So I have wondered for a long time on ba.com's seating policy when it says "passengers with certain disabilities" can pre-select seats at any time...


We were flying my 84 year old granfather to the US to spend Christmas with us and he can no longer walk far at all unassisted and requires a wheelchair when traveling. I called up to request if it would be possible to open up a seat for him, as he needs to be right next to the bathroom/aisle on a long-haul flight, and during the busy Christmas season I knew this would be hard.(I explained the situation and called five seperate times).. It went as followed.

Call 1: Can't be done... have to wait till Online-check in
Call 2: It can be done but I would have to fax BA a doctors note confirming the situation.
Call 3: Wouldent talk to me, said she had to talk to my granfather, now he lives 4,000 miles away and doubt he could navigate BA's telephone system, even if i tele-confrenced he'd still be pretty confused.
Call 4: Said it can be done and that she has to send it off to the seating department, would take a few days.... nothing happened.
Call 5: No problem, what seat would he like? A few minutes later I had him an aisle right by the loo

Now I know diffrent airlines have different policys, but this is pretty crazy, why couldn't I have been given a straitfoward answer. Don't get me wrong, Im pleased with the results, but BA needs to train there telephone reps. much better. I dread to think what response I would get if he ever comes over again.