People's desire to sit with family or in a particular part of the plane has, increasingly, become an additional stream of profit for many airlines.
While once more accessible to all passengers, seat selection is something that is now advertised as a perk of higher traveler classes while most airlines will charge for economy passengers' ability to choose a particular seat before check-in opens to the general public 24 hours before the flight.
Related: A low-cost airline launched an option for those who hate middle seats
For those who go to choose a seat and find that the desired one is not available, United Airlines (UAL) is rolling out a new feature in which one can get notified if something better opens up — quite often, passengers who picked one seat will switch it closer to the flight or not show up entirely.
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You can now get notified if a better seat opens up
As first reported by airline website the Points Guy, the feature has become available in United's mobile app for some travelers as of March 22 and will eventually be expanded to almost all flights. When choosing a particular seat, passengers will get a pop-up asking them if they would like to be notified if a better option becomes available — this is currently being tested on particularly full flights in which only a few middle and back-of-plane seats are left after travelers with access to early seat selection have had their pick.
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The passengers will then be able to go back into the app and switch their seats (unless, of course, someone got there earlier and snagged it before them.) One will also be able to set up the notifications to only be alerted for aisle or window seats or select a specific part of the plane in which one is looking for a seat.
"As part of the news, United becomes the first and only U.S. airline to offer a seat preference feature," writes The Points Guy's Zach Griff. "For those booking tickets on other airlines, there are several third-party tools that can monitor your seat assignment and notify you if better seats become available."
Here is how United (and other airlines) are trying to drive flyers to their apps
While it targets only a small moment of the flying experience that not all passengers care equally about, such updates are part of a larger push for United and other airlines to bring more people to their apps.
Alaska Airlines (ALK) recently launched a $5 subscription service that gives members early access to ticket sales and other promotions through the airline's mobile app while in June 2023 United also updated its app to make it possible to browse through alternative flight options when booking.
But seat selection has become a perpetual source of conflict amid passengers as airlines have made it more expensive to sit with family or score the seat one wants without paying extra — United's goal is also likely to avoid last-minute requests for gate agents to find someone a better seat so that passengers can instead themselves view the seat map and what is and isn't available.
