JohnnyGraz

Is there any way to choose seats on an Aer Lingus flight booked with avios other than calling the AL reservation line? Hour in and I still haven't gotten anyone on the line. I am able to pull the reservation up on the Aer Lingus site using the BA reference number, but it won't allow me to make any changes. Any ideas ?

mikeyTbone

I'm pretty sure the only option is on the phone. If you can get someone on the line it's very easy to select seats. I've never had to wait that long on the phone with EI, so you might just try again later.

Pilot37

Easier to refresh an existing thread on this query, I assume the solution to select EI seats booked via BA on Avios is still to call EI? Also, does the person flying have to be of a certain BAEC status to select seats prior to 24hrs before departure?

Pilot37

ROKNA

Avios bookings are considered full fare Y tickets so seats can be requested anytime, status is irrelevant

EI offers free seat selection on TATL business and most Y fares

kyle1350

I just called EI to book seats on a EI Avios ticket. I was most definitely charged a fee to select my seats. The agent informed me my only other option was to have a seat assigned at check-in. Is this not the policy?

mccartje

A sizable proportion of seats in economy are charged for on EI (basically ones closer to the front so you can disembark quicker). You were probably charged for selecting these seats. If the flight is busy its possible all the 'free' seats have been taken leaving you with no option but to pay or wait till check in. Or on the phone the agent offered you the paid for seats automatically without informing of you the free ones and you went for it.

kyle1350

I definitely wasn't offered any free seats. I was told there was a charge to select any seat ($12) with the front seats at $20 and exit row at $25 (but don't quote me on the exit row price). I ended up paying the $20 for the front seats, which I wanted anyway, but was just surprised to see that seat selection should be free on avois bookings. Maybe US agents aren't as familiar with this policy? Or maybe there is a difference with EI avios and BA avios?

tangey

Without starting another thread, anyone know what the policy is for picking seats on EI redemption booked using UA miles ?

Earthman

I booked on an aer club avios account a business class seat to the states for a colleague
using the EI pnr it only allows API to be entered
for seat selection it says it’s a travel agent booking so contact the travel agent

Surely a business class avios seat selection doesn’t have to be paid for
previously there was an option to use a travel agent booking log in on Aerlingus.com that got you in and you could choose your TATL business class seat

is that gone?
if not is there a link
presumably the seat selection is free ?

thanks in advance folks

mccartje

Just got off the phone with EI about reserving seats on an Avios reward booking (2xEconomy MIA-DUB). I was able to reserve 2 seats for free in the back of the plane (row 37), was told the 'choice' seats closer to the front would be charged for. As I assumed would be the case so not sure what was going on with your booking, something to do with being based in the US possibly but I can't see why that would make a difference!

I would assume the seat selection is free for business class seat but you probably need to ring them up and quote your ticket number, guy last time didn't like me quoting my booking reference when it didn't start with a '2'!!


On another note, I couldn't add the API online (which I realised after I got off the phone with them). It brought up an error so looks like another phone call (with 10+ minute hold time) required. I also couldn't do a meal choice (for my other half) on the phone or online so next stop twitter (oh the joy).

EDIT: They were (via Twitter) able to add a vegetarian request for my partner but I couldn't book the special bia prebook meal option

FlightDetective

This is interesting, because it's a turnaround if so.

I booked with AerClub Avios for flights in February and when I called Aer Lingus they said to contact Avios to book the seats. I called Avios who said they were never able to book seats. Figured I'd got a rep who got it wrong and called Aer Lingus back. Next rep at Aer Lingus specifically said their management had instructed them not to book seats on Avios bookings and they'd get into trouble if they did so. Back to Avios where they said they'd see what they can do. A week later, no joy so I cancelled, received a refund for everything (which had been promised, so well done) and rebooked with BA instead.

Hopefully my moaning blogs about the hour I spent on the phone during four calls ping ponging between Avios and Aer Lingus and my follow up blog about how ludicrous it was not to be able to book seats on an AerClub Avios booking when that booking was on Aer Lingus was listened to. That being said, Avios said they'd escalate it as well as they thought it was strange themselves, so one way or another it seems to have been resolved.

I don't have any issue with paying, my issue at the time was the fact I couldn't book seats at all!

spc73

I booked three business class tickets to Toronto with Avios via the BA Call Centre. Neither the BA or Aer Lingus website would let me choose seats. However, I had a feint memory of being able to assign seats via Royal Jordanian and, lo, I pulled the details up on there, and was given the option to choose "SIT". I gambled and assumed that meant "seats"and was able to choose seats on both the outbound and inbound. It was a little fiddly but all seemed to work. My seat selections are now showing on the reservation.

Earthman

tangey

To answer my own question, I used twitter and DM-ed EI. The united website gave me the EI booking ref. After a little back and forth, the EI twitter team requested my preferred seats, which showed up on the EI manage my booking page immediately.

Earthman

Have you managed to add API ?
Twitter team told me that because avios is a THIRD PARTY booking,API can only be added at the airport

seriously,aer club is a third party to Aer Lingus ?

you couldn’t make this up