For as little as £14, travellers can now try to keep the seat beside them empty – but it’s not guaranteed.
Feeling cramped on a flight is a familiar frustration for many travellers. Virgin Australia is now offering a solution: its new ‘Neighbour-Free’ seating option, which allows passengers to bid to keep the seat next to them free.
The scheme, available on select domestic and short-haul international flights, lets economy passengers place a bid starting at around £14 ($30) using the airline’s app. If successful, they’ll have the luxury of extra space – a perk that until now often required paying for an upgrade.
How it works
Passengers submit their bids through the app, and confirmation arrives two hours before departure. If the seat is already taken, the bid is refunded.
The initiative is designed to give passengers more comfort at an affordable price point. Virgin Australia Executive Libby Minogue said the move was driven by customer demand:
“Our priority is to give Virgin Australia guests even more value and choice when they choose to fly with us. Neighbour-Free Seating is a clever add-on for economy travellers who want certainty of extra space without the price tag.”
Why now?
The airline’s decision follows a 2023 survey by Velocity Frequent Flyer, which revealed that:
42% of passengers said they would pay to keep the middle seat free on international flights over three hours.
35% said the same for domestic flights longer than three hours.
By responding directly to this demand, Virgin Australia hopes to improve the onboard experience and differentiate itself in an increasingly competitive market.
Not the first airline to try
Virgin Australia is not alone in offering this kind of service. Air France’s “Empty Seat – My Extra Space” program lets passengers book up to three neighbouring seats for additional comfort, space, and privacy.
As airlines continue to explore new ways of generating revenue while catering to customer needs, ‘pay for space’ models may become the norm.
