China Southern offers economy passengers more room for a modest fee

China Southern Airlines has announced that passengers on non-stop international flights from their hub in Guangzhou will be able to book an adjoining seat for their own use.

A China Southern Airlines plane taking off. [File Photo: IC]

The airline says the price for the extra seat ranges from 250 yuan to 1700 yuan (37 U.S. dollars to 253 U.S. dollars) and varies depending on the length of the voyage.

The extra seats can only be purchased at the airport after check-in has been completed in order to avoid impacting on the seat choices of other passengers. The service is currently only available for economy class passengers and comes with no extra meals or luggage allowance.

There's been some discussion about the new service on social media in China. Supporters say it's considerate for the company to cater to passengers who need or want extra space, while the detractors doubt that the extra seats won't end up being occupied by other passengers.

The company says the new service will soon be available on international flights out of Beijing and Shanghai.