Why did BA stop seat selection?
Oct 25, 2008, 3:52 am
#151
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: MAN, ARN
Programs: BA Gold, BD *S, VS Gold, AFKL Petro Club
Posts: 584
I was under the impression that if you were flying First with BA, whether it's a full-fare (F), restricted (A), or an award seat (Z), that you'd be able to choose your seat at time of booking, regardless of status.
Oct 25, 2008, 4:07 am
#152
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Falkirk, Scotland,VS Red, BA Gold, HH Diamond,UK Amex Plat
Programs: Master of the Privy Purse des Muccis
Posts: 17,915
In F, regardless of status , you can select all seats ( apart from 1 A/K ( reserved for Golds/Premiers) on the 747-400, not sure on the 777)
Regards
TBS
Oct 25, 2008, 5:56 am
#153
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 536
BA's seat selection policy was one of the things that attracted me to the airline in the first place but they have taken that away. I'm not even asking for the best seats: I just want to be able to secure something when I book and not to have to call friends, rush to internet cafes or mess about with expensive mobile data rates while on my last day abroad.
Regarding the comments aimed at passengers who mainly fly on cheap fares, all I would say is that they are essential to BA's business, and I note that the various business-class-only airlines have not exactly delivered stunning performance of late.
Oct 25, 2008, 7:10 am
#154
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum (3MM), QF Lifetime Gold, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, Ex-Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 7,541
My question here is what is allowed for the traveling companions of OW Emeralds? I have a pending flight where I was able to reserve a seat in Row 1A on a 747, which is blocked off for Golds and OW Emeralds, and 1K on a 777, but was unable reserve a currently open seat in Row 1 on either segments for my wife, traveling on the same itinerary. I've never heard of privileges for OW elites where the same privilege wasn't accorded a traveling companion?
On a similarly frustrating note, I was unable to reserve a seat near me for my wife on BA in CE because her itinerary was on a separate record and they were unable to link the two, or override the system, which AA has been able to do for me previously.
On a similarly frustrating note, I was unable to reserve a seat near me for my wife on BA in CE because her itinerary was on a separate record and they were unable to link the two, or override the system, which AA has been able to do for me previously.
Oct 25, 2008, 7:12 am
#155
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: Lord OPebble - Mucci of the Hour. Diamond Class MUCCI.Chevalier du Circle Intime de Pucci
Posts: 7,088
My question here is what is allowed for the traveling companions of OW Emeralds? I have a pending flight where I was able to reserve a seat in Row 1, which is blocked off for Golds and OW Emeralds, but was unable reserve a seat in Row 1 for my wife, traveling on the same itinerary. I've never heard of privileges for OW elites where the same privilege wasn't accorded a traveling companion?
On a similarly frustrating note, I was unable to reserve a seat near me for my wife on BA in CE because her itinerary was on a separate record and they were unable to link the two, or override the system, which AA has been able to do for me previously.
On a similarly frustrating note, I was unable to reserve a seat near me for my wife on BA in CE because her itinerary was on a separate record and they were unable to link the two, or override the system, which AA has been able to do for me previously.
Oct 25, 2008, 7:14 am
#156
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: Lord OPebble - Mucci of the Hour. Diamond Class MUCCI.Chevalier du Circle Intime de Pucci
Posts: 7,088
Oct 25, 2008, 7:15 am
#157
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA LTG + GGL, SPG LTP, HHonors Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador
Posts: 12,695
My question here is what is allowed for the traveling companions of OW Emeralds? I have a pending flight where I was able to reserve a seat in Row 1A on a 747, which is blocked off for Golds and OW Emeralds, and 1K on a 777, but was unable reserve a currently open seat in Row 1 on either segments for my wife, traveling on the same itinerary. I've never heard of privileges for OW elites where the same privilege wasn't accorded a traveling companion?
On a similarly frustrating note, I was unable to reserve a seat near me for my wife on BA in CE because her itinerary was on a separate record and they were unable to link the two, or override the system, which AA has been able to do for me previously.
On a similarly frustrating note, I was unable to reserve a seat near me for my wife on BA in CE because her itinerary was on a separate record and they were unable to link the two, or override the system, which AA has been able to do for me previously.
2) Call BA and try again. They need to TCP your booking and put a seating request in. This is possible for Emeralds (only). Have a search for 'tcp link' or similar and many threads should turn up.
Nov 9, 2008, 9:16 am
#158
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: DL (MM), UA(MM) , AA(MM) , Bonvoy - LT Titanium
Posts: 262
We are flying on AA awards LHR-DEL. My wife and I are booked in Club Booking code U, while our daughter (13 yrs) is in WT booking code X.
After reading this thread and several calls to BA and AA, I now realize that I will have to Log-in at T-24 and get seat assignments for all of us.
