Is charging to select seats normal in BA business class?
Jan 20, 2014, 1:48 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 568
Is charging to select seats normal in BA business class?
I used AA miles to book a flight for two people with British Airways from Rome to Toronto via Heathrow in business class .
When I called to select the seats, they charged me $64 for seats 4A&B for the first leg of the trip home (767-300 763 V5), and $196 for seats 18A&B (747-400 744 V2) for the second leg. There is no stopover in London, just change of planes.
Is charging to select seats normal in BA business class?
They did mention there would be no charge if I waited to select the seats within 24 hours of the flight...but I figured we wouldn't get seats together at that point.
I'm going the other way using UA points on AC and there were no charges to select seats in business class. This is my first time using BA.
When I called to select the seats, they charged me $64 for seats 4A&B for the first leg of the trip home (767-300 763 V5), and $196 for seats 18A&B (747-400 744 V2) for the second leg. There is no stopover in London, just change of planes.
Is charging to select seats normal in BA business class?
They did mention there would be no charge if I waited to select the seats within 24 hours of the flight...but I figured we wouldn't get seats together at that point.
I'm going the other way using UA points on AC and there were no charges to select seats in business class. This is my first time using BA.
Last edited by pwrshift; Jan 21, 2014 at 8:44 pm
Jan 20, 2014, 2:04 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...a-charges.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...erve-seat.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ess-class.html
It is a great policy for status holders, in particular those who book with very little time before departure.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...erve-seat.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ess-class.html
It is a great policy for status holders, in particular those who book with very little time before departure.
Jan 20, 2014, 2:22 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 568
Thanks for the feedback...not exactly what I wanted to hear, but...
Even though my flights aren't until October, I found it interesting that almost all seats were 'restricted' to me...probably for BA status members. She selected the only 2 seats that were available for me to get, yet she said they weren't all booked as that date is a long ways off.
Even though my flights aren't until October, I found it interesting that almost all seats were 'restricted' to me...probably for BA status members. She selected the only 2 seats that were available for me to get, yet she said they weren't all booked as that date is a long ways off.
Jan 20, 2014, 2:42 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Lewes
Programs: HiltonH. Gold Starwood Gold BA BLUES! Mucci.
Posts: 4,834
Put the pnr in the BA manage my booking and have a look at available seats.
If you have paid for them you are much better off reserving upstairs on the 747 unless somebody has mobility issues.
Row 63 A/B or 63 J/K would be my choice.
The 'pay for seats' helps status holders that are paying the top $ still get a fair choice when they book late. ....
A big hitting flyer paying top $ is not going to be happy if we have grabbed all the best seats using miles months in advance.....and only middles left!
If you have paid for them you are much better off reserving upstairs on the 747 unless somebody has mobility issues.
Row 63 A/B or 63 J/K would be my choice.
The 'pay for seats' helps status holders that are paying the top $ still get a fair choice when they book late. ....
A big hitting flyer paying top $ is not going to be happy if we have grabbed all the best seats using miles months in advance.....and only middles left!
Jan 20, 2014, 2:55 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: ARN
Programs: Mucci Entry Level, BA Gold, EK Pleb, SK Pleb, QR Pleb
Posts: 3,585
No but this can easily be handled by reserving some premium seats for status pax. I think it's a disgrace that you can't reserve a seat at the time of booking without extra cost.
Jan 20, 2014, 3:01 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: LON, RUH and DXB
Programs: BA Bronze, GF, EK, WY
Posts: 2,607
You create the perception of 'choice' in the matter and leave your revenue stream unchanged and your elites happy. Sorted
Sounds rather like AA policy if I'm not mistaken ?
Jan 20, 2014, 4:01 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
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Posts: 38,644
Is that what you had in mind, or would you prefer to see a system that stuffs some high status pax completely if they are booking during the last four or five days before travel (and therefore likely to be the most profitable passengers in the cabin)?
All is a balance, and none of this is "easy".
Jan 20, 2014, 4:06 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
It costs a little more to do this, but I would also recommend upper deck seats if they are still available to you. 63AB, 63JK and 64AB can be pre-allocated for a fee. I think that most would reckon that to be an ascending order of preference (ie 64AB would be the best pair out of those three) - but as Skipcool3's post shows, this is very debateable as they are all decent seats up there.
Jan 20, 2014, 8:52 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 568
I've never seen this seating configuration before, as most of my flights have been with Air Canada in their business class 'pods'. The photos I've seen on BA's business class raise a couple of questions?
1. How would a window seat passenger get to the washroom in the middle of the night and not disturb the aisle passenger?
2. Any effect of 'flying backwards' ?
Appreciate your above suggestions, and will probably take seats 63J&K as mentioned for the $44 extra. When I called this afternoon there were several available this far out, but I hesitated. Will call in the a.m. to confirm as they are closed at this time.
1. How would a window seat passenger get to the washroom in the middle of the night and not disturb the aisle passenger?
2. Any effect of 'flying backwards' ?
Appreciate your above suggestions, and will probably take seats 63J&K as mentioned for the $44 extra. When I called this afternoon there were several available this far out, but I hesitated. Will call in the a.m. to confirm as they are closed at this time.
Jan 20, 2014, 9:35 pm
#12
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Plat, AA, BA Silver, Marriott Plat, Choice Gold, HHonors Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 3,749
I've never seen this seating configuration before, as most of my flights have been with Air Canada in their business class 'pods'. The photos I've seen on BA's business class raise a couple of questions?
1. How would a window seat passenger get to the washroom in the middle of the night and not disturb the aisle passenger?
2. Any effect of 'flying backwards' ?
Appreciate your above suggestions, and will probably take seats 63J&K as mentioned for the $44 extra. When I called this afternoon there were several available this far out, but I hesitated. Will call in the a.m. to confirm as they are closed at this time.
1. How would a window seat passenger get to the washroom in the middle of the night and not disturb the aisle passenger?
2. Any effect of 'flying backwards' ?
Appreciate your above suggestions, and will probably take seats 63J&K as mentioned for the $44 extra. When I called this afternoon there were several available this far out, but I hesitated. Will call in the a.m. to confirm as they are closed at this time.
2) This could be a question that's totally up to the individual, much like carsickness. I have taken CW flying forwards and backwards and don't have any problems flying backwards. And, although my dozen CW flights in the past three years is obviously a small sample size, I have never observed any of my fellow passengers having a problem.
Jan 21, 2014, 12:01 am
#13
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
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Posts: 43,035
I've never seen this seating configuration before, as most of my flights have been with Air Canada in their business class 'pods'. The photos I've seen on BA's business class raise a couple of questions?
1. How would a window seat passenger get to the washroom in the middle of the night and not disturb the aisle passenger?
2. Any effect of 'flying backwards' ?
1. How would a window seat passenger get to the washroom in the middle of the night and not disturb the aisle passenger?
2. Any effect of 'flying backwards' ?
2. None for me. As a plane is slightly nose up when flying I prefer it as my head is slightly higher when sleeping and facing backwards.
Jan 21, 2014, 1:37 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,598