Qantas scooping bottom of the barrel?
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Qantas scooping bottom of the barrel?
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.
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.
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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!
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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.
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.
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What's the bet they won't get a refund!
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?
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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.
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.
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)
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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?"
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?
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?
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If you can make extra cash from these seats then why not. Love doesn't pay the rent but people with cash do!
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?
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?
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
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