Agent Diary: Airlines - please stop the scourge of drip pricing

When budget airlines emerged, they broke down flights to a basic ‘bum on seat’ policy, giving the illusion of a cheaper price, but then there are the add-on fees. 

Picking seats can cost anything from £4 to £35. Passengers walk towards that dreaded baggage cage at departure, wondering if another £30 or more will be demanded. Add on a cuppa or snack and your £50 flight is £150. 

Writing airline tickets 20 years ago seemed arduous but that was it, done. You were travelling, so of course you needed a seat, luggage and refreshments. You even got a sweet on take-off to assist with the change in altitude. There was no drip pricing.

We’ve moved with the times, but my biggest gripe is business class now having similar principles. I won’t mention specific airlines, and I know some still give free seat allocation at time of booking. But clients pay for comfortable travel so why should they have to pay extra to know their seat? It was £137 per sector on some flights recently.

 

Musical chairs

In the past six months, I’ve travelled business class on eight long-haul flights. On one long-haul flight, I was with a group of six who had paid about £2,300 per person more than economy for the privilege of business class. I didn’t care about being seated together, but they did. No one felt it necessary to pay another £426 each to prebook an actual seat on the four sectors. 

In fact, most clients are taken aback to find that, after upgrading, they are advised to pay for the luxury of an actual seat number.

We checked in 48 hours before departure to find we were dotted all over the business-class cabin. The group waited patiently until they boarded to see if they could move around to be with fellow travellers. I wish I’d filmed the scene. A honeymoon couple were seated four rows apart and beside two of my group. They swapped and sorted that. A family of three were separated, so another move sorted that, and eventually everyone could sit back and sip champagne, knowing the next flight could potentially have the same drama.

It was evident most travellers weren’t prepared to pay extra for their seat. I felt sorry for the lovely crew, trying to be professional and calling everyone in the checked-in allotted seats the wrong names. 

As the flight settled, the journey mellowed into the ambience that all expected from business class.

I understand someone travelling alone doesn’t really mind, but if they end up in the cosy part in the middle that a couple or family could enjoy, it doesn’t make sense.

 

A plea to airlines

Is there any chance that, at least in business class, airlines bring back free allocated seating at the time of booking? 

If they stripped the fare to remove it, can they please put it back. It would save us embarrassing conversations during booking and mean we would no longer need to waste valuable time explaining online price inclusions.

Drip pricing is becoming an unnecessary, time-consuming exercise that irritates agents and clients alike.

 

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Thank you for your votes

 

On a different note, a huge thank you goes to the suppliers who voted for Thompson Travel International as a finalist for the Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards on July 10. Taking place at Park Plaza London Westminster Bridge hotel, they are the most prestigious celebration of our travel trade.

We are on the shortlist for one of the regional awards, for the Scotland and Northern Ireland – Small Agency category.

It is lovely to be up there with the crème de la crème of our industry. 

Congratulations to all the lucky winners and thank you to all the organisers and sponsors.