Originally Posted by
d3vski
how about this for an idea:
go back to allowing everyone to select seat through MMB anytime from reservation to check-in but allow certain groups (GCH,silvers, prems, full fare ticket holders) to boot out someone from a seat (as long as the person in the seat is not in the mentioned category) just ONCE, any other seat changes from then on have to be to an empty seat. This would allow last minute full fare people to rewarded and so would the status lot.
Sounds like a terrible idea to me. You want to avoid seat shifting at all costs, the whole point is that you should be able to select a seat and have peace of mind that it is done and dusted.
The obvious solution, which I suspect was in place before the changes 3-4 years ago, would allow a certain number of seats on each aircraft selectable by all pax, with prime seats reserved for Status pax. Once these seats are reserved, the remaining are not opened for reservation until t-24 (unless you are a status pax). A warning is given to pax before booking that they can not not select a seat before booking where applicable.
This is the perfect solution, those booking early have the peace of mind that they have reserved a seat, those booking later have the choice of whether to proceed, knowing that there will be a small possibility they will be left seating apart, or have limited choice in their seating.
Or you can do the above but charge for it, which BA have chosen!