“That’s going to make the carrier incur losses rather than score a gain,” Lee said.

CAL announced Wednesday aisle seats in the economy cabin may be reserved by paying an extra NT$500 (US$15.4) starting October 16. Aisle seats give passengers easier access to toilets aboard jetliners. CAL hopes to earn an extra NT$4 million (US$123,000) a year.

“We can’t require CAL to call off the price hiking plan,” Lee said. There’s no law forbidding airline companies to impose a “surcharge” for “extra service.”

But, Lee said, it doesn’t pay to raise the aisle seat price.

“They may be losing big by trying to benefit a little,” the CAA head said. He meant CAL is likely to lose more passengers by collecting a surcharge.

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