In today’s world flying by airline has become a common routine for many people, whether they are travelling for work or for holidays. There are many problems faced by travelers like dynamic fares, paid seats, etc.
In the earlier days, the system was you go to the airport and check in, and you will be allotted a seat as per your preference if that type of seat is available. Then before Covid, the airlines started charging extra for some preferred seats like window seats, front row seats, aisle seats, etc. During COVID the web check-in system started and passengers started realizing that almost every seat was now paid seat.
Last month a private party conducted a nationwide survey. The survey collected the responses from 34,000 airline passengers across India, shedding light on their experiences and preferences regarding seat allocation fees.
Here are some of the findings of this survey:
1 In the last 12 months, 51% of the respondents who booked the flights reported that airlines charged an extra fee for seat allocation. This represents a significant increase from 35% in the previous year, indicating a growing trend among airlines to impose seat allocation fees.
2 The survey conducted was to understand passengers’ experiences with seat allocation fees. When asked if they had the option to secure a free seat during booking, 51% of the respondents stated that every seat allotment was chargeable. Only 37% reported having the opportunity to secure some seats without any fees, while balance 12% were uncertain or had other booking methods.
3 When questioned about the percentage of flights where they paid for seat reservations in the last 12 months, 47% of respondents confirmed they paid extra fees. Of these respondents, 35% paid for every seat allocation, 4% paid for 75% of the time, 6% paid for 50% of the time, and 2% paid for 25% of the time. Conversely, 50% of respondents never paid extra for seat allocation, and 3% were unsure due to various booking methods.
4 An important aspect of the survey was passengers’ preferences for government intervention in regulating seat allocation fees. When asked about the maximum percentage of seats airlines should be permitted to charge for, 48% advocated for government mandates allowing fees on no more than 20% of seats. Other respondents expressed varying degrees of willingness to accept fees for different proportions of seats.
Passengers’ opinions were clear, they believed that seat allocation fees should primarily apply to select seats such as exit rows and front rows, which often offer additional legroom. This view contrasts with the current practice of most airlines, which charge fees for a majority of seats except a few middle seats at the rear of the aircraft. Families and group travelers, in particular, find this practice inconvenient, as it often results in separate seating arrangements
There is a news item in today’s newspaper, that says that The Consumer Affairs Ministry has flagged its concern to all airlines and online travel aggregators for allegedly resorting to unfair trade practices such as showing every seat as ‘paid’ despite ‘misleading claim’ of free web check-in, denying boarding to flyers even with confirmed ticket and delayed refunds. As per the ministry “ On the airlines claiming free mandatory web check-in, in their communications to consumers, but marking every seat as paid, during the web check-in process, this leaves the passengers with no choice but to make an extra payment to get a seat in the flight
I do not understand what stops the airlines from increasing the fare by a few hundred rupees and getting out of this problem. But their funda is to show low fares to stay competitive in the market, and then to compensate they ask passengers to pay for seat allocations.
In the good old days, the person who could check in early used to have the best chance of getting the seat of his/her choice. Even when web check-in was not mandatory the early check-in always used better seats.
Waiting for your views on this blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
26th October 2023