PACs Charging For Leg Room

Whether you’re looking to stretch your legs on an airplane or during a concert these days, it’ll cost you.

Performing arts centers around the country have caught on to a trend airlines started a while ago – charging extra for aisle seats.

Faced with current economic conditions and worries of declining ticket sales, the idea of demand ticket pricing has become more and more attractive to many venues, theater companies, ballets, symphonies and operas.

Target Resource Group, a performing arts consulting firm based in Colorado, has worked with arts organizations around the country to initiate demand ticket pricing for the most desirable seats, and the results have apparently been favorable.

For example, the Boston Ballet reportedly saw a $160,000 increase in revenues for last year’s “Nutcracker” performance with demand pricing and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York saw revenues increase $1.9 million over the past two years, according to TRG.

The idea of demand pricing doesn’t always necessarily apply to seats with the best sightlines in a venue, however. Portland, Maine’s symphony orchestra now charges more for some of the most popular seats in the back of the Merrill Auditorium and many aisle seats, while other aisle seats are priced as before.