Some advice please FT'ers.
In Jan I redeemed 2 x 241 vouchers and 360,000 Avios for the family summer holiday to Vietnam, via Hong Kong. Redemption flights are 3 x adults, 1 x 'youth' (15) LHR-HKG in early July and return 14 days later. All the pax are on the BAEC family account but, because the vouchers were earned on 2 x separate accounts (my wife's and mine), I made 2 x separate bookings of 2 pax each. Both my wife and I are now down to BAEC Blue after my work-related travel died off last year so we are therefore unable to reserve seats for the redemption flight more than 24 hrs in advance. This makes me nervous as I (maybe falsely?) believe that reserved seats and a higher BAEC status would make us less likely of being bumped off the flight or downgraded from CW.
I had planned to get both my wife and me up to Bronze or Silver prior to the July departure so that we could select seats for free (7 days only for Bronze) but that hasn't happened due to a variety of reasons in the first few months of this year. I have now identified a period where I may be able to get myself onto a TP run up to Silver over the next few months but my wife, while enjoying the fruits of a higher status, doesn't quite get the idea of spending less than 24 hrs in Phoenix, having routed via Bucharest to get there. So I'll be going alone, if at all.
So my question is: if I managed to get myself up to either Bronze or Silver by the summer would I be able to reserve the seats for the redemption flight for all 4 of us or would I need to get both my wife to Bronze or Silver as well? I can reserve the seats for £340 now as a Blue member but, as I am likely to complete a bit of long-haul for work over 4Q19-2Q20, I'd rather put that money towards a TP run and improve my lot when travelling for work as well. My TP year ends 08 Nov 19.
I appreciate any advice offered.