually needs WCHR will have to choose another flight. Disgusting!
That is awful. If the plane gets full then someone who actually needs WCHR will have to choose another flight. Disgusting!
How is it awful she is disabled and has her own WCMP. I would rather she was not
edi_local
24th Jul 2020, 06:32
That is awful. If the plane gets full then someone who actually needs WCHR will have to choose another flight. Disgusting!
Why would they need to take another flight? You can have more than one WCH passenger on a flight and there usually is more than one.
highflyer40
24th Jul 2020, 07:17
How is it awful she is disabled and has her own WCMP. I would rather she was not
I apologise. I thought you meant you were gaming the system and just using that as an excuse to get free seats. Seen it many times.
DaveReidUK
24th Jul 2020, 16:30
I apologise. I thought you meant you were gaming the system and just using that as an excuse to get free seats. Seen it many times.
That's what comes of starting a post with
Or do as I do ...
and making it sound like a suggestion.
I apologise. I thought you meant you were gaming the system and just using that as an excuse to get free seats. Seen it many times.
Apologie excepted and yes I have seen people lifted on to the A/C and then run off
highflyer40
24th Jul 2020, 17:36
Apologie excepted and yes I have seen people lifted on to the A/C and then run off
Happens many times. Request the special assistance, get the preferred seating but just don’t ask for it at the airport. If it is just check in to gate assistance the airline wouldn’t even know you didn’t use the service.
inOban
24th Jul 2020, 17:57
It's like the car owners who have a blue badge to transportation a disabled relative but use it for free parking all the time.
BirdmanBerry
24th Jul 2020, 19:39
With regards having children sat close to an appropriate adult, they only have to be in the same row or one in front or behind, not next to that adult. We had this issue with Thomson who had issued seats all around the aircraft for our family of 4 and had to move the kids around when we got to the airport.
Ryanair make one adult pay for a seat too but I understand this is technically illegal but who is MOL to give two hoots? I refuse to pay for something that is a legal requirement.