SINGAPORE Airlines' plans to charge extra for roomy economy-class seats is good news for road warriors who have to hammer away on their laptops even when flying.

They can now pay to guarantee comfort if they haven't had much luck before with such seats (like those on the exit rows), apparently assigned to those who asked for it first. Anyway, what is an extra US$100 for a return trip compared with what they had paid for the ticket?

That's one way to look at it assuming that the booking system is transparent and the seats will not be blocked for premium customers like they used to be.

Putting a price tag on what used to be free will price frivolous contenders for limited exit row seats out of the competition.

This way, economy-class business travelers can have a higher chance of getting the much-needed legroom to work on their laptops. No more having their knees trapped and laptop space violated when a passenger reclines his seat.

It's a small price to pay to lock in your preferred seat and feel you're in control for once.

Such control is especially important since flying no longer offers a hiatus from being connected to the office. Commercial airlines are allowing passengers to yak on their cellphones in mid-air and have in-flight e-mail access from 8,000 feet above ground.

Taking a step farther, SIA should also offer a discount to passengers who opted for middle seats rather than aisle or exit row seats.

After all, didn't SIA say the extra fees for more legroom are not a money-making ploy?

Read Karamjit Kaur's blog entry: Too much of a stretch?