[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-267497-105":59,"doc-detail-267497-en":131},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":124,"head_meta":126,"extra_data":128,"updated_unix":130},105,"en","paid-for-allocated-seating-in-aviation-cap-1709-executive-summary-background-evidence-and-recommendations","Paid-for allocated seating in aviation - CAP 1709 - Executive summary, background, evidence and recommendations","","Review document CAP 1709 from the Civil Aviation Authority assesses the practice of airline allocated seating for which a separate fee is charged on top of the ticket price. It examines the legal context and established guidance, compares how different airlines apply reserved-seat charges, and evaluates consumer experience and potential impacts on groups, including accessibility needs and travelling with children. Evidence includes a quantitative survey of recent fliers and qualitative consumer engagement, supplemented by airline information requests, leading to recommendations and next steps.",{"@graph":69,"@context":123},[70,84,106],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/paid-for-allocated-seating-in-aviation-cap-1709-executive-summary-background-evidence-and-recommendations/267497/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/paid-for-allocated-seating-in-aviation-cap-1709-executive-summary-background-evidence-and-recommendations/267497.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Logic","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-04","2026-09-14",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":105},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",13,{"@type":107,"mainEntity":108},"FAQPage",[109,115,119],{"name":110,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What prompted the CAA to review allocated seating practices by airlines?","Question",{"text":113,"@type":114},"Following research and contacts from consumers, the CAA decided to review how airlines allocate seats and whether charging a separate add-on fee for reserved seating harms consumers’ collective interests. The review also considered fairness, consistency, and potential detrimental effects.","Answer",{"name":116,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":117},"What evidence did the CAA use to evaluate the practice?",{"text":118,"@type":114},"The CAA gathered evidence from consumers and airlines, including a commissioned survey of recent fliers and a voluntary consumer engagement survey via its consultation hub. It also sent an information request to the top UK and non-UK airlines based on passenger numbers and received responses from all ten.",{"name":120,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":121},"How did the CAA assess impacts on specific passenger groups?",{"text":122,"@type":114},"The assessment considered transparency of price information, effects on people with accessibility needs (including hidden disabilities), and impacts on travellers with children. It also examined safety considerations and how algorithms and implementation practices affect these outcomes.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":125,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":127,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":129,"site_id":62},267497,1789419968,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":132},{"doc_id":129,"user_id":133,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":105,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":140,"language":141,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":142,"faqs":143,"seo_title":144,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":130,"read_time":145,"preview_page_count":4},1099513958762,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/1000023916a998db790?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1784791008015729253","Paid-for allocated seating in aviation: an update  \nCAP 1709  \nPublished by the Civil Aviation Authority, 2018  \nCivil Aviation Authority Aviation House Gatwick Airport South West Sussex  \nRH6 0YR  \nYou can copy and use this text but please ensure you always use the most up to date version and use it in context so as not to be misleading, and credit the CAA.  \nFirst published October 2018  \nEnquiries regarding the content of this publication should be addressed to: [Harriet.Gamper@caa.co.uk](Harriet.Gamper@caa.co.uk)  \nThe latest version of this document is available in [electronic format at:](electronic format at: www.caa.co.uk)[ ](electronic format at: www.caa.co.uk)[www.caa.co.uk](electronic format at: www.caa.co.uk)  \nContents  \nContents 3  \nExecutive summary 5  \nBackground and objectives 5  \nOur evidence base 5  \nOur assessment 6  \nProposed assessment framework 9  \nOur recommendations and next steps 11  \nChapter 2 13  \nReasons for the CAA review 13  \nBackground 13  \nThe practice 13  \nScope 14  \nOur objectives 15  \nChapter 3 16  \nLegal context and guidance 16  \nChapter 4 19  \nOur evidence base: methodology and findings 19  \nIntroduction 19  \nQuantitative data: Survey of recent fliers 19  \nQualitative data: Consumer experiences 22  \nAirline information request 24  \nChapter 5 32  \nOur assessment 32  \nIntroduction 32  \nTransparency and clarity of price 34  \nProvision of information to third parties 