Overview
- Virgin Australia has begun a limited launch of its neighbour-free seating auction on selected domestic and short-haul international routes, including Melbourne–Adelaide, Brisbane–Sydney and Sydney–Perth.
- Bids start at AU$30 via the Virgin Australia app with outcomes confirmed no later than two hours before departure, and unsuccessful bids are refunded if the seat is sold to another passenger.
- Eligibility is restricted to economy bookings only, excluding Economy X and business, with one or two passengers per booking allowed to bid for a single adjacent seat and no additional baggage included.
- The airline positions the add-on as offering more value and choice, with executive Libby Minogue saying it provides certainty of extra space without a high price.
- Comparable offers exist at rivals, with Qantas inviting extra-seat reservations within 48 hours of departure and Air France letting customers privatise up to three seats, reflecting demand seen in a 2023 Velocity survey.