Lufthansa to charge for seat selection on economy light tickets
In a bid to increase revenue, Lufthansa has introduced an ‘amendment fee’ for passengers looking to change their seat assignment. Those traveling Economy Light, the base fare, will now be randomly allocated a seat and have to pay to change this. This is the same system as Ryanair and other low-cost European airlines, albeit with a much higher seat fee.
First spotted by One Mile At A Time, Lufthansa has a new seating policy that brings it far closer to its budget competitors. Starting June 21st, the German carrier will charge a €25/$35 fee for anyone looking to change their seats in Economy Light. Currently, seat selection is free during check-in, 23 hours before the flight, and paid at any time before that.
However, from Wednesday, Lufthansa will randomly allocate a seat to you during check-in, potentially leaving you in a middle seat on a short, medium, or even long-haul flight. The €50/$70 ‘amendment’ fee on roundtrip flights could be a huge factor for those choosing between full-service Lufthansa and low-cost airlines on shorter flights.
Notably, while Lufthansa has adopted the tactics of its competitors, the fees are drastically higher. For example, seat prices on Ryanair cost as little as €3 ($3.2) and rise to €14 ($15) for extra legroom options. At €25/$35, Lufthansa’s prices are outrageous on a short-hop across Europe and can only be argued for a long-haul service.
In reality, the differences between budget airlines and full-service ones keep reducing every day. Now, Lufthansa’s biggest short-haul advantage remains that it flies in and out of Europe’s biggest airports, which usually offer better connectivity and amenities. While frequent flyer and status miles are useful too, Economy Light fares usually only attract a percentage of the usual earnings.
Lufthansa points out that it includes one 8kg carry-on bag and snacks with its fare, two offerings that are chargeable in low-cost airlines. However, considering the usual fare difference between these airlines, passengers may be wise to see how much sense it is flying with a €25/$35 seat fee each way and no scope for refunds or changes.
However, the dynamic changes in medium- or long-haul flights, where the importance of padded seats and hot meals is much more. Even then, paying for every seat and piece of baggage may make other airlines seem more attractive.While Lufthansa uses the phrase “of course” while explaining the policy, the real reason behind the policy is obviously to boost revenues.
Given the tough two years it has had, the carrier now wants to take advantage of returning passengers and maximize the ancillary products it sells. Sadly for passengers, it seems like the only thing to do is take a hard look at which flight to take and brace for a middle seat.
