British Airways to charge fees for choosing seats starting October 7, 2009

British Airways, the flag-carrier airline of the United Kingdom, will charge passengers who wish to choose their seats prior to their travel. The new system will come into effect on October 7, 2009.

Starting October 7, 2009, passengers of British Airways can go online almost one year before departure and choose a seat – the window-seat, aisle seat, or a seat near the emergency exit – that will go on sale 10 days prior to the flight.

The cash-strapped airline at present lets passengers reserve seats 24 hours before departure.

The new charges will apply to those passengers who want to ensure that they sit together on a flight and also to those who prefer window-seat, aisle-seat or a seat near the emergency-exit, British Airways explained in a statement.

The new charge will be £20 for economy-class on long-haul flights and for business-class in short-haul flights. A seat in the emergency-exit row with extra leg-room costs £50.

The latest additional charges come on the heels of British Airways deciding to charge for luggage and also do away with free meals on short-haul flights in order to cut costs.

According to aviation analysts, British Airways is engaged in a “fight for survival” after the airline suffered losses to the tune of £401 million in the last financial year.

The British national carrier has been looking for ways to increase revenues and reduce costs at the same time in its efforts to cope with the global economic recession and the declining demand for air travel. British Airways has been particularly hit by a drop in passenger numbers in the premium-class, which used to account for a large chunk of its profits.

While British Airways justified its action of charging for seat selection by arguing that it will give the passengers “more control over their seating options,” consumer groups said that it was “disappointing” to see British Airways “jumping into the no-frills airlines bandwagon.”

An official of British Airways explained to reporters that though customers often ask for specific seats, the airline has been able to confirm specific seats either only 24 hours in advance or on the day of travel. With the seat selection facility, the official added, those who wish to ensure particular seats in advance will have “real control over their flying experience.”

The website www.independent.co.uk quoted Rochelle Turner, chief of research at Which? Holiday as remarking that though air travellers have become used to low-cost carriers charging for a services which once was included in the ‘headline price,’ experience shows that people “really do not like the extra charges.”

British Airways still gives some categories of passengers the opportunity to reserve seat free of charge 24 hours prior to departure. All the same, Rochelle Turner added, if a customer misses the 24-hour-mark, “you could be sitting on the other side of the plane from your travelling companion or your family” and “this is no way to start a holiday.”