Tall people get screwed again

JV · #1 03-14-2006, 10:13 PM

Not only do we have a hard time buying clothes off the rack and riding roller coasters, now we're gettin' taxed for being tall on yet another airline!!!!

Northwest to Charge Extra for Choice Seats

EAGAN, Minn. - For an extra $15, Northwest Airlines Corp. will sell coach passengers a few more inches of legroom.

Starting Tuesday, Northwest will ask passengers on most domestic flights if they're interested in paying extra for certain prime seats in coach — exit-row seats or aisle seats near the front of the cabin.

The "Coach Choice" program will involve about 5 percent of seats on Northwest's domestic flights.

Northwest's exit-row seats can have 10 to 13 inches of extra leg room. And many air travelers prefer the convenience and extra elbow room of aisle seats to center and window seats.

Jim Cron, vice president of passenger marketing and sales, said Northwest is trying to give more flexibility to passengers who book late. They're often the travelers who pay full fare, but often find that the only seats left are middle seats in the back of the plane because leisure travelers who booked early reserved the best seats.

Northwest, the nation's fourth-largest airline, has been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since September. Cron acknowledged the carrier is scouting ways to increase revenue but declined to estimate how much the $15 fee might generate.

UAL Corp.'s United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Airways, a unit of Virgin Group Ltd., already assess a premium for certain desirable coach seats.

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hoop · #2 03-14-2006, 10:33 PM

Wow - does that ever suck!!! Being 6'6" I always check which seats will give me the extra room, but now they're trying to charge us for them?!?!?! LAME!

--hoop

lanbrown · #3 03-14-2006, 11:07 PM

If they could get away with it, they would sell the lavatory seat.

Thunder22 · #4 03-14-2006, 11:15 PM

Just another reason to stick with American...

JCL · #5 03-14-2006, 11:35 PM

American, lol. Spent too many years commuting to Santiago through DFW to ever want to fly AA again.

Stick with one airline, build the points account, and always fly up front (my solution for being 6'4")

Juanted · #6 03-14-2006, 11:56 PM

that does suck, JV... I'm only 5' 11" so I don't have those issues... but I feel for you, bro.

Juan

B&DCalgary · #7 03-15-2006, 12:06 AM

I'd gladly pay a bit extra for some extra leg room; $15-25 is nothing. I flew 9 hours to and from Heathrow last week and by the time we deplaned my feet had swollen to the point I almost couldn't get my shoes back on (that's the last time I'll ever wear Italian slip-ons on an intercontinental flight). Having the extra room to stretch my legs would have been worth paying extra for (short of being raped to sit in business or first class).

On an auto note, I sure saw a lot of German iron on the streets in London. It seemed every second car was a BMW or Merc, and I could count the number of Japanese vehicles I saw on one hand. Saw three American cars too; two Jeep Liberties and one Dodge Caravan believe it or not.

fln8tive · #8 03-15-2006, 12:29 AM

If you're ever in the exit row and they have to do an emergency evacuation and the attendant is freaking out about getting the emergency lever turned, just tell them you'll handle it...for fifteen bucks.

Bavarian · #9 03-15-2006, 12:36 AM

I'm 6' 1", but my legs are large, and I usually cannot sit with my knees pointed forward without them rubbing the seat in front.

I would readily pay up to $50, to get more legroom.

Thunder22 · #10 03-15-2006, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCL

American, lol. Spent too many years commuting to Santiago through DFW to ever want to fly AA again.

Stick with one airline, build the points account, and always fly up front (my solution for being 6'4")

I flew AA so much I used to know the schedule from NY to LA and NY to Heathrow by heart...

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