Northwest Airlines is rolling out a program to charge a bit more for extra stretch space.

The airline plans on giving travellers the option to pay $15 more and upgrade to an aisle or emergency exit seat. Such a seat can offer up to ten inches extra. Only about 5% of the seats on the domestic flights will go up for sale in this manner as the airline gauges consumer response.

If the program is a success, we could see other airlines following suit and then everyone can eat a $5 bag of pretzels in a $15 exit row chair while sipping a $6 can of Pepsi and enduring the joy of $2 customer service.

What happens when the flight is so booked you’ve got a guy who just paid 15 bucks to upsize sitting across the aisle from a guy who’s sitting pretty at the standard fare? Hilarity? Anger? Sadness? Fear? Delusions of Grandeur?

Northwest Bets You’ll Pay for Legroom [via Detroit Free Press] (Thanks to Clampants!)

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