EasyJet brings in allocated seats

LOW-COST airline easyJet is to start allocating seating, replacing its current “first-come, first-served” approach.

Under the current system people who pay around £10.50 for “speedy boarding” get the best seats because they get on to the place first and have the first choice. After this there is reportedly often a “rush for seats” with people jostling for places.

Under the new plan, expected to be introduced in November, everyone will be allocated a seat number on booking, with the option to pay more to have a choice. The firm has said it will attempt to seat families together even if they do not pay to choose.

It has said its charges (in sterling) will be £3 to pre-book a standard seat, £8 for one in the four rows behind the front one or £12 for one with extra leg-room (in the front row and over the wings).

Similar schemes already exist at several competitor airlines, like Jet2 (which allocates seats and charges €8 to book an ordinary seat or €17 for an extra leg-room one) or Ryanair. The latter has a limited number of seats that can be reserved at €10 but does not allocate the others; it also has a priority boarding scheme.

EasyJet says it has trialled the system and 70% of customers preferred it. Seats at £3 near the front were the most in demand for short-haul flights, the front row ones for longer flights. The left-hand side was preferred.

The firm says it hopes the plan it will help attract more passengers.

While easyJet has said this is not a commercial decision - just aimed at greater convenience for customers - commentators noted it is likely to make more money than the previous system where only up to a maximum 30 “speedy boarding” places could generate extra revenue (the firm has not said how many people actually take it up on average).

It will drop “speedy boarding”.

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