Seat reservations on airplanes are now a common practice, allowing passengers to select and reserve their preferred seat in advance. Although this practice can be inconvenient for some passengers, it has many benefits for the passengers and the airlines.

One of the main advantages of reserved seat is that passengers can select and reserve their preferred seats. This gives them a sense of control and comfort, knowing they have the space they want and won't be forced into unwanted seats or awkward places at the last minute. For example, passengers can choose whether they prefer aisle or window seating, depending on their personal preferences.

Seat reservation is particularly useful for families with children or groups of travellers. You can make sure they sit next to each other, which is especially important when traveling with young children or the elderly. Seat reservation can also be useful for business travelers, as they usually have a preferred seat that allows them to be productive and focus on their work.

Big money for airlines

For airlines, seat reservation can also help increase passenger efficiency and comfort. For example, passengers can specify their meals or special requirements such as allergies or mobility needs in advance, saving the airline time and resources and improving passenger service.

The amount of money airlines make from seat reservations varies by airline and the type of reservation system they use. Some airlines offer seat reservations for free, while others charge a fee.

Seat reservation fees may vary by route, seat type, time of reservation and airline. Some airlines also offer various options and packages, such as more legroom or preferred seat selection at an additional cost. According to a 2019 study by IdeaWorksCompany and CarTrawler, airlines worldwide have generated approximately $28,1 billion in ancillary revenue, including seat reservation revenue. However, in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting travel restrictions, airlines have suffered significant losses and have had to adjust their business models. Some airlines have temporarily suspended their seat reservation fees to attract passengers.

Overall, it's difficult to give an exact figure of how much money airlines make from reserved seats. Revenue depends on various factors, and airlines can adjust their fees and packages based on market trends and competition.

If you don't like it, you have to pay extra

However, there are also some downsides to reserved seats. Airlines need to be able to manage the reservation system and ensure all passengers get their preferred seats. This can cause problems when there are double bookings or technical difficulties. Also, if passengers want to change their reservation, it may result in charges and inconvenience.

There is also a completely different factor: More and more airlines have adapted their reservation systems so that passengers booked together can be specifically dealt with. Some providers have even cleverly designed this so that travelers are "randomly" seated in such a way that no adjacent seat is free. As a result, if a couple wants to sit next to each other, for example, they have to pay extra for both seats. Depending on the provider, this can be really expensive and sometimes even more expensive than the pure transport fee, especially with low-cost airlines.

While so-called legacy carriers have in the past mostly enabled the free selection of desired seats at check-in, a trend towards monetization is also evident here. At least in the cheapest fare classes, the Lufthansa Group has been assigning seats automatically for some time and charges at least 25 euros per person and route if this is to be changed. The practice is certainly causing criticism, because especially since 2022, the average ticket prices on many short and medium-haul connections have been raised, some of them sharply. Unsurprisingly, on routes where there is at least one competitor, increases fall lower than on those where there is a monopoly.

Budget airlines put pressure on passengers to buy

However, the competition from the cheap segment goes a step further. For example, Wizz Air and Ryanair also rely on "scaremongering", because during the booking and check-in process and sometimes also in e-mails that are sent before departure, it is suggested that sitting together without extra payment is not allowed be guaranteed or the unwelcome middle seat flourishes. The sole purpose of this is to get travelers to reserve a seat for a fee. These are also lured by the fact that the web check-in can then be carried out much earlier.

Observations made by Aviation.Direct over a number of years show that these two carriers are particularly fond of targeting passengers. The "random" allocation of seats begins with the middle seats, which are unpopular with many travellers. Since many passengers think that they should check in online as soon as possible in order not to run the risk of a fine at the counter, these are quickly taken. Only at the very end are popular rows such as the very front or the exit rows "distributed" free of charge. Of course, this assumes that these have not previously been sold for a fee. However, since the carriers want you to pay, you can simply find out whether they are still available and then complete the web check-in shortly before the check-in closes, giving you a very good chance of “good seats ' without having to pay a cent extra. Of course, the low-cost airlines remain silent about this practice, because the income generated from seat reservations must be considerable. No one wants to communicate exact figures, but it is quite common, especially with Ryanair and Wizz Air, that seat reservations in row 1 or in the exit rows can be more expensive than the pure air fare.

Overall, seat reservation on airplanes offers many benefits for passengers and airlines. For airlines, however, the "money-making" factor is increasingly in focus. Passengers can improve their comfort and productivity while traveling, while airlines can improve efficiency and service. However, it is important that passengers carefully review reservation details and airlines ensure their systems are working properly to ensure a smooth and enjoyable travel experience for everyone. Travelers should also think carefully about whether it is worth putting extra money on the table, because all seats arrive and sometimes you can swap seats with other passengers on board and then still sit together.