Ren Min Ri Bao·2026-01-20 01:04Core Viewpoint - The practice of charging for seat selection in airlines is seen as a method to increase revenue by locking premium seats, which raises concerns about consumer rights and fair trading [1] Group 1: General Findings - The survey conducted by Jiangsu Consumer Protection Committee revealed that all 10 selected domestic airlines have implemented seat locking practices, with no airline fully opening all economy class seats [2] - The average seat locking rate across the surveyed routes is 38.7%, with some airlines like Spring Airlines and Shenzhen Airlines exceeding 60% and 50% respectively [2] Group 2: Payment for Unlocking Seats - Many airlines require consumers to use miles or membership points to unlock preferred seats, with specific examples showing that certain seats can require up to 2000 points for unlocking [3] - Some airlines have introduced additional paid options for purchasing points or miles, further pushing consumers towards paid unlocking methods [3] Group 3: Lack of Transparency - Airlines provided vague explanations for seat locking, citing reasons such as reserving seats for special passengers or maintaining flight balance, which do not align with the high locking rates observed [4][5] - Customer service responses were often unclear, failing to provide solid justifications for the locking practices [5] Group 4: Unfair Terms - The seat selection agreements of the airlines contain unfair terms, lacking clear communication about locking rules and fees, which may infringe on consumer rights [6] - Airlines are currently evaluating their policies to balance revenue optimization with consumer rights and improve transparency in seat selection information [6]