BA Seat Selection Issues for AA Flyers (archive through 2019)
 

What is the access to premium seats on BA supposed to be for an AA Plat? I am a recent Plat from completing a challenge from CO.

Since I made plat, I have had one intra-Europe leg and one TATL leg on BA, ticketed as AA. I snagged an exit row seat at no extra charge on the intra-Europe leg, and got upgraded to World Traveller Plus without asking on the TATL leg.

Now, on another flight, I get the exit rows okay at no cost on the intra-Europe legs but the BA site wants 60 quid to give me an exit row seat, which is open. Should they do that?

http://www.britishairways.com/travel...g/public/en_us

• Executive Club Gold members, oneworld Emerald member equivalents and other passengers on the same booking can request an exit row seat free of charge, at any time before the flight.
• Exit row seats can be pre-assigned at a cost of £50, €60 or US$75 per person per sector. This fee will be converted into local currency where applicable.

So, it appears correct that you were asked to pay the fee for pre-assigned exit row seat

IIRC, PLT can reserve seats in advance with no fee (others have to pay a fee), but certain seats (exits among them) are excluded for free PLT access.

Cheers.

Perhaps AA should consider taking the privilege of exit row seating away from mid- to low-tier BA elites, then.

AA is generous with exit row seats for all elites (GLD, PLT, EXP and their respective OW elite levels). However BA offers free exit row seats only to their Gold elites (equivalent to AA EXP). As an AA EXP, ou can pre-select BA exit row seats.

I agree. This is just one of the many inequities within OW.
QF does not respect luggage allowance of AA Plat/OW Sapphire, for example.
AA should not reciprocate to QF elites either.

**Regarding seat selection and as others have mentioned, that is correct.
BA policy:
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...y/public/en_gb

As a AA PLAT (OW Sapphire), exit rows are free on EuroTraveler (Intra-European coach) but there is a charge for exit rows on WORLDTraveler (TATL coach).

**The Upgrade on a TATL for free happens but it is VERY RARE. I am EXP and have flown TATL BA numerous times and I have yet to receive an OpUpg (operational upgrade/ free upgrade without requesting) on a TATL flight.

Well, I guess that means trying to fly AA metal on TATL legs. Good to know.

I disagree. AA should fight at oneworld for the introduction of a golden rule: all elite benefits apply equally to all oneworld elites.

This screw-my-partner's customer mentality within oneworld can only weaken the alliance (see, for example, Star's alliance-wide bag policy for elites).

Then you can wave goodbye to domestic upgrades and to systemwide upgrades. If all benefits of status offered, had to be offered by all the carriers, then benefits like that would go the way of the dodo

OW does have defined benefits which are offered across the alliance; there is no reason why individual carriers should not have extra benefits to their own members

FWIW I had two TATL flights on BA in Nov. As a PLT i booked exit row seats with the expectation I would be charged but never was. I entered my payment info but they never charged me. Not sure if this was a fluke or system issue. I had no problem in my travels either with checking in.

It's not exactly that BA denies the privilege to AA Golds and Platinums. BA treats other OW elites as it treats its own; BA Silvers (OW sapphire) have access to free seating other than exit rows, and BA applies the *same* rule to other OW sapphires. AA grants the privelege to its Golds and Platinums, and hence it extends the same to other OW sapphires.

Just got back from lengthy trip from U.S. to Asia via LHR on BA. I can confirm that exit row seat selection was available to AA Plat on both legs for 60 quid. I was a bit put off by the fee, but in the end I was able to select a bulkhead seat in the center row of seats (immediately adjacent to the exit row seats). I have to say I was fairly comfortable in this seat - lots of leg room, can rest feet on bulkhead, first meal/drink service in cabin, etc. And, wonderful parents to my right on one of the legs who did a great job with their infant son (if these parents were not so attentive, perhaps my reaction to the trip would be different). These seats, although not exit row, were essential in making this super-long trip more comfortable (and thank goodness for the lounge access in between!). Overall, not too bad of an experience...

Just wanted to add that as a OW Sapphire, I was asked to pay GBP 50 for exit row seats, which I declined.

Flying AA metal is a much better experience than BA as a AA plat or OW Sapphire

Ah, but if exit row seats were free, then maybe they would have been taken already and so not available for selection

Better to have an exit seat available for a cost than no choice , surely?

It makes sense , imo, to offer these seats at a premium cost due to their desirability and if I was to fly economy, would make BA a better choice since ime when I book, AA exit seats are already taken