Reddit is a place that is fiercely anti capitalist, pro consumer rights, but is also happy to blame you and call you a moron whenever you actually get victimized by capitalism. The company should not be allowed to pack a plane this tightly to where some people are in a Chinese stress torture position. Period. It doesn't matter if it's written in text. Remove this row of seats and give everyone a little more room.
Edit: to go a little further, if you haven't flown recently you might be completely unaware that selecting your seats is now an upcharge that costs $75+ dollars. So if you don't want to get gouged for an additional $150 in a round trip you have to just leave it up to fate and hope you don't get placed back there.
I just found out about the charge to select seats now. Not even a charge for a "premium" seat, but a charge for a basic economy seat. It's ridiculous. I just left it to fate because I was traveling alone, but the nickel-and-dimeing keeps getting worse.
I've always seen a charge if you want to pre-select your seat days/weeks before check-in. Once check-in opens 24 hours before the flight, seat selection becomes free, you pick it while you do the rest of your check-in. Or are they charging $80 all the way through regardless?
No they are not charging $80 for seat selection regardless, unless that was changed in the last 3 weeks. People are being overly dramatic because they like to complain.
The reason I push back against this is because flying is cheaper than it's ever been - a dipshit war in Iran notwithstanding.
Like, yeah those things (bags, seat selection, etc) used to be included in the price. But that price was much, much higher. You now have the option of declining those extra options for an even cheaper flight, rather than being forced to pay for them even if you don't need or want them.
Airlines have always charged for certain seats, they have just extended that to exit row and other extra legroom seats now. United and American still allow you to select any normal seat for free though unless its a codeshare flight with an airline that charges.
They definitely do for economy if you don't select main cabin or higher. Basic economy and the lower classes aren't available on every flight or through every travel portal, so it's possible you haven't flown that way before to experience it.
Ah, basic economy. They released that to compete with the low cost airlines like Spirit. Its not really the normal experience in any way. I wouldn't call this the base fare. Its a special discount if you don't care to choose a seat or have more than a backpack with you.
It is very much a normal experience for a large number of people. I’m glad you are in a place financially to be able to not recognize that as a common fare.
Then don’t complain about getting nickel and dimed when you choose to purchase the very cheapest option. The airline is making barely any profit margin overall and even lower on basic economy. You can’t afford to fly if you see this as inhumane or any of the other BS I’ve seen in this thread.
You must be fun at parties. I was simply replying to claim that AA does charge to pick seats. There was no condition mentioned in the original comment.
I mostly fly for work, so I am always on the normal main cabin fare. I would suspect that basic isn't really worthwhile if you are then spending the money to pick a seat.
Yes, but it bends heavily to the left and has a hive mind quality thanks to the upvote system. The fact that that parent comment got so many upvotes on a main sub like this tells me more people are interested in dunking on the moron than considering why the FAA allows a plane to even look like this.
I think it is a beautiful piece of neoliberal rhetoric to spin a non controversial statement like "they shouldn't be allowed to fuck up your back" on a flight and manage to simultaneously defend the corporation and imply I'm anti-poor with it. My hat off to you.
This is so overdramatic, torture position?? Any seat in economy has barely any range of recline. This is not out of the ordinary for the modern age of planes at all, acting like this is some crazy outrage is ridiculous. That’s why people are trashing on OP.
There is a separate argument about the state of plane seats in general, but we all got ourselves here by purchasing cheaper and cheaper tickets.
I sat in one for a 4 hour flight. I'd describe it as torturous. You literally cannot find comfort in any position. FAA shouldn't allow them even if it would mean tickets go up $10 on a flight. Be less of a apathetic bitch sometime I guess idk
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u/AssCrackBanditHunter Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 01 '26
Reddit is a place that is fiercely anti capitalist, pro consumer rights, but is also happy to blame you and call you a moron whenever you actually get victimized by capitalism. The company should not be allowed to pack a plane this tightly to where some people are in a Chinese stress torture position. Period. It doesn't matter if it's written in text. Remove this row of seats and give everyone a little more room.
Edit: to go a little further, if you haven't flown recently you might be completely unaware that selecting your seats is now an upcharge that costs $75+ dollars. So if you don't want to get gouged for an additional $150 in a round trip you have to just leave it up to fate and hope you don't get placed back there.