the.com/seat selection
paying extra to control the one variable that most affects whether a stranger's elbow ruins your flight.
means an optional fee airlines charge to let you pick your seat in advance instead of getting assigned one at check-in.
from emerged as airlines unbundled fares in the 2000s-2010s, splitting a once-included service into an a-la-carte add-on to boost ancillary revenue.
revenue sourceancillary fees now generate billions annually for airlines
random assignmentskipping it risks a middle seat near the lavatory
loyalty perkelite status often waives the fee entirely
basic economyusually the fare tier that excludes it by default