Originally Posted by
stifle
Purchasing seat assignments for travel agent bookings is only supposed to be possible when the booking is ticketed. Free assignments are fine if you are so entitled. Apparently it is because if the TA doesn't go ahead and ticket the booking, refunding the seat fee gets messy.
If you have a direct booking or a travel agency booking you cant book paid seats or extra baggage without a ticket being issued. EMDs (electronic documents issued if you pay for extra baggage or seating) need to be linked to a ticket number and without one will fail to issue.
If an EMD isnt issued its the same scenario as when tickets fail to issue, the funds will drop back to your account. So rather than the issue being refunds BA wouldnt receive payment in the first instance.
Free seating will work on unticketed bookings because it doesnt require EMDs to be issued.