BA Club World Seating Concerns
Aug 27, 2009, 7:16 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 501
BA Club World Seating Concerns
Departing 9/4 JFK to LHR and then on to Nairobi. I can't reserve my seats until 24 hours in advance but I now see (via a kind person with access to expertflyer.com) that almost all seats are taken and getting 2 seats together on the JFK-LHR route may be impossible. Any suggestions as I really do want to sit with my wife during the flight. At the cost of these flights it seems silly that we may not be able to sit together.
Aug 27, 2009, 7:25 am
#2
Join Date: May 2009
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,741
Departing 9/4 JFK to LHR and then on to Nairobi. I can't reserve my seats until 24 hours in advance but I now see (via a kind person with access to expertflyer.com) that almost all seats are taken and getting 2 seats together on the JFK-LHR route may be impossible. Any suggestions as I really do want to sit with my wife during the flight. At the cost of these flights it seems silly that we may not be able to sit together.
And I assume that if you purchased your seats on the same booking the chances that your seats will be togeher, unless BA is particularly perverse.
.
Aug 27, 2009, 7:31 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 501
Confused
I thought that only the "elite" BA flyers had seats assigned in advance. BA told me on the phone that I could not select seats until 24 hours in advance. Do you mean to tell me that 24 hours in advance, when I look at my booking, I will already have 2 seats assigned but I could change them if I want??
Aug 27, 2009, 7:40 am
#4
formerly Marwanie
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: BA Silver, MH Enrich Gold, BMI
Posts: 295
I thought that only the "elite" BA flyers had seats assigned in advance. BA told me on the phone that I could not select seats until 24 hours in advance. Do you mean to tell me that 24 hours in advance, when I look at my booking, I will already have 2 seats assigned but I could change them if I want??
Aug 27, 2009, 7:40 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: San Diego
Posts: 2,686
flightmedic, this usually works out OK however on a flight which is very busy with a lot of preassigned seats, I'm afraid you do have to consider the likely possibility of the two of you being separated on one or more of your legs.
Aug 27, 2009, 7:40 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Brit stateside
Programs: BA Exec Club, various other pittances
Posts: 218
I think the confusion comes down to the difference of 'having seats assigned' and 'being able to select seats yourself'.
Any booking will have seats assigned and as far as I'm aware it's pretty much a random process (although two passengers on a booking should be seated together).
It then comes down to elite seniority as to when you can choose your seats if you're not happy with them. Golds/Silvers may choose at any time via MMB (manage my booking). Blues can choose/change at T-24.
So in answer to your last question - yes!
Any booking will have seats assigned and as far as I'm aware it's pretty much a random process (although two passengers on a booking should be seated together).
It then comes down to elite seniority as to when you can choose your seats if you're not happy with them. Golds/Silvers may choose at any time via MMB (manage my booking). Blues can choose/change at T-24.
So in answer to your last question - yes!
Aug 27, 2009, 7:40 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IHG Gold, VS Silver, EK Silver, BA Blue
Posts: 99
Yes, exactly. You have seats allocated but at -24 hrs you can change them when you check in online.
Status/Full Fare pax can choose their seats when they purchase.
Not too many 747's on JFKLHR, but if you are lucky choose the Upper Deck, plenty of threads on this.
Status/Full Fare pax can choose their seats when they purchase.
Not too many 747's on JFKLHR, but if you are lucky choose the Upper Deck, plenty of threads on this.
Aug 27, 2009, 7:42 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Washington, D.C. / London
Programs: BA, VS, CO, WN, AA
Posts: 60
Yes, when you log in at 24 hrs before, you will see you and your wife in two seats, most likely together. You will be able to move yourselves to any unassigned seats, but those options will be limited to the "open" seats your friend showed you on the other site.
