Northwest eyes 'Coach Choice' expansion

Josh Roberts believes the best trips involve long hikes and muddy boots. His life goals haven't changed much since he was a kid: He still wants to be Indiana Jones when he grows up.

Follow him on Twitter (@joshwhowrites) and Instagram (@joshwhowrites), and visit his website (joshrobertsbooks.com) or Goodreads page to learn more about his forthcoming novel.

Josh joined SmarterTravel in 2001, and is an active member in both the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

In addition to SmarterTravel, he has written for USA Today, The Boston Globe, Yahoo! Travel, The Huffington Post, Airfarewatchdog, TripAdvisor, Jetsetter, ABC News, Oyster, and Business Insider. His travel photography can be seen in Britain and Ireland's Best Wild Places, published by Penguin UK.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A lacrosse ball. It's small, lightweight, and works wonders on loosening up tight muscles."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Being the first to discover an ancient lost city. Failing that, visiting as many of the already-discovered ancient ruins as possible."

Travel Motto: "Not all those who wander are lost." -J.R.R. Tolkien

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle."

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USA Today‘s Ben Mutzabaugh writes today that Northwest is set to expand its “Coach Choice” program to include Mexico, Canada, and Caribbean flights. The program, launched less than a month ago, had previously been implemented on a test basis for domestic-only flights.

You’ll recall “Coach Choice” is the airline’s scheme for charging extra for some seat assignments that had previously been free. To wit, passengers checking in 24 hours before a flight can pay $15 to snag an aisle or exit-row seat.

Despite what seems like overwhelming disapproval from the traveling public, somebody must be ponying up the extra cash for these seat assignments, otherwise Northwest would be rolling it back instead of expanding it. In fact, the airline suggests it will make an extra $15 million a year in revenue from the program.

This looks like the strongest indication yet that “Coach Choice” is here to stay. Unfortunately.

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