An air supply mechanism for a vehicle seat comprises a control device for driving a fan and a heating element connected downstream of the fan. When the vehicle is unlocked, a vehicle door is opened and/or a folding-top switch is actuated in order to open the folding-top, the control device causes a heating element to be preconditioned. When there is a switching-on signal for the air supply mechanism, the control device ends the preconditioning and switches on the heating element and the fan. The heating element and fan are subsequently regulated by the control device as a function of vehicle speed and external temperature. In this manner, a seat occupant does not experience an initial draft or a delayed switching-on reaction but rather experiences a pleasant warmth even immediately after the air supply mechanism is switched on.