Would you pay a higher airfare for more legroom in coach?

[alicia-w]

For an extra $15, Northwest Airlines Corp. will sell coach passengers a few more inches of legroom.

Starting Tuesday, Northwest will ask passengers on most domestic flights if they’re interested in paying extra for certain prime seats in coach — exit-row seats or aisle seats near the front of the cabin.

The “Coach Choice” program will involve about 5 percent of seats on Northwest’s domestic flights.

Northwest’s exit-row seats can have 10 to 13 inches of extra leg room. And many air travelers prefer the convenience and extra elbow room of aisle seats to center and window seats.

Jim Cron, vice president of passenger marketing and sales, said Northwest is trying to give more flexibility to passengers who book late. They’re often the travelers who pay full fare, but often find that the only seats left are middle seats in the back of the plane because leisure travelers who booked early reserved the best seats.

Northwest, the nation’s fourth-largest airline, has been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since September. Cron acknowledged the carrier is scouting ways to increase revenue but declined to estimate how much the $15 fee might generate.

UAL Corp.’s United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Airways, a unit of Virgin Group Ltd., already assess a premium for certain desirable coach seats.

[HurryKane]

Hell yes I would pay $15 for extra leg room if it was a very long flight.

For shorter flights, there's always the chance that you can grab the exit row when you check in, so I wouldn't pay it then.

[Arnold21]

Sound so delicious

[brunota2003]

JetBlue already does that, and I'll usually get one on my flights...I just like the extra room (plus I always love getting a window seat, so it works out!)

[gtalum]

No, I wouldn't. I fly Southwest instead, where I get more legroom and generally a lower fare.

[bvigal]

What will these crazy airlines think of next? They offer cheaper fares to those who pay way in advance (often non-refundable), because it benefits the airline to have the money up front and the guaranteed business. I'm putting my money down, taking a chance on them still being in business, still flying at the correct time and making the right connections. Then they bemoan the fact that I reserve my seat and the preferred ones aren't available for last-minute travelers?

The isle seats are so narrow, there is no way to keep your shoulder from protruding into the isle, unless you huddle in an unnatural curved slump. Yeah, I guess some leg room might help me ignore the slams to my shoulder and elbow the whole flight.

Let's see, what other abuse can they heap on poor travelers?

How much does American Airlines gross in one year? I ask, because by their own press release, they saved less than $400,000 taking away pillows! (I'll pay 2 cents for a pillow.) They won't turn up the heat, to save money, and often there is nearly a fight for the available blankets. Those who lose out, especially if sitting near an exit door, simply freeze to death. They switched to food for sale, but usually run out, so some passengers just don't get fed on long flights. I've spent 14 hours traveling, running to make connections due to delays with no time to stop for anything, and had total of 6oz of liquid per flight (sometimes they won't give you the can of juice, just the little bitty cup, and the crew can't be "bothered" to serve twice on a 3 hr flight they are too busy chatting in the back), only to arrive at an airport that is closed down with no vending machines, while I still have yet another flight. (Believe me, you would NOT want to drink the water coming from the faucet in the bathroom.) Dehydration (pressurized cabin humidity is what, about 15-20%?) is not only cruel, it's unhealthy! Since that unfortunate experience, when I find myself on a flight and have consumed my carry-on bottled water, 2hrs after my airline 'beverage' has been served, I march right back to the chatty club and ask for bottled water. If they give me any lip, I give them a lecture about dehydration. It has worked so far.

They have so limited the amount that you can carry on, yet they expect you should somehow include your own pillow, blanket, food, water, book, and laptop must be carried on, if ever want to use it again. Yet, when your luggage is lost, they lecture you on why your contact lense solution (over 3oz hypo-alergenic and not available where you are going), camera, French perfume (over 3 oz) and any other items you might bemoan as essential, are in checked baggage instead of carryon! I'm sorry, but there is nothing I take with me on a trip that is NOT 'essential' or that I can afford to replace, or can get to the location necessary to buy. If you are flying international, you'll find that the Warsaw Convention limits the airline's liability for lost luggage to 7cents per pound - an old and archaic rule which provides no incentive to keep track of baggage. I always buy travel insurance now, just to get some reasonable coverage for my luggage.

Let them go out of business, I say. Then some upstarts like Spirit and Jet Blue will move in to take their place! I've always enjoyed the smaller airlines more, anyway. Their seats are more comfortable, and their attitude is more friendly. My favorite airline of all time is Skywest, probably flown them 200+ times. Southwest is great, too. But not everyone flies everywhere. American Airlines has almost a monopoly on the Caribbean. Frankly, I'd love to see American Airlines go out of business and give up those gates! They have too many snotty flight attendants whom AA endeavors to please much more than they do their customers. Meanwhile, the pilots are overworked.

Sorry about the , I'm putting it away now...

[O Town]

Um this thread was started in May of 2006, not sure why it was bumped



Who knows if they still even still have the Coach Choice program??? lol