China Southern Airlines has launched a new service that allows passengers to buy more than one seat on a flight so as to provide a more comfortable travel experience, according to a post on the airline's official WeChat account on Thursday.
The new service, named "One Passenger More Seats," has been available for non-stop international flights run by China Southern Airlines that depart from Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province. The carrier also plans to launch the service in international flights that depart from Beijing and Shanghai in the future.
Under the new service, one passenger can buy up to three more seats, with additional payment ranging from 250 yuan（$37.21）to 1,700 yuan based on the length of the flight, the post said. The new service can only be bought at the airport check-in counter, and is only open to sales after all passengers complete the check-in procedure.
The aim of the new service is to cater to the demands of passengers, such as those who do not like to share chair armrests with others, parents who take children and those who have a larger body size, the post explained.
The new policy has generated hot discussion on China's social media in recent days.
Some netizens welcome the new service, saying that it has well considered the feelings and demands of passengers while helping the airline to generate new revenue growth. But doubts over whether the airline could protect the interests of passengers who pay for more seats also surfaced.
