Monarch has reported that 40% of its passengers are now choosing to pay to pre-allocate their seats before departure.
The low-cost airline began allowing passengers to pre-book seats in April 2005, at a cost of £5 per sector. Passengers are able to view a visual of the aircraft cabin when they make their booking.
The service was enhanced in November with the introduction of 48 extra legroom seats on scheduled flights, offering 34 inches of legroom, which can be pre-booked at a cost of £15 per flight or £20 for Canaries services.
Passengers choosing not to pre-book their seat are allocated a seat number at check in.
Managing director scheduled services, Tim Jeans, said over 800,000 seats have been allocated online since the option was introduced.
“This should be a clear indication to the industry that whilst free seating is the preferred boarding method adopted by many low cost carriers, it is not liked by an increasing number of passengers who prefer to select their own seat and upgrade to extra legroom before they board”.
Monarch operates scheduled flights to Spain, Gibraltar and Portugal from Aberdeen, Birmingham, Blackpool, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester.
Fares include complimentary daily newspapers, a hot towel service and no additional payment for checking-in baggage.
By Bev Fearis
