WASHINGTON -- Cost of an American Airlines ticket: $700.
Cost for an aisle seat: $2,680.Potential cost of alienating Ralph Nader: priceless.As if bankrupt American Airlines didn't have enough problems, along comes consumer advocate Ralph Nader -- who's really steamed that for a flight Saturday to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, the only way he could nab an aisle seat, without elite frequent flier status, was to pay full fare: $2,680.Nader forced the creation of the bumped passenger rules -- which requests volunteers -- after he got bumped years ago in a case that went to the Supreme Court.And Nader beat back a suit from MasterCard for parodying its "priceless" ads during his 2000 presidential campaign.This time, the persistent Nader got his aisle seat at no extra cost as a goodwill gesture from American. But "they're not going to make me go away."In an interview, Nader, 77, said that his first airline flight was with American, in the early 1950s, but that he usually flies Southwest Airlines -- the official airline of his presidential campaigns -- because it is "proletariat."Nader's planned trip from Hartford to DFW to Washington, D.C., would have been unremarkable except for his standing request to his travel booker to get him an aisle. "I'm tall," Nader said.And on this flight, there was no option to pay a small fee -- usually $20 to $60 -- to secure an aisle seat. The only seats left for non-elite members were middle seats.With many seats blocked out for elite members, the only choice for Nader -- who is not an American frequent flier -- was to pay for a full-fare ticket, the same price as first class.American, for its part, does not see a problem."We don't charge $2,000 for an aisle seat," American spokesman Tim Smith said, referring to normally priced tickets. Although the aisle was not available "at that time," the airline releases seats not taken by elite members on the day of the flight, he said.But Nader -- who is speaking to the Muslim League in Richardson and Dallas this weekend -- wanted to be sure about his aisle seat."This was a lower-cost fare that was highly restricted," Smith said. He also said, "It is possible to get aisle seats with discounted tickets."Nader, however, discovered that carriers usually block preferred seats on the aisle and at the front. "This practice is common on all U.S. carriers that reserve seats," Smith said.Nader's take: "They can release it if there are no suckers.""They're behaving like a monopoly extortionist," Nader said."This is a bankrupt company in more ways than one."Though Nader, by virtue of his high profile and consumer track record, scored a victory, he said he told the customer service official who gave him the aisle, "You've fixed my problem, but you haven't fixed the overall problem." He said he has contacted Kate Hanni, a passenger rights activist who pushed for government rules on tarmac delays, and plans to gather information on industry practices before contacting American's chief executive, Tom Horton. He said that the practice must be disclosed and that United offers a uniform seat purchase plan."I'm going to put it to (Horton) and ask 'Why are you engaged in an immolating, anti-competitive practice where you reject all but your most frequent customers?'" Maria Recio is the Star-Telegram's Washington bureau chief.202-383 6103mrecio@mcclatchydc.comtwitter: maria_e_recio
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