Nan Fang Du Shi Bao·2026-01-29 10:40Core Viewpoint - The China Air Transport Association has released a draft standard for public consultation regarding the reservation of seats on flights, aiming to regulate the classification and information disclosure of economy class seats by airlines [1][2]. Group 1: Seat Classification and Regulations - Airlines are required to categorize economy class seats into "free selectable seats" and "reserved seats" [2]. - Reserved seats are further divided into operationally necessary reserved seats (for safety and service needs) and value-added reserved seats (including reward points/miles redemption and paid reservations for international and regional flights) [2]. - Domestic flights must ensure that at least 70% of economy class seats are free selectable, while international and regional flights must have a minimum of 65% [2]. Group 2: Information Disclosure and Transparency - Airlines must clearly inform passengers about the categories of free and reserved seats, redemption standards, paid selection prices (for international and regional flights), and the release time of reserved seats [2]. - A clear seat map must be provided to distinguish between "free selectable," "member selectable," "not selectable online," and "selected seats" to avoid ambiguity and misleading information [2]. Group 3: Consumer Complaints and Industry Response - Several airlines have faced scrutiny for locking certain desirable seats, leading to consumer complaints about unfair practices [3]. - The Jiangsu Consumer Protection Committee has conducted investigations and engaged with multiple airlines regarding the locking of seats that should be part of standard services [3]. - Airlines such as 吉祥航空 and 四川航空 have acknowledged the issues and are undertaking internal evaluations and corrective actions in response to the consumer protection committee's findings [3].