NEW DELHI: Making the long overseas journey in the cramped economy class a little less painful by opting for a seat with extra legroom is going to cost a lot this summer. Several foreign airlines are giving budget flyers the options of pre-booking extra legroom seats for anywhere up to Rs 5,500 on their flights, including to and from India.
Or else, the flyer can take whatever seats are left unbooked a few hours before departure time or while checking-in at the airport. “Some international airlines have recently started levying these steep fees on India flights too,” said Anil Kalsi, a leading Delhi-based travel agent.
For instance, Lufthansa offers its economy class passengers the option to book seats with extra legroom on the popular Delhi-Frankfurt sector for up to Rs 5,500.`Standard’ seats (with regular legroom) can be booked for Rs 1,950 apiece if a family wants to ensure they travel seated next to each other.
” KLM offers its extra legroom and double recline seats in coach class for pre-booking for up to Rs 5,079. The exit row extra legroom seats can be booked for Rs 3,628.And `preferred’ seats to ensure a group is seated together can be booked for Rs 2,177 apiece. Air France-KLM press office said, “For seats that are not pre-sold, passengers have an option to buy them during check-in at the airport….”
Singapore Airlines charges $40 for its India flights to book “preferred seats” that have with more legroom in economy class. “With preferred seat selection, you have the additional option for selecting and guaranteeing these seats for your booking in economy class,” the airline website says. SIA charges for pre-booking preferred seats in economy range from $20 to $100, with the highest charge for flights between Singapore and US, Brazil.
Etihad currently offers emergency exit row seats for economy class passengers at a fee ranging from $15-$150 for each seat depending on the route, said an Etihad spokesman. US carrier United, which flies nonstop to India, gives economy class flyers to buy its “economy plus” with extra legroom for a flight or a full year.
Travel agents say the trend of airlines hiking charges for pre-booking seats has caught on in recent days.
