As noted on Tripso.com Wednesday, Air France has joined the parade of U.S. carriers who are now charging for some seats with better legroom. And if they don’t meet too much resistance, no doubt others will follow.
However, many researchers now think that it is pain avoidance, not potential gain, that is the primary reason behind decision making. And this especially affects spending decisions.
While all these carriers are charging for their “best” seats, how long will it be until they start charging to avoid their worst seats?
For examples; how much would passengers pay to avoid sitting near a baby? (Some international carriers already limit where babies and young children can sit.) How much would fliers pay to avoid sitting near the lavatory or across from the galley?
The possibilities, alas, are endless. A carrier could designate all non-middle seats as requiring a surcharge, much like some cruise-tours have supplements for all but the lowest inside cabins.
If an airline wanted to hold seats until the last minute, they could do on-board auctions for passengers who wanted to get away from their seatmates for any reason — perfume, body odor, chattiness, size or smelly food.
Yes, this post is tongue-in-cheek, for now, but I’ll bet money that within a few years, maybe sooner, some airline will try one or more of these ideas.
