New Iberia seating fees

Gary Leff at View From the Wing has news about new fees for advance seat selection on Iberia. Excerpts from his post:

The Spanish Iberia, a member of oneworld and owned by the parent company of British Airways, has introduced new seat selection fees that would make the chintziest of low cost carriers blush.

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Iberia has taken it a step further — economy passengers are going to have to pay for seat assignments even at check-in if they want to express any preference at all. And that means, since Iberia won’t inherently be cheaper than alternative carriers, that it will be an airline to be avoided for those who aren’t exempt from the fees.

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Iberia has a helpful table. Here’s the cost for a seat assignment, if your fare or status doesn’t exempt you from paying. I’ve highlighted the cost of an economy seat assignment.

It’s $40 in advance, $50 at on-line check-in, and $55 at the airport. The longer you wait to buy your seat assignment, the more expensive it gets.

Remember that this is the pricing in each direction, so advance seat assgnments for transatlantic coach flights on Iberia will run $80.

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With US low cost carriers, at the airport you can pretty much have whatever seat you wish that’s left over most of the time.

With Iberia, you’re going to get something assigned “at random” which I read to mean you’re going to get a middle seat in the back — even if something better is available.

If you don’t have any preferences and you haven’t chosen a seat prior to check-in, you will be assigned one for free and at random when you get your boarding pass.

Iberia wants to keep selling seat assignments, not just in advance and at check-in but even at the airport right before departure. So they need to incentivize you to pay. Waiting to assign a seat means you pay more if you want to pick your seats, and winding up with an inferior seat if you won’t pay.

And out of a business view, that's a very smart choice. They'll generate quite some $$ out of this. However, those prices are pretty high imo.

As a traveller, I hate to see such things. You are almost forced into buying a seat if you really don't like to be squeezed in between 2 other people. And nobody loves those middle seats. It'll get some pax mad, but I think it'll be good for IB, as a business.

And out of a business view, that's a very smart choice. They'll generate quite some $$ out of this. However, those prices are pretty high imo.

 

As a traveller, I hate to see such things. You are almost forced into buying a seat if you really don't like to be squeezed in between 2 other people. And nobody loves those middle seats. It'll get some pax mad, but I think it'll be good for IB, as a business.

I have a feeling that the people who will get mad are the same people who, after swearing to never fly IB again, will flock back as soon as IB is a little cheaper. Despite being, IMHO, the worst airline in Europe...a continent that includes Alitalia ;)

We returned in Sept. from Venice via Iberia. I did notice that there seemed to be no way to request seats without paying. We went with the flow & got adjacent seats anyway, which is the important thing.

The flight was pleasant & the aircrew helpful & friendly. BTW, the flight was no more than 2/3 full.

Steve

Raise the price then DISCOUNT the middle seat - then you'll think your getting a deal!

:) JK

Really no different than SW that charges an extra $12.50 per segment for the right to stand NEAR the front of the queue.

Really no different than SW that charges an extra $12.50 per segment for the right to stand NEAR the front of the queue.

Southwest does have the greatest con ever. People bitch and moan when other carriers charge for "better" seats (where you know exactly what you're getting), but have no problem dropping $12.50 for a chance to maybe get a better seat, but probably end up in just a regular seat somewhere in the plane.

Southwest does have the greatest con ever.

Do remember, people, that an added advantage to WN's Early Bird plan is you do not have to print the boarding pass at exactly 24 hours before departure.

We have switched over to JetBlue (a dude I worked with loved them) for our April sojourn to Ft Lauderdale. This one is cheaper than WN & has better times, & is non-stop direct. That's worth the 1-hour drive to Boston.

It's always good to have choices.

Steve

Do remember, people, that an added advantage to WN's Early Bird plan is you do not have to print the boarding pass at exactly 24 hours before departure.

We have switched over to JetBlue (a dude I worked with loved them) for our April sojourn to Ft Lauderdale. This one is cheaper than WN & has better times, & is non-stop direct. That's worth the 1-hour drive to Boston.

It's always good to have choices.

Steve

I don't have to print my boarding pass ahead of time at all when I fly Delta ;-)

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I don't have to print my boarding pass ahead of time at all when I fly Delta ;-)

 

 

 

 

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Nor do I on US Airways. If I don't have a chance in advance they are more than happy to print it at the counter or I can do it from a kiosk. I type in my seven digit FF #, hit a couple buttons in the screen and done. Takes under a minute.

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

I don't have to print my boarding pass ahead of time at all when I fly Delta ;-)

 

 

 

 

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Nope, I've never once had a bad seat on American as a result of not being at my computer or iPhone exactly 24 hours ahead :)

Don't have to print boarding passes exactly 24 hours before departure with Southwest either, just check in as close to that as possible :D.

As with all things travel-related, comparison shopping is key. Is Southwest the better deal when comparing the charges for early bird check-in and free baggage vs. the fare from other airlines plus their fees. Sometimes Southwest is cheaper, sometimes it is not. Sometimes price is not the deciding factor but convenience, flight times, or other items are bigger factors.