Passengers on British Airways flights must soon pay an extra charge to choose their seat in advance.

Passengers on British Airways flights must soon pay an extra charge to choose their seat in advance.

British Airways (BA) is introducing the option to pay extra to select specific flight seats in advance from 7 October 2009.

The new service allows those to pay to secure seats together for a family or group of friends, or a specific spot in an exit row, window or emergency exit seat.

At the current time, passengers can reserve seats in the 24 hours prior to departure for free; this will still remain the case for those who do not choose to pay extra.

However, customers wishing to secure seats from when they book their tickets and up to 24 hours in advance of travel will pay £10 per person per sector in Euro Traveller and domestics, £20 per person per sector in Club Europe, World Traveller, and World Traveller Plus and £60 in Club World.

Those wishing to book an exit row seat can select them from 10 to four days prior to the flight departing at a cost of £50.

A BA spokeswoman said: “Customers frequently request specific seats, but in the past we’ve only been able to confirm them 24 hours in advance or on the day.

“We know people want to secure them in advance and have real control over their flying experience. This will allow them to do that.”

Following on from the airline’s decision to cut luggage allowances and abolish free meals on short flights, the introduction of this levy comes as BA attempts to bolster its balance sheet after a £401m loss in the last financial year, its largest since privatisation in 1987.

For more information and to view the seating charges, click here.