Aircraft

Virgin America will charge more for extra legroom on all flights starting in mid October.

Existing bulkhead and exit row seats will cost between $50 and $100 more than standard cabin seats, depending on the route and flight, an airline spokeswoman explains.

Bulkhead and exit row seats have 38 inches of pitch while standard main cabin seats have 32 inches of pitch. The price of Main Cabin Select also includes complimentary food, cocktails and beverages and an all-access pass to the in-flight entertainment system’s on-demand entertainment options. Dedicated overhead bin space for luggage is also included in the package.

Virgin America CEO Fred Reid talks about the interior of an A320

The Airbus operator is not the first carrier to sell extra legroom.

JetBlue Airways began charging for additional legroom on all A320 flights on 1 April-a move that is expected to generate $40 million in incremental revenue in 2008, JetBlue CEO Dave Barger said during an April investors call.

Unlike JetBlue, Virgin America’s offering of extra legroom does not entail aircraft reconfigurations.

Source: flightglobal.com's sister premium news site Air Transport Intelligence news