Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the introduction of a draft standard for flight seat reservation rules by the China Air Transport Association, aimed at regulating seat reservation practices among airlines and enhancing passenger choice [1][2]. Group 1: Draft Standard Overview - The draft standard covers domestic, international, and regional flights, systematically regulating the types, scope, proportion, and information disclosure of economy class seat reservations [1]. - Airlines are required to categorize economy class seats into "free selectable seats" and "reserved seats" [1][3]. Group 2: Seat Reservation Regulations - The draft specifies that the release time for reserved seats must be clearly defined to prevent last-minute releases [1]. - Airlines must prominently inform passengers about the range of free and reserved seats, standards for points/mileage redemption, paid seat selection prices (for international and regional flights only), and the release time for reserved seats during online booking and check-in [1]. - Seat maps must use clear icons to distinguish between "free selectable," "member selectable," "online not selectable," and "already selected" categories to avoid ambiguity and misleading information [1]. Group 3: Seat Allocation Requirements - Operationally necessary reserved seats must be based on safety and service needs, including seats for safety personnel, emergency exit restrictions, and special passengers (e.g., wheelchair users, stretchers, unaccompanied minors) [3]. - Value-added service reserved seats are divided into entitlement-based reservations (points/mileage redemption) and paid reservations (limited to international and regional flights), with a clear stipulation that cash seat selection services are not permitted for domestic flights [3]. - The minimum proportion of free selectable seats must be at least 70% for domestic flights and no less than 65% for international and regional flights [3].

Core Viewpoint - The China Air Transport Association is organizing airlines to establish a group standard for "reserved seat rules" to regulate the practice of locking seats on flights, aiming to clarify the types, scope, proportions of reserved seats, and passenger information notification requirements, with plans to solicit public opinions soon [2] Group 1: Industry Practices - A survey by the Jiangsu Consumer Protection Commission revealed that the average locking seat ratio for economy class among 10 major airlines was 38.7%, with some airlines exceeding 60% [2] - The locked seats, often preferred ones like window and aisle seats, typically require consumers to pay extra or use points for selection, which has been criticized as a form of disguised secondary charging by airlines [2] - Airlines often justify the locking of seats with vague reasons such as "load balancing" and "system defaults," which have been deemed excessive compared to the reasonable needs for ensuring aircraft load balance or emergency evacuation [2] Group 2: Consumer Rights and Transparency - The Jiangsu Consumer Protection Commission pointed out that the rules regarding seat locking lack transparency, as the ticket purchasing pages do not clearly indicate which seats require additional fees, the fee standards, and the basis for seat locking [2] - Consumers typically discover that their desired seats are unavailable only during the seat selection phase, which infringes upon their rights to be informed and to choose [2] - Commentary suggests that while airlines pursuing economic benefits is understandable, any innovation in business models must adhere to legal boundaries, as separating basic services that should be included in ticket prices into additional charges effectively deprives consumer rights [2]