Searched this forum and didn't see anything posted...

I just booked a multi leg trans-Atlantic itinerary JFK to LHR to MAD to JFK, all on BA, except MAD to JFK which is on IB. All AA codeshare flights.

As EXP I've been able to get assigned seats of my choice on all BA flights, but this time not on IB.

In fact the IB flight does not appear in either the BA or IB websites. It does show on AA.com.

The AA EXP desk stated that a new IB seating policy came out 2 days ago which limits FOC seating assignments to 24 hours or less prior to departure. No elite exceptions.

A call to IB, the phone rep stated (very unclearly) that they could see my reservation but could best as I could tell, they couldn't assign seats. Possibly due to AA codeshare.

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As AA moves to increase ATI reliance, the so-called seamless and harmonized travel experience is anything but. Here we appear to have IB setting a new seating assignment policy which is contrary to what I thought was the ATI experience of greater customer convenience.

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Has anyone heard of this new IB seating policy and know of a workaround so that I can get a decent coach class seat in advance?

As I'm trying to travel light, I'm not packing a laptop for this trip. As I'll be traveling elsewhere in Spain day the before the flight, I'd like to get this squared away.

Meanwhile, I shall not direct further business to an airline that won't even allow OW Emeralds the ability to get an advance seat assignment.

Had I known about this new policy, I would have booked a different way home, such as via LHR.