Seat booking fee on Lufthansa / Swiss air

I booked round-trip ticket from Zurich to HongKong via Priceline, which goes one way with Lufthansa and other way with Swiss air. Priceline didn't give me an option to select seats at the time of booking. The tickets are booked in K class. Now I went to Lufthansa and swiss air flight and realize that seat reservation would cost USD 35 each. Is this normal? or am I being penalized for booking through priceline. I couldn't get the same itinerary (or maybe at the same price) while booking through Lufthansa / swissair flights, and hence I booked it via priceline.

I have never paid for "seat reservation" fee while booking through United, American or Delta even in economy class. Am I missing something? or is it a norm among European airlines?

Best Answer

It is generally a norm among low-cost company airlines, ticket price is low but the seat choice is extra (as well as food).

You can choose your seat for USD 35 (probably even more for extra leg room, or windows seat), or let the company automatically choose one for you.

They will automatically select one for you when you check-in.

Notice that if you check-in really early, you will have the "crappiest" ones, as they keep the best ones (meaning 1A) for the end, in case someone choose to pay for it.