What I will be trying to do is to book us in the last row in Club and get her close to the front in Coach.
How can I find out which of the 2 configurations will be flown on the 747-400 on Flt 257 LHR-DEL on 20 Nov 2008? Is it the one with WT+ on rows 11-16 or rows 28-31? I have tried booking a flight and all the usual tricks and can't seem to get this info anywhere.
Even the BA Call center wouldn't give out this information saying they don't have access to it - which I find very hard to believe.
Thanks in advance folks....
After reading this thread and several calls to BA and AA, I now realize that I will have to Log-in at T-24 and get seat assignments for all of us.
What I will be trying to do is to book us in the last row in Club and get her close to the front in Coach.
How can I find out which of the 2 configurations will be flown on the 747-400 on Flt 257 LHR-DEL on 20 Nov 2008? Is it the one with WT+ on rows 11-16 or rows 28-31? I have tried booking a flight and all the usual tricks and can't seem to get this info anywhere.
Even the BA Call center wouldn't give out this information saying they don't have access to it - which I find very hard to believe.
Thanks in advance folks....
Nov 9, 2008, 9:56 am
#159
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, TK Elite, HHonors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 7,691
The last row in Biz and the first in WT are available.
Nov 9, 2008, 10:12 am
#160
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: LON, RUH and DXB
Programs: BA Bronze, GF, EK, WY
Posts: 2,607
[KVS Availability Tool 3.3.2/Platinum - Apollo Seat Map: 20 Nov 2008/BA 257/LHR-DEL/744/C]
Code:
A B | D E F G | J K
60 - - X X
61 X - X X
62 X X X X E
63 X X X X E
64 X X X X
17 X + + X X + + -
18 X - + X X - - X
19 W X - + X X + + X
20 W X + + X X + + X
A B C | D E F G | H J K
28 W X X + X X + X X E
29 W X + - + + + + + + X E
30 W + + + + + + + + + +
31 W + + + + + + + + + +
32 W + + + + + + + + + +
33 W + + + + + + + + + +
34 W + + + + + + + + + +
35 + + + + + + + + + +
36 + + + + + + + + + +
37 + + + + + + + + + +
39 + + +
40 X + + + X X + + + +
41 + + + + + + + + + +
42 + + + + + + + X X X
43 + + + + + + + X X X
44 + + + + + + + + + +
45 + + + + + + + + + +
46 + + + + + + + + + +
47 + + + + + + + + + +
48 + + + + + + + + + +
49 + + + + + + + + + +
50 + + + + + + + + + +
51 + + + + + + + +
52 + + + + + + + +
53 + + + + + + + +
[+] Available [P] Premium [-] Assigned
[X] Blocked [W] Wing [E] Exit Row
Nov 9, 2008, 11:57 am
#162
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Cambridge, UK
Programs: BAEC Blue
Posts: 121
As someone who only ever flies down the back of the bus on el cheapo fares that never come within a sniff of a tier point due to work travel policy, I like the seat allocation system. It means that I have a fighting chance of getting one of the least worst seats in Y - I've never been able to not get a bulkhead/extra legroom seat on BA.
Compare with other airlines with a book seats upon making the ticket booking where it can be difficult to even get a window seat...
Compare with other airlines with a book seats upon making the ticket booking where it can be difficult to even get a window seat...
Nov 9, 2008, 12:09 pm
#163
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: LON, RUH and DXB
Programs: BA Bronze, GF, EK, WY
Posts: 2,607
But the data is correct & the OP didn't want to sit upstairs. KVS is innocent
Nov 22, 2008, 2:22 pm
#165
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL DM, AA PlatPro, Hilton DM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 1,532
Wow... this is a totally insane policy. For the first time, I just booked two business class seats. I absolutely can't believe that you can't pick seats in business class.
Instead, I'll have to figure out how to get online 24 hours in advance. That won't be a huge deal for the outbound, but for the inbound we'll be travelling inside europe and I have no idea if I'm going to be able to get to a computer somewhere to book a seat.
BA customer service offered to refund the miles/money for me if I wanted. They also supposedly put notes in the record authorizing full refund of miles/money within 24 hours if we get some stupid accross-the-plane seats or something.
Anyone know of any tricks around this? I can't believe they're not getting a lot of complaints....
Instead, I'll have to figure out how to get online 24 hours in advance. That won't be a huge deal for the outbound, but for the inbound we'll be travelling inside europe and I have no idea if I'm going to be able to get to a computer somewhere to book a seat.
BA customer service offered to refund the miles/money for me if I wanted. They also supposedly put notes in the record authorizing full refund of miles/money within 24 hours if we get some stupid accross-the-plane seats or something.
Anyone know of any tricks around this? I can't believe they're not getting a lot of complaints....