Upgrading after selecting seat?
Sep 19, 2017, 5:33 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 27
Upgrading after selecting seat?
Hi
We are flying a week today as bronze members therefore will be able to select our seats for free as from later today.
I seem to recall reading somewhere that once you have chosen your seat, you may be prohibited from being offered an upgrade in MMB. Is this correct?
Many thanks
We are flying a week today as bronze members therefore will be able to select our seats for free as from later today.
I seem to recall reading somewhere that once you have chosen your seat, you may be prohibited from being offered an upgrade in MMB. Is this correct?
Many thanks
Sep 19, 2017, 5:55 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Assuming that you're talking about the special offer upgrades (known as POUG) I don't think it can be if you're simply making use of your free pre-allocation benefit. There are lots of Golds and Silvers who choose their seats for free at the time of booking and get offered special offer upgrades via MMB.
Sep 19, 2017, 6:12 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 27
Assuming that you're talking about the special offer upgrades (known as POUG) I don't think it can be if you're simply making use of your free pre-allocation benefit. There are lots of Golds and Silvers who choose their seats for free at the time of booking and get offered special offer upgrades via MMB.
Thanks for the advice ^
Sep 19, 2017, 6:15 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
No, POUGs are not limited to Golds and Silvers. But Golds and Silvers who choose their seats for free at the time of booking get offered POUGs, so there's no reason that I can see why a Bronze who chooses their seat for free at the 7-day point would be disqualified from a POUG.
Sep 19, 2017, 6:32 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Birmingham New Street
Programs: ASLEF
Posts: 266
I recall reading that it's best to complete OLCI, but not get (print/save/download) a boarding pass until you get to the airport for a better chance of an OPUP. Maybe that's what you were thinking of? By all means, select your seat as soon as your status tier allows you to.
Sep 19, 2017, 7:47 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 27
No, POUGs are not limited to Golds and Silvers. But Golds and Silvers who choose their seats for free at the time of booking get offered POUGs, so there's no reason that I can see why a Bronze who chooses their seat for free at the 7-day point would be disqualified from a POUG.
Sep 19, 2017, 7:49 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 27
Hi
I recall reading that it's best to complete OLCI, but not get (print/save/download) a boarding pass until you get to the airport for a better chance of an OPUP. Maybe that's what you were thinking of? By all means, select your seat as soon as your status tier allows you to.
I recall reading that it's best to complete OLCI, but not get (print/save/download) a boarding pass until you get to the airport for a better chance of an OPUP. Maybe that's what you were thinking of? By all means, select your seat as soon as your status tier allows you to.
Sep 19, 2017, 7:53 am
#9
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,476
Hi
I recall reading that it's best to complete OLCI, but not get (print/save/download) a boarding pass until you get to the airport for a better chance of an OPUP. Maybe that's what you were thinking of? By all means, select your seat as soon as your status tier allows you to.
I recall reading that it's best to complete OLCI, but not get (print/save/download) a boarding pass until you get to the airport for a better chance of an OPUP. Maybe that's what you were thinking of? By all means, select your seat as soon as your status tier allows you to.
The sole advantage is that you retain the ability to select a different seat, so you might be able to improve your position (say with a bulkhead or exit row, or being closer to the front) within your booked cabin.
Sep 19, 2017, 8:02 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gloucestershire
Programs: BA Gold (ex-GGL, maybe future Silver), Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,198
The other factor that may be worth mentioning is that, if you do get upgraded (or upgrade yourself I believe) you lose any money you've paid for seat selectoin.
Sep 19, 2017, 10:14 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Birmingham New Street
Programs: ASLEF
Posts: 266
Sep 19, 2017, 10:23 am
#12
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,476
I'd go with the latter ...
Even if just checked in you'd have a seat nominally allocated, so I'd think even before FLY that would need to be released if you received an OpUp.
Sep 19, 2017, 10:25 am
#13
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,803
The possible confusion is that holding off printing (etc) allows you to keep looking for other seat options, for example an exit row. But these seats would normally be in the booked cabin.
Sep 19, 2017, 10:36 am
#14
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,609
I always book a seat immediately after booking, and get upgraded from time to time. You used to have to wait until the "denied boarding" lights flashed on scanning the paper pass, and it was properly exciting waiting to see whether it would happen.
But these days the app changes the seat row to a lower number well before boarding. Takes all the fun out of it.
But these days the app changes the seat row to a lower number well before boarding. Takes all the fun out of it.
Sep 19, 2017, 10:46 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Birmingham New Street
Programs: ASLEF
Posts: 266
