Qantas’ new exit-row seating policy – an extra charge that actually makes sense

$160 bucks extremely well spent ©

Qantas' customer service is far from perfect. Yet, in the matter of Qantas’ new ‘charging for exit row seats’ policy, we feel compelled to come to the airline’s defense. In essence, the new policy slugs travelers $80 for one way international economy exit row seats for short haul trips (Australia to Asia, Asia to Europe), and $160 for one way on longer haul flights (Australia to Europe, the Americas or Africa); apparently, same-flight stopovers on the way to such destinations won’t count as separate trips in the exit row. Meaning, for example, it’d still only be $160 to fly one way in the exit row from Sydney to London, even though the flight stops in Bangkok on the way).

Oz air passengers are, reportedly, outraged at having to pay for something that, they say, they used to get for free.

But did they?

When was the last time you asked for the exit row on a Qantas international economy flight and actually got it?

When was the last time you got it twice in a row?

If you did get it, even once, do you actually, honestly, really know why?

Was it how early you checked in? How late? How tall you were? How overweight? How pregnant? Your frequent flyer status?

The answer is you don’t know. No-one does. Because Qantas, like most other major airlines (many of whom have recently introduced similar ‘pay for economy exit row seats’ policies), have never been truly transparent about the basis on which they give their international economy exit row seats out.

It’s never fun to be charged an extra fee by an airline. But at least now, the policy is reasonably clear and we’re all on a level playing field: first person/people in to request exit row seats and be prepared to pay for them, gets them. (We may have to eat our words if it turns out people on higher frequent flyer status are getting them even if they weren’t first to book and pay, but for now, we’ll give Qantas the benefit of the doubt).

Neither does the charge itself – again, $80 for one-way on short haul; $160 for one way on long haul - seem so steep. Even if you’re paying full fare economy – around $2500 for Qantas’ most flown routes, like Sydney-L.A. or Sydney-London – another $160 one way to stretch your legs right out seems a decent deal. And when, as at the moment, economy fares on such routes can be had for absurdly low prices – as little as around $1200 return to L.A., $1900 to London – the extra fee for all that extra comfort seems a steal.

Everyone who used to score exit row seats for whatever verkakte reason they think they may have gotten them – their beyond-platinum frequent flyer status, Harlem Globetrotter-esque stature, morbid obesity, earlybird-osity, advanced impregnation, gross tardiness – can still get them. At least this way, Qantas has taken the guesswork and randomness out of the equation.

One last thing. If you do get the chance to pay the extra for exit row seats, grab it. Earlier this year, I did similarly, paying a little more to fly ‘economy plus’ domestically across the U.S. How much better was it? Put it this way - I actually enjoyed myself travelling United Airlines…

UPDATE: further to our note above about 'having to eat our words' if it turned out people were getting favourable access to international economy class exit row seats based on frequent flyer status -- it transpires that the seats are, indeed, dispensed according to points status: according to Qantas' website, platinum, gold and silver frequent flyers can book their request for exit row seats at any time from when they make their flight booking up until 3 hours before the flight. Bronze and non-frequent flyers can only request bookings of exit row seats within 7 days of the flight (again, up to 3 hours before the flight). Meaning, in practice, it's higher status frequent flyers with the better chance of securing the exit row seats. Still, at least the airline's upfront about it, which is really what we were worried about.