Paying for a Premium Seat - Aisle or an Exit Row Seat May Cost you More Money

Cash-strapped, bankruptcy ridden airlines - you've heard about all of this before. So in the latest money making initiative (*cough* cash grab) there are airlines that are looking to implement new fees on board. So not only will you pay for your meal inflight, but now you may have to pay extra for your economy class seat. Premium Coach charge?

Northwest Airlines decided to test out a new program this week for flights within the United States. Coach Choice means that for a fee of $15 per flight, you can book one of the "premium" economy seats. In essence, the premium seats are the ones in the exit row and several aisle seats in the front of the coach cabin.

If you are taking a connecting flight and want one of the coveted seats, you will have to pay for each segment. Thus your two flights will set you back $30 to garner yourself extra legroom. The fee is non-refundable unless Northwest cancels your flight.

Northwest currently plans on expanding Coach Choice for its flights to Mexico and Canada in the summer of 2006 pending the success of the test run within the U.S.