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Freedom of choice
Why is Coach Choice a good thing for travelers and the airline industry?
For years, I have heard travelers and writers chastise the airline industry for poor management and too narrow a range of choices for consumers. When one airline finally steps up to the plate with a revenue-generating idea that also increases choice, you would think pundits and consumers would applaud.
Quite the contrary.
Northwest Airline’s new test offering of selected Coach Choice seats at a $15 premium per flight has received less than rave reviews from the press and travel bloggers.
Before I explain why Coach Choice is good for the flying public, let’s get the facts straight.
As of March 14, approximately 5 percent of Northwest’s coach seats have been set aside for Coach Choice seat assignment.
Coach Choice seats are selected aisle and exit-row seats located at the front of the coach cabin.
Coach Choice seats can be confirmed from anywhere in the United States, but only within 24 hours of departure unless the traveler is a Northwest frequent flier (see next point).
Frequent fliers with “WorldPerks Elite” or “SkyTeam Elite” status can purchase Coach Choice seats within 36 hours of departure by using the Manage My Reservations tool on Northwest’s Web site, giving them a 12-hour head start on the general public.
Seats can be purchased online or at self-service check-in kiosks at the airport.
The price for a Coach Choice seat is $15 per flight; note that some routes involve more than one flight.
Why is Coach Choice a good thing for travelers and the airline industry?
For starters, it gives travelers a choice, and choice seems to be what Americans want. Look at the recent move in Congress to force cable television companies to offer free choice in channel selection. The scheme under current discussion would allow consumers to decide whether they really need ESPN and TV Land; if not, they wouldn’t have to pay for those channels. Conversely, if a consumer couldn’t live without “The Sopranos,” all he’d have to do is pay for HBO.
It’s called “a la carte pricing,” and it’s no different from what the world’s finest restaurants have been offering their discriminating customers for decades. Northwest’s Coach Choice brings “a la carte” to the skies.
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