EasyJet passengers could get allocated seats in a new initiative being trialled by the budget airline.
Currently many passengers on budget airlines, including easyJet, face long queues at the boarding gate, followed by confusion on the aircraft as families and friends try to get seats close together.
In a bid to increase customer satisfaction the airline will allocate passengers seats on all flights from Luton to Sharm el Sheikh, Glasgow to Alicante, Luton to Malaga, Luton to Alicante and Luton to Istanbul.
EasyJet's chief executive Carolyn McCall said that the move came in recognition that many passengers found the current boarding experience 'stressful':
"It can stress people out, the boarding experience. With easyJet, they may not be used to the way we board. It can be a barrier to travelling with us. People are just not used to unreserved seating."
The test has cost easyJet £5 million in computer expenses to adapt its current booking system to reserved seating. The initiative is set to last over the summer.
All passengers will be given an allocated seat but can pay £12 for a space with extra leg room, £8 for the front seats or £3 for any other seat.
The passengers will get an allocated seat with the number marked on their boarding pass.
Carolyn McCall, easyjet's chief executive, said: "We will only roll it out if it works operationally and increases passenger satisfaction.
"Our aim is to make travel easy and affordable for all our passengers.
The aim will be to ensure that families and groups of passengers who are travelling on the same booking reference sit together, according to Ms McCall.
She believes that most easyJet passengers are not going to pre-book their seats but many would like the chance to pick them.
Ms McCall made the announcement as the low-cost airline said that half-year losses would be smaller than expected. It has said revenues were boosted by higher baggage charges.
EasyJet also received a boost from the unseasonably mild weather experienced in the period, which led to "unusually" low levels of cancelled flights, while an uplifting TV advertisement featuring music from Liverpudlian rockers The Wombats also helped.
Looking ahead, easyJet said around 30% of seats for the second half of the financial year were booked.
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, who speaks for 37.4% of shares in the company, is currently working on his latest project, a new airline venture in west Africa to be called FastJet.