satish_ny: Like most, I have no problem reserving seat numbers on other airlines (subject to the usual caveats). With BA, you can request aisle or window, but not row (therefore not seat number).

This is important, because BA's European flights have flexible seating, typically five across (2 + 3) in business and six across (3 + 3) in economy. The number of rows can vary, and the seats adapt appropriately.

Example, Monday morning LHR-BRU and Friday evening BRU-LHR flights are almost exclusively business class, while Wednesday lunchtime flights may be mainly economy.

I understand the configuration is decided a day or two before the flight. Therefore, it is impossible to reserve seat row numbers in advance. But this apparently is the offer being made on that annoying pop-up.

Nick: Reading your posts made me wonder, just for a moment, if BA had indeed offered an enhanced service without announcing it elsewhere.

I went into an existing booking and clicked on 'Add/update meal & seat requirements'. Sure enough, I could select window or aisle and even seafood, but not row.

And that's the point.

So if you 'look forward to (my) unreservedly congratulating BA on this well planned service enhancement' (your words), you may be somewhat premature.