Emirates will begin charging an advance seat selection fee ahead of its standard two-day check-in window for some of its Economy fares starting from October 3, the Middle East’s biggest airline has said.
The seat selection charge, which start at Dh50 for short-haul flights, will see children below a certain age exempt from the fee structure, while older ones will be eligible to a 50 per cent discount on the additional fee.
For medium haul flights, which includes the likes of South Africa, China, Hong Kong, Thailand and the United Kingdom, the fee rises to Dh100 for adults and Dh50 per child.
For long haul flights, to the likes of Australia, the United States and Brazil, the fee is Dh150 per adult and Dh75 per child.
There are also fees ranging between Dh50 and Dh100 for adults for flights between countries other than the UAE, with a 50 per cent discount for children.
For years, budget airlines have charged for extra services such as on-board food and drinks, in-flight entertainment, baggage fees and other services.
According to Emirates, the main differences between the fare types are the changes that could be made to a ticket, the number of Skywards Miles one can earn and the upgrade options available.
The Special fare is the airline’s lowest fare, with some restrictions that apply, while the Saver fare is slightly more flexible than a Special fare.
