Charge for emerg.exit row?

[V12]

A friend recently flew back VS from the US, and requested an emergency exit row at the check-in desk. They wanted to charge (can't remember) $50-75 per seat premium for this.

Is this commonplace with carriers now? I've never come across it before.

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

Most UK charter airlines do this as well.

BAe 146-100

[Wycombe]

I have seen VS in the UK (LGW) handing out letters at check-in advising a charge of 50GBP per sector for use of these seats.

Yes, these seats have more legroom (except for the outboard ones that have the very large escape slide "box" right in front of them), but quite a few of them are near the galleys, so you may have more legroom, but it won't be quiet.

On my last VS flight (LGW-->UVF and back) 9 months ago, these seats were virtually all empty, but the aeroplane was chokka in Y

[EastMids]

BMIBaby do this as well... There were large signs on the check-in desks - if I remember correctly, 25 euros if you want the emergency exit row :(

As someone said in another topic, next charges to be introduced will be for using the toilet! :uhoh:

Andy

[XSBaggage]

It takes away some of the fun of getting an exit row, and as far as I know VS are the only "full service" carrier to do this. BA, IB and UA certainly don't (although UA's loads tend to mean you can always spread out anyway).

bmibaby's £15 charge means EMA-GLA / CWL-PIK and vice versa always go with the exits empty.

[Hwel]

I thought the exit rows had to be occupied? alternatively on a full flight where no one wants to pay for the exit row, the last people to check in are a group of gerriatrics who are unable to manipulate the overwings they cant sit there no one else will pay for it. what happens then?
hmmm.

[wobblyprop]

worked on a project for thomson travel a few years back. They would "push" extra leg room seats.

They knew what the a/c was likely to be and therefore the number of seats with extra leg room. If people were willing to part with the extra few quid for the extra leg room, seats were reserved in advance. If no-one brought them, well, it was a free for all at checkin.

Very smart move really. Make extra money on something that is already paid for.

[mysecretsmile]

I think this is a further development of the low cost airline model
where they continue to shaft pax for every penny they can get.

Full service operators won't charge for an emergency exit row seat. Generally speaking if you check in early, smile and ask nicely any full service carrier would be happy to accomodate your request for the seat.

If the likes of MOL had his way he would charge passengers for the oxygen they breath on the flight.