Delta announces "Basic Economy" seats

Delta Airlines is testing a new, low fare seating option. 

The "Basic Economy" seats are about $12 to $20 cheaper than regular economy seats.  The seats are non-refundable, no cancellations or changes are allowed after the tickets are purchased.

Passengers who choose a basic economy ticket will not be able to select seats. Instead the seats are assigned by a computer.

Passengers can still earn frequent flier miles on the cheaper tickets.

This comes on the heel of a new study that found airlines are performing at their highest level in 22 years.

In the latest airline quality rating, researchers cited improvements in baggage handling, fewer delays, overbooked flights and fewer customer complaints.

For the second consecutive year, AirTran, Hawaiian and JetBlue were the three best performing airlines.