Why does the railway not widely offer seat selection?

[py_megapixel]

If I buy an airline ticket, I generally get to choose where I want to sit on the flight, or at least can do so on payment of a supplement.
If I go to my local large cinema, seat selection is an integral part of the booking process, and subject to a few limitations (such as not being allowed to leave a single-seat gap in the middle of a row) I can choose whichever seat I like.
The same applies to almost any other cinema or theatre that I've been to in recent years.
We know that the reservations system supports choosing specific seats on the backend, because third party retailers such as Trainsplit can offer it for all reservable services.

So why are TOC websites still stuck with "seating preferences", where all you get to specify is some vague idea of roughly where you would like it to be located, and then the system guesses which seat you would prefer and automatically assigns one?

I wouldn't even mind if there was a nominal charge for the feature, but refusal to offer it at all despite being perfectly capable of it seems a bit archaic and inflexible.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Probably because it costs money to implement, and it won't cause increased custom to pay for it.

However, you don't want everyone picking their seat, because you won't then be able to consolidate multiple short reservations onto one seat (not an issue for flights or cinemas, as people are there for all of it). So if offered universally, there'd probably need to be a small fee for it so only those who valued it did it, allowing some consolidation. Which personally I wouldn't object hugely to paying.

 

[MattRat]

It actually sounds like a great idea for first class service, to make it feel better value for money.

 

[YorksLad12]

One of the reasons I like booking through the LNER website is that I do get to choose which seat on their services. Once I've worked out which seats in which cars have proper window alignment it'll be a doddle to book. It doesn't work with other operators if I book through LNER's site.

So really, the question is why don't all operators do this; and why can't I do it when booking an LNER seat with a different provider, and vice versa?

 

[Bletchleyite]

One of the reasons I like booking through the LNER website is that I do get to choose which seat on their services. Once I've worked out which seats in which cars have proper window alignment it'll be a doddle to book. It doesn't work with other operators if I book through LNER's site.

So really, the question is why don't all operators do this; and why can't I do it when booking an LNER seat with a different provider, and vice versa?

You can do it for any TOC on Trainsplit. I think the reason TOCs don't offer that themselves is that it's sold as a bonus for booking their services on their site.

 

[XAM2175]

I'd like to see TOCs publish seat plans that indicate window positions before I get too worried about whether they have selection tools, to be honest.

 

[miklcct]

Because a seat is not an integral part of standard class rail travel, while it's an integral part of air & coach travel and cinemas. It should be provided in first class rail travel though where a seat is an integral part.