Originally Posted by
aztimm
I've never had free seat selection at time of booking, but I've been able to select seats after getting my confirmation from BA.
Book through BA (or the AARP portal), don't select seats because the system will charge a fee. After you get the confirmation, click through and select seats. Then monitor them periodically, as the aircraft type can change, especially if your travel is further out.
I think we both are talking about the same thing here
Whether the seat selection takes place precisely "at the time of booking" or immediately after booking is pretty much immaterial. The net result is that the OP can choose seats for free as a result of their EXP status. They don't need to pay. Depending on the specifics of the booking (e.g. booking BA operated flights via AA's website) it may need to be done as a distinct step after the tickets are issued - but they are still not chargeable.