EasyJet chief executive Carolyn McCall insists the airline will only go ahead with allocated seating if it does not impact its turn around times.
 
The low-cost airline began a trial of allocated seating on selected routes in 24 April on some of its longer services, initially including Luton flights to Sharm el Sheikh, Malaga, Alicante and Istanbul. Passengers are able to reserve specific seats for between £3-12, or assigned a seat for free if they do not specify a particular seat.

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 AB LCC interactive 2012
 Watch the Carolyn McCall interview here
In a video interview in the Airline Business low-cost carrier interactive special, McCall says the rationale for the move is to ease the boarding process. “The reason we are trialling it is we know that our boarding process is confusing to some and stressful to some and we are trying to make travel easy. So in the quest to make it easy, we feel this might be an easier way to board.,” she says.
 
“We know passengers will like it, we know there might be some revenue in it. [But] if we don’t think we can get it right operationally we won’t do it,” she adds. “We are doing it in a very EasyJet way, so we will not compromise the operation - that is what the trial is about - and we don’t intend to layer in any cost whatsoever.”

The trial will run across the summer before EasyJet makes a decision on whether to roll out allocated seating further. 
 
Watch the full video interview and reach more on how low-cost carriers are continuing push and evolve the business model here. 
 
Read our recent cover interview with Carolyn McCall to find out more about how vision for EasyJet.

Source: Airline Business

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