The business model of most airlines is the same: Degrade the service as much as legally possible, then charge people money to improve the service. All while they enjoy from gov't bailouts and record-breaking profits, year by year.

that sounds like enshittification

You're not wrong - seat selection used to be included in the ticket price (e.g. im buying a seat on a plane) but it no longer is. They've enshittified airline travel

What's an "Air travelers security charge"? An "Airport Improvement fee"? Aren't you supposed to take the profits from the ticket sale and use that to improve the airport? What does the "9/11 security fee" do that the "Air travelers security fee" doesn't? This is madness.

Yup. It gets weirder. For international flights, I noticed that if I chose a tier that doesn't allow seat selection, I can still choose a seat AFTER booking the tickets. Saved a few hundred bucks on Emirates.

Same with food/drinks.

If you are solo travelling, I believe they will auto assign a seat at checkin for free. But if you want to sit with your family, there’s no other way than buying “seats” together.