Plane seats aren’t very comfortable. You can buy more leg room, or upgrade to first class, but what you can’t usually choose as an add-on is the thing we all really want: to sit next to an empty chair. For Virgin Australia customers, however, that could soon become a real option – but only at a price.
The Brisbane-based airline has announced that it is trialling a brand new system where customers will be able to bid on seats with no neighbours. The minimum entry is $30 AUD (around €17), but you can pledge as much as you want to in order to ensure your flight is undisturbed.
Virgin Australia says that according in a 2023 customer survey, 42 per cent of customers reported that they’d be willing to pay extra for the space, although it will take some time to see whether those numbers translate into extra bidders in real life.
Bids on empty seats start at $30 AUD
Obviously, as with any auction, there’s a chance you will be outbid, but if this is the case you will get your money back. You’ll find out two hours before takeoff if you’ve been lucky, and winning the bidding war only ensures the seat directly next to you will remain empty, it doesn’t entitle you to any extra baggage.
You won’t be able to access the scheme if you’re in Business Class; you’ve got enough space already.
The scheme is currently only operational on select domestic routes including between Melbourne and Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney and Sydney and Perth. If it’s a success on these trial flights, it will be rolled out more widely, including on international journeys.
Some other airlines, such as Lufthansa and Air France, offer customers the chance to buy the empty seats next to them, but no one has put them under the hammer before. This system could end up saving customers hundreds of dollars, as purchasing the extra seat tends to be pretty expensive. A representative for Virgin Australia said that this is ‘a clever add-on for Economy travellers who want the certainty of extra space without the price tag’.
‘Our priority is to give Virgin Australia guests even more value and choice when they choose to fly with us.’
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