American Airlines is adopting another fee, which they’re calling “Express Seats.” If you’re willing to pony up $19 to $39, depending on length of flight, you too can sit in the front of the economy section, including bulkhead seats, without being an elite level frequent flier. The option is available only for U.S. domestic travel, and only from self-service airport kiosks.
Many airlines have been selling “premium” seats in the economy cabin for years. Northwest (pre-merger with Delta) started selling selected seats at the front of the economy section back in 2006. And United has sold Economy Plus upgrades for most of the past decade. (Though those seats have extra legroom, which is a bit more “premium.”) So selling seats isn’t entirely new.
The only real twist on existing “premium” seat reservations is that paying the new AA fee bumps you up to boarding group 1. You’ll not only sit toward the front of the bus, but you’ll be assured of space in the overhead bins and can be among the first to board and exit the plane. And that’s how the airline is spinning this: It’s a speed premium, not a comfort premium.
The real losers here are the elite-level AAdvantage members who used to be able to pre-reserve these seats for free. Those passengers will have to sit a little further back now. The airline promises to leave a similar number of seats available for the frequent fliers, but they just won’t be the same seats. If you were a gold, platinum or executive platinum AA flier and a fan of bulkheads, this is definitely a downgrade.
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August 19th, 2010 at 5:03 pm
anyone wanna trade 200K AA miles for CO miles? although the way it is going, they are just about as useless….
August 19th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
Just to clear up some confusion: The seats they are selling (at least currently) have always been under airport control anyway — hence the only way you can buy them is via the kiosk.
So, elites were never able to pre-reserve these seats. We only get access to exit row, and other non-bulkhead asile and window seats toward the front of the plane. Now, this is still probably a downgrade as elites were more likely to know about these premium seats and ask for them (and get them for free) at the airport or in the admirals club…now everyone will have to buy them…unless no one buys them and the plane is full in which case they will of course assign them for free to those left without seat assignments.
August 20th, 2010 at 1:46 am
Airlines will be charging not only different rates depending on the time / day / date of a flight – but also for each specific seat as they already know which are preferred seats and its only a simple matter of programming up the booking system
August 20th, 2010 at 8:56 am
Clever – AA says the fee guarantees overhead bin space. Almost like you are paying a fee for your carry-on bag…
August 23rd, 2010 at 1:42 pm
But, AA, that yellow water on my leg doesn’t smell like rain….