Sneaky new airline fee: Charging for the seat you just bought!

Airlines are getting better at inventing sneaky new fees. Here is the latest: A charge for selecting the seat you just bought. What? Let me explain. After purchasing an airline ticket online you are often directed to a seating chart of the jet, and that’s where this new fee is hiding. Airlines are charging for the privilege of picking your seat in advance. So you can pay now and sit in a seat next to your travel companion or on an isle or next to a window, or don’t pay and wait till you show up see where the airline put you.  Pick option number two and there’s a good chance you’ll be sitting in a middle seat 15 rows away from your travel companion!  Policies vary from airline to airline, but some allow you to pick a seat for free once you are within 24 hours of a flight, but by then most of the good seats will be taken. So how much is this going to cost you? The fees range from as little as $6 on AirTran to as much as $30 on British Airways. There are still many airlines not charging the fee, so shop around.