Pay to choose seats in domestic airlines

New Delhi, December 25

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Shell out a little more even if you want a middle seat in flights with airlines charging extra for preferred seats as they look to increase their ancillary revenues amid stiff competition.

With regulations permitting unbundling of various services offered by domestic carriers, choosing a particular seat, especially the window ones and those with more leg space, comes at an extra cost. Charging extra for choice of seats in flights, including the middle ones, is a commonly accepted international practice and is not something new.

A Jet Airways spokesperson said allowing guests to pre-reserve seats for a fee is a commonly-accepted industry practice. According to him, in terms of the middle seats, only the front seven rows in the domestic economy cabin can be pre-reserved for a charge while such seats in the remaining 19 rows can be pre-reserved free of charge.

With increasing competition in the Indian aviation sector, which has been seeing over 20 per cent domestic passenger growth for nearly two years, airfares are at relatively lower levels. “The seats are assigned on a first come first served basis at the check-in counter. A passenger who needs to select a seat can opt for web check-in and block the seat and can also do it while booking flight tickets,” a SpiceJet spokesperson said.

A GoAir spokesperson said currently it is the “only airline to initiate the affordable seat selection offer with seat selection at the least available price from Rs 99 onwards”.

“Seat select is a completely optional service, as within check-in window (24 hours before departure) any guest can select any seat in the cabin that is not already reserved, completely free of charge,” a Jet Airways spokesperson said.

National carrier Air India charges for preferred seats such as window ones but passengers do not have to pay for choosing middle seats, according to an Air India official. — PTI