37  \nImpact on people with accessibility needs, including hidden disabilities 39  \nImpact on people travelling with children 42  \nSafety considerations 44  \nUse of algorithms 46  \nEnsuring that policies are implemented in practice 47  \nChapter 6 48  \nAssessment framework 48  \nProposed framework 48  \nImplementation 49  \nChapter 7 50  \nRecommendations, next steps, and timings 50  \nAssessment framework 50  \nClarity and transparency of pricing 51  \nImpacts on those with accessibility needs 51  \nTravelling with children and safety aspects 51  \nWorking with others 52  \nAppendix A 53  \nSurvey of recent flyers 53  \nGroup Flights 53  \nAppendix B 79  \nCAA Consumer Engagement Survey 79  \nIntroduction 79  \nBackground 79  \nSentiment analysis 85  \nExecutive summary  \n\n| Background and objectives |\n| --- |\n| 1.1 Following research and contacts from consumers, the CAA decided to review the practice of allocated seating by airlines. We wanted to find out more about how seats are allocated, if charging a separate add-on fee for reserved seating on top of the ticket price was harming the collective interests of consumers, whether the practice was being applied in a fair and consistent manner, and whether it was having detrimental effects. We considered:\u003Cbr>􀂃 the legal context, along with established guidance and good practice;\u003Cbr>􀂃 how different airlines approach the practice of allocated seating; and\u003Cbr>􀂃 evidence of how consumers experience the extent and nature of allocated seating charges.\u003Cbr>1.2 Our objectives for the review were to understand the practice and its implications for consumers in detail, to consider whether consumers (or particular groups of consumers) were being harmed by the practice, and if so to set out our next steps.\u003Cbr>Our evidence base |\n\n1.3  \n1.4  \n1.5  \n1.6  \nIn order to fully inform our consideration of the practice, we gathered evidence from both consumers and airlines.  \nWe commissioned a survey of recent fliers: a representative survey of 14,716 GB adults, of which over 4,000 people who had flown as part of a group in the last year. This was used to gather robust quantitative data on how frequently groups are split up, consumer awareness of the practice, and how much people spend to sit together.  \nWe found that the majority of people (87%) were aware airlines might not automatically allocate seats together (where possible) . Around half of respondents (47%) thought that airlines would do their best to sit people in a group together in any case. However, our research found that , in reality, the chances of sitting to","cbCaiiIp7egAIczJ","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiiIp7egAIczJ","pdf",1209651,92,"English","# Executive summary\n## Background and objectives\n## Our evidence base\n## Our assessment\n## Proposed assessment framework\n## Our recommendations and next steps\n# Chapter 2\n## Reasons for the CAA review\n## Background\n## The practice\n## Scope\n## Our objectives\n# Chapter 3\n## Legal context and guidance\n# Chapter 4\n## Our evidence base: methodology and findings\n## Introduction\n## Quantitative data: Survey of recent fliers\n## Qualitative data: Consumer experiences\n## Airline information request\n# Chapter 5\n## Our assessment\n## Transparency and clarity of price\n## Provision of information to third parties\n## Impact on people with accessibility needs\n## Impact on people travelling with children\n## Safety considerations\n## Use of algorithms\n## Ensuring that policies are implemented in practice\n# Chapter 6\n## Assessment framework\n## Proposed framework\n## Implementation\n# Chapter 7\n## Recommendations, next steps, and timings\n## Clarity and transparency of pricing\n## Impacts on those with accessibility needs\n## Travelling with children and safety aspects\n## Working with others\n# Appendix A\n## Survey of recent flyers\n## Group Flights\n# Appendix B\n## CAA Consumer Engagement Survey\n## Introduction\n## Background\n## Sentiment analysis","[{\"question\":\"What prompted the CAA to review allocated seating practices by airlines?\",\"answer\":\"Following research and contacts from consumers, the CAA decided to review how airlines allocate seats and whether charging a separate add-on fee for reserved seating harms consumers’ collective interests. The review also considered fairness, consistency, and potential detrimental effects.\"},{\"question\":\"What evidence did the CAA use to evaluate the practice?\",\"answer\":\"The CAA gathered evidence from consumers and airlines, including a commissioned survey of recent fliers and a voluntary consumer engagement survey via its consultation hub. It also sent an information request to the top UK and non-UK airlines based on passenger numbers and received responses from all ten.\"},{\"question\":\"How did the CAA assess impacts on specific passenger groups?\",\"answer\":\"The assessment considered transparency of price information, effects on people with accessibility needs (including hidden disabilities), and impacts on travellers with children. It also examined safety considerations and how algorithms and implementation practices affect these outcomes.\"}]","Paid-for allocated seating in aviation - CAP 1709 - Executive summary, background, evidence and recommendations | PDF",232]