Would you pay a little extra if given the chance to avoid sitting next to a screaming baby on an airplane?
One Canadian carrier is betting you just might.
Travel guru Chris Elliott has a report on a questionnaire recently sent out by WestJet in which the carrier asks customers whether they’d consider an extra $10 charge for a number of additional “services,” including sitting away from parents traveling with small babies or small children.
There are other amenities about which WestJet is trying to take the temperature of its customers: The carrier asks if you’d pay $10 for priority boarding; priority disembarking; in-flight Internet access; in-seat power; and guaranteed overhead bin space. You could probably make a case for any of these.
Sillier amenities include $10 for a freshly-laundered pillow and blanket set that you can take with you (like you really need to be lugging around linen!) or a premium meal service (has airline food every been that good?).
I would really get behind the avoid-crying-babies fee. Restaurants should think of a similar service charge.