Paying for Exit Row Seats in PE (update)

Following comments made over the weekend by several members on my Boston trip report regarding having to pay for exit row seats in PE I can now confirm this is correct n(

I've just spoken to a very helpful man in Premier who said that the charges were introduced a few weeks ago roughly the same time as the new extra leg room seats in Economy were extended to the LHR fleet.


-Steve

[Nottingham Nick]

I suppose we should be used to them grabbing every possible penny by now, but it still grates. n( n( Especially as other airlines seem to waive these types of charges for Gold card holders.

Thanks for the update Steve. y)

Nick

Boo - perhaps that is why they didn't honour my request for an exit row when I flew back from SFO last week (they were clearly available at the time)...

Crispin

It's the first I've seen or heard of charging for exit row seats in PE.

[Neil]

Not a good move I don't think. An exit row in Y offers significantly more leg room than a standard, quite cramped economy seat, but this isn't the case in PE. You are already paying quite a lot more for the PE seat, so to then be expected to pay more for an exit row doesn't really make sense from a paying pax point of view.

It will be interesting to see how many people actually want to pay, as if on a full flight there aren't enough people willing to do so, it would mean that some pax would be put in them free of charge, which would be very annoying for those who have paid.

Neil

This is outrageous if accurate - I'll get on to the office and find out if true and how it's applied.

Just think, a W fare to JFK is currently over two thousand pounds and they want more to sit in the first row. Unbelievable.

There is clearly a perception that the exit rows are somehow "better", otherwise there wouldn't be this debate. In which case any company seeking to make profit would look to exploit the value of these seats. Whether they should be doing so by offering them as a perk to members with status or by charging for them is a different question.

Paul

Not a good move I don't think. An exit row in Y offers significantly more leg room than a standard, quite cramped economy seat, but this isn't the case in PE. You are already paying quite a lot more for the PE seat, so to then be expected to pay more for an exit row doesn't really make sense from a paying pax point of view.

Neil

Very good point Neil, in hindsight I was probably foolish in paying for it in the first place.

This is outrageous if accurate - I'll get on to the office and find out if true and how it's applied.

I've just dug the receipt out and it clearly says £50 for Exit row seat 28A. I'll be very interested in the answer that your office is given.

-Steve

Just to echo what everyone else has said I'm shocked at this. I'm flying tomorrow so will let you know what they say. Looks like it's back to leaving the boarding pass at the clubhouse and asking them to see what they can do when the flight has closed. !

It will be interesting to see how many people actually want to pay,
Neil

Certainly won't be me. This is scandalous n( :0

Ok just flew PE JFK LHR exit row seats were not being charged for. I once remember someone at check in telling me that they did and I said that they only charged in Y, she phoned someone and realised the mistake. Is it possible something similar happened here?

Ok just flew PE JFK LHR exit row seats were not being charged for. I once remember someone at check in telling me that they did and I said that they only charged in Y, she phoned someone and realised the mistake. Is it possible something similar happened here?

I asked the folk in Crawley and the answer has also come back as negative. I suspect, like you, this was a mix up.

[Neil]

Thanks for the info, I certainly hope that it was a mix up and fingers crossed the latest news seems to suggest it was.

Which means I'm entitled to a refund if that's the case v(

Still doesn't explain why the man fron Premier told me that it was a new charge which was introduced last month. I'll shall be on the phone in the morning

-Steve

You should Stevie, it sounds like someone at the counter didn't know what they were doing!

Received a written letter from customer services at Crawley yesterday explaining that I was correctly charged for the exit row seats in PE (only applies on the 747) and that this new charge was introduced in May.

All I can say is that the communication at VS is #### (naughty word B) ) as whilst speaking to the Premier Team yesterday I mentioned my letter and the lady new nothing about the new charge. She even put me on hold and went to ask a manager who in her words said "I had heard something" ?| . Finally she rang Heathrow and spoke to the manager on duty who confirmed that they are charging for row 28 in PE.

-Steve

So it's only genuine exit seats that are chargeable, unlike row 18 on the A340 which is just a bulkhead with no door?

[Nottingham Nick]

Thanks for the update, Steve. y)

I would love to be able to say that the appalling lack of communication and consistency of service surprises me... but when you have a company apparently bereft of strong management, it has become the norm.

Right hand, let me introduce left hand - you should have a meeting, and get to know each other some time. :w n(

Nick

Right hand, let me introduce left hand - you should have a meeting, and get to know each other some time. :w n(

Nick

Don't forget their colleagues - ar*e and elbow !

I've only ever flown to Orlando from either Gatwick or Manchester, but to get the exit seat they always check that I'm 'fit and able' to sit in the exit row - and say I would be expeted to help should a problem arise.
Does this now mean they expect you to pay to help if there is a problem, or they are dong away with the 'fit and able' proviso?

[Nottingham Nick]

The 'fit and able' criteria and the willingness to open the door in the Case of emergency is a CAA regulation, soVS can't ignore it.

Nick

I flew from LHR to IAD on Sunday and was seated in PE, Row 18. We were not charged any exit row fee with this tickets.

I flew from LHR to IAD on Sunday and was seated in PE, Row 18. We were not charged any exit row fee with this tickets.

Row 18 is a bulkhead row, not an exit.

A previous poster, clarkeysntfc, had asked this question

really this is nonsense, talk about desperation