Got the middle seat? There's an app for that

A new app makes bargaining for an inflight seat swap possible. Photo / Getty Images

A new app could bring a glimmer of hope for anyone who's ever been stuck in the dreaded middle seat on a plane.

Seataroo, launched this week, offers a digital marketplace where passengers can buy, sell and trade for more desirable seats.

Users enter their flight details and seat number into the app, set their price and wait for the offers to fly in. Buyers looking to change seats can enter the type of seat they'd rather have (aisle, window) and see what's on sale.

The transactions are done electronically and Seateroo takes 15 per cent of the sale price.
The app's founder and president, Brad Pursel, said the launch was well-timed due to the popularity of other "sharing economy" apps like Uber and Air BnB.

"I believe that Seateroo has the potential to become a travel app that is used widely by those travelling by air for business or pleasure," he said.

"After all, on almost any flight, there are going to be people who wish they had a better seat as well as others who would like to save money on travel."

Though the app is currently only available for iPhone users in the United States, developers are monitoring outside interest and further updates may be available internationally.

Meanwhile, another recently launched app gives users the chance to avoid angrily tweeting or calling airlines when something goes wrong with your flight.

With the Service app, which is available in New Zealand, you can outsource the whole ordeal to someone else with more time and energy to listen to that annoying hold music.

Using a web form or the mobile app, you simply answer a few questions about the nature of your complaint and Service will get in touch if any more information is required.

The company has insider knowledge of the customer service policies of many companies, so it knows which complaints are likely to be rectified and which are not - so make sure your requests are reasonable and a solution will follow.

- nzherald.co.nz