When I fly CW with my boyfriend, BA usually pre-assigns us the 2 middle CW seats (the ones facing backwards together) as I think these are the default (if available) for couples. If we log in right at 24 hrs pre-flight, we have not had trouble switching to 2 seats together on the upperdeck, but it just depends on how full the flight is and how many elite flyers are on board (as they often chose the upper deck early).
When I fly CW with my boyfriend, BA usually pre-assigns us the 2 middle CW seats (the ones facing backwards together) as I think these are the default (if available) for couples. If we log in right at 24 hrs pre-flight, we have not had trouble switching to 2 seats together on the upperdeck, but it just depends on how full the flight is and how many elite flyers are on board (as they often chose the upper deck early).
Aug 27, 2009, 9:10 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Berlin, Germany
Programs: LH SEN, BA Gold
Posts: 476
On my last JFK-LHR, I was able to sneak a peak at the passenger manifest - - - not a lot of blue, more silver and gold. I'd venture to estimate that there would be no side-by-side upper deck seats available on the 747 at T-24h.
Last edited by awestphal; Aug 27, 2009 at 9:11 am Reason: clarification
Aug 27, 2009, 9:55 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: MAN, ARN
Programs: BA Gold, BD *S, VS Gold, AFKL Petro Club
Posts: 584
Just to clarify some false statements above: you do not have seats assigned at this time. Assuming that you do not hold Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status, and are not traveling on a full-fare ticket, you will not have a seats assigned until you begin the checkin process, at which point you will be able to change your assigned seats to any available ones in the cabin. Whatever seats are shown as taken on Expertflyer have already been assigned to status-holders and full-fare flyers already.
Aug 27, 2009, 10:15 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,046
I think that you are likely to get seats together, even if they are not available at OLCI. There are likely to be some cancellations at the last minute. So if you do not get seats together do not print your boarding passes and keep checking OLCI, changing your seats when a pair become available.
Ask at the gate as well, and even on board as the crew might be able to help.
Remember that two seats across the aisle are as good as two seats together, but many of the aisle seats are misaligned.
The aligned seats are in rows 60 - 62 on the upper deck and 13 and 14 B and D seats in the forward cabin of the main deck only. 13 and 14 G and J are not aligned. 17 - 20 are not aligned.
Ask at the gate as well, and even on board as the crew might be able to help.
Remember that two seats across the aisle are as good as two seats together, but many of the aisle seats are misaligned.
The aligned seats are in rows 60 - 62 on the upper deck and 13 and 14 B and D seats in the forward cabin of the main deck only. 13 and 14 G and J are not aligned. 17 - 20 are not aligned.
Aug 27, 2009, 12:09 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 1,212
Just to clarify some false statements above: you do not have seats assigned at this time. Assuming that you do not hold Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status, and are not traveling on a full-fare ticket, you will not have a seats assigned until you begin the checkin process, at which point you will be able to change your assigned seats to any available ones in the cabin. Whatever seats are shown as taken on Expertflyer have already been assigned to status-holders and full-fare flyers already.
If you don't get seats together, I advise you to NOT complete the check-in process. Once you do, the seats are locked-in, and you can't change them until you arrive at the airport. Log out, and come back after 30 minutes or an hour and see if things have changed.
Aug 27, 2009, 4:38 pm
#15
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Earth
Programs: Proud owner of 3 Mucci's (yes, 3!) the latest being Chevaliere des Bains Chauds, BA Silver (6 yrs)
Posts: 10,985
You don't need to reserve seats - you already have them. Your two seats will be 2 of the seats shown as taken. The only thing you can't do is choose where your two seats are.
And I assume that if you purchased your seats on the same booking the chances that your seats will be togeher, unless BA is particularly perverse.
.
And I assume that if you purchased your seats on the same booking the chances that your seats will be togeher, unless BA is particularly perverse.
.
Those showing assigned will be those already chosen by passengers with status, and as others have said this will be a pretty hefty percentage on the JFK route.
Unfortunately, as the OP has already seen, there are no pairs of seats on the upper deck so it's likely only downstairs will be free.