How not to be fooled by airline seating hanky-panky

Don’t let the airline seating hide-and-seek game fool you.

As airlines have begun to reduce their airfares, many seats now require paid reservations. On some flights, I’ve noticed additional fees for each aisle and window seat, anywhere from $25-$39 and even more. The airline seating rules are messed up.

We all know about premium seats like Economy Plus on United or Delta Comfort. In American, most of the seats that cost extra are only the front rows of the plane or exit rows, or aisle or window seats.

Airlines have every right to charge for airline seating. However, the Department of Transportation (DOT) has a rule that requires airlines to advertise prices All mandatory taxes and duties. This means that every passenger flying is guaranteed a seat on any ticket purchased.

When do airlines have to release seats for confirmed passengers?

“When are airlines required to release seats for assignment to passengers who choose not to pay reservation fees for specific seats?”.

On a recent flight to Rome, American Airlines still had not released its aisle and window seats until four hours before takeoff for a flight from Philadelphia to Rome. Two passengers were trying to change their seats in the Admiral Club and were told that all aisle seats were reserved for specific passengers or those who wanted to pay extra.

They wanted to get two seats together near the windows in a 2-4-2 configured Airbus.

I assured them that no worse would happen to them if they kept the two separate seats already assigned to them. They should ask at the boarding gate. I couldn’t imagine that AA would sell out specific seats by the time of boarding. This would be very close to a violation of the full-fare advertising rule.

See also: Full-fare advertising rules for airlines

Many seating problems are resolved at the last minute and at no charge.

Eventually, they were seated in the bulkhead seats of Seats A and B at the last minute. Perfect – By waiting he got the seat he wanted on the airline. But, why did the airline put them through so much suffering, for basically no other reason than trying to extort an extra $25 from each of them?

This adventure with these two frequent fliers raises the question, “When should airlines release seats that were held back for specific fliers and those who want a specific seat or who may be pressured to pay based on ignorance?”

When are airlines violating the full-fare advertising rule in the case of airline seating reservations?

Should all seats be vacated 24 hours before the flight? maybe 12 hours? Or, should it be four hours?

There is no standardized release time for airline seats for confirmed passengers.

I’ve always thought that arbitrarily blocked aisle and window seats would be released to assignment agents 24 hours before takeoff. I have been proven wrong. There is no standardized time limit for releasing these seats.

In fact, airlines don’t even explicitly tell passengers that they don’t have to pay for a seat reservation—each passenger is guaranteed a seat until the plane is oversold. Then, a new set of rules apply – denial of boarding compensation.

• This seat-stopping gimmick is becoming a misleading and deceptive practice.
• Airlines hold back more seats than the typical regular traveler who makes reservations on flights.
• Airlines do not inform passengers that they do not need to purchase a seat reservation, even if all seats are ticketed for an additional fee.
• Families are particularly disadvantaged because they may think they have to pay for a reserved seat in order to sit with a minor. And, the DOT has not responded to Congress’s order to create a rule to allow families to sit together.

Airlines seem to be begging for more regulations.

They always produce economic studies and white papers claiming that markets will solve all problems. However, their actions, taken in step with alleged competitors, belie their claims.

Also on Travelers United: “Preferred Seats” – How Airlines Get More Money Out of You

Do airlines have to tell passengers that seat reservations are not necessary? Are airlines required to release all unassigned seats for assignment 24 hours before takeoff? Should families with minors be guaranteed that they can sit together?

It seems clear that the airlines have no consumer guard over their actions. They sidestep every consumer regulation, whether it’s disclosure of code-share flights or airline seating. Their actions only generate more rules and regulations.

What happened to the days of customer service, honest advertising and full disclosure? Airlines may not need to be regulated when it comes to flight economy, but they definitely need a stronger hand when it comes to customer service and transparency. When markets fail, regulators need to intervene.

Featured photo by Omar Prestwich on Unsplash