Qantas starts charging for seat selection

[sn26567]

International economy passengers flying with Qantas can now choose seats in advance online, for a fee of A$20 per flight. Australia’s national airline is following in the footsteps of its Oneworld partner British Airways in charging for the service which could potentially provide Qantas with hundreds of thousands of dollars in ancillary revenue.

The difference is that, unlike BA, Qantas is not levying the fee for passengers booked in its business or premium economy cabins. (BA does not charge for first class seat assignment). And Qantas’ fee is less than the £20 and £60 rates which BA charges for long-haul economy and business class seat selection.

Qantas says that it will not charge the fee for domestic flights, nor for higher tier members of its own loyalty scheme or equivalent members of the Oneworld Frequent Flyer programme. And passengers who check-in online 24 hours before departure will be able to select their seats, as at present, free of charge.

Although some readers may criticise Qantas’ move it must be remembered that the Australian carrier probably operates a higher percentage of long-haul flights than any other airline so that is why is so important to be able to choose your favourite seat.

In particular, Qantas flights between Europe (London Heathrow and Frankfurt) and Australia via Asia are almost always heavily booked and without frequent flyer status the average traveller usually finds the best seats taken at check-in time. So the $20 fee is invaluable in this respect because, let’s face it, it represents only a tiny proportion of the cost of a long-haul ticket.

Source: ABTN

[earthman]

So now you actually have to pony up A$20 to not get a seat next to one of their Rolls Royce engines?

[regi]

When I booked Qantas tickets, the booking office made the seat reservation, with the remark that I could change it afterwards . ( for free in those days. I wonder what has happened in their financial control department that they suddenly see those seat arrangments by the internet as such a huge extra cost to be paid for seperately Or would it not be a cost, but just an extra kind of income ?)

Question :
if the booking office arranges the seats at the moment of booking, would this extra fee also be applied?

[cnc]

Question :
if the booking office arranges the seats at the moment of booking, would this extra fee also be applied?

Why should a booking office arrange seats at the moment of booking? You'll get your seat at the check-in
JAF is also charging money for that btw

[regi]

Question :
if the booking office arranges the seats at the moment of booking, would this extra fee also be applied?

Why should a booking office arrange seats at the moment of booking? You'll get your seat at the check-in
JAF is also charging money for that btw

I did not get my seat at the check inn but with the booking months before.
Same as with Etihad and BA by the way.
That was the background of my question: I can get this seat booking during booking at a booking office. But if we want to do it by the internet we have to pay for it.

[cnc]

they just change it so you can't get your seat then, simple as that.
seatplan will be made 48 to 24 hours pre flight