Airline charges for 'express' front-row seats

[NM]

Here we go again. yet another way to add costs to cheap travel.

From News.com.au:

AMERICAN Airlines has found another fee.

The airline said it's now charging between $US19 ($21) and $39 ($43) for "Express Seats" - those spots in the first few rows of coach that include bulkhead seats.

 

[harvyk]

I really don't get the attraction with the first couple of rows. If you have checked in luggage it simply means you'll need to wait longer at the baggage carousel, and besides, the entire flight you’ll get to sit there and see \ hear how good things are in J \ F.


It’s not a privilege I’d ever pay for, and whenever I’ve gotten in the first row or two I haven’t been thinking of how privileged I am, I’ve been wishing I could have afforded (or justified) a couple of extra dollars to sit in the proper pointy end.

 

[UP4014]

Poor mans business class.

Wonder if they'll drop the price of the last row.

 

[MelUser]

I thought that these seats were for AA Exec Platinums who missed out on a complimentary upgrade!

I have been in the last row of First getting snarls from the first row of economy who wrongly believe that they missed out on the upgrade because others in First paid to be there.

 

[anat0l]

This isn't new. JQ have had this kind of charge for a while. So has AK (for even longer).

Probably the first time I've heard it on a non-LCC, however. Let's hope it doesn't create a cascading precedent.

 

[Dave Noble]

This isn't new. JQ have had this kind of charge for a while. So has AK (for even longer).

Probably the first time I've heard it on a non-LCC, however. Let's hope it doesn't create a cascading precedent.

I believe that AA is not the 1st airline to introduce such a charge. iirc CO beat them to it

 

[k_sheep]

Jetstar and AirAsia do that already (charge for the first few rows).

 

[samh004]

I really don't get the attraction with the first couple of rows. If you have checked in luggage it simply means you'll need to wait longer at the baggage carousel, and besides, the entire flight you’ll get to sit there and see \ hear how good things are in J \ F.

If you don’t have checked luggage it makes slightly more sense, as you’re first (behind J/F) to the taxi rank/wherever else you need to go.

Sucks a bit that it’s now an extra fee to sit there, wonder if the seats don;t get snapped up if elites will still be given free choice, or auto-allocated.

 

[Stuser]

Ha ha absolutely: you get to see the bottles of wine being poured down J customers necks, get to hear the rustle of the newspapers and feel the extra width of the seats, all the while being stuck in cattle class. Surely a good reason to sit a at the back.. :evil:

...however, I also agree with samh004: I often travel with no check in luggage = off the plane and outa the airport asap.

If you don’t have checked luggage it makes slightly more sense, as you’re first (behind J/F) to the taxi rank/wherever else you need to go.

Sucks a bit that it’s now an extra fee to sit there, wonder if the seats don;t get snapped up if elites will still be given free choice, or auto-allocated.

 

[Postcode]

Recently booked a flight on EI from CDG to ORK for € 0. Great deal. After paying for the usual taxes I paid a few extra euros for seat 1A. All up €66. At least I could pretend being in business and most importantly no pr*ck is going to recline their seat into my face.

 

[JohnK]

It won't be long before all airlines will start charging extra for all seats.

What is the airfare supposed to cover?

 

[serfty]

...
What is the airfare supposed to cover?

Travel from AAA to BBB.

Think yourself lucky the airline has contracted to take you