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

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

Old Jul 4, 2019, 4:17 pm
  #316  
 
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I read through several pages and see lots of chatter about trying to select seats for free on a BA flight booked via AA. I couldn’t find my specific situation—sorry if I missed it.

I’m looking to book a cash Economy Basic flight on BA metal via AA (AUS-LHR), and want to pay to select seats now (I’m only an AA Gold, and want to be sure to get the twin seats). If I get my BA PNR, and access Manage my Booking on the BA website, will I be able to pay to select those seats?

I just want to confirm that BA Manage my Booking allows paid seat selection when you booked via AA, and not just elite status seat selection.

Thanks!
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Old Jul 5, 2019, 2:46 pm
  #317  
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Originally Posted by krzysz
It seems to me there is an issue with BA flights booked as AA-codeshares, which in turn are preceded by AA-operated flights, booked on AA, for example PHX-PHL-LHR(AA)-TXL(BA). While checking in for the first AA flight, I was assigned a random seat on the BA flight. There was no way to change it or access the seat map of the BA flight on ba.com after check-in any more, not even 24 hours before the departure of the BA flight. On landing at LHR I approached BA crew at the transfer desk, asked for a different seat, but the flight was full. Is that a well-known glitch? Is there a known solution?
I'm in a similar situation coming up with an AA-operated flight preceding a BA-operated flight out of LHR. My plan is to pull up my res on the BA site AND after the OLCI window opens and try selecting a seat without actually checking in since I'll probably need to OLCI on aa.com anyway since I begin with AA. I noticed on the BA site that it says I can OLCI at T-24 before my AA flight departs (not the BA flight). Hopefully this works...I'll know in a few weeks
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Old Sep 8, 2019, 11:34 am
  #318  
 
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Question “This flight does not permit seat selection” AA tix & BA, IB seats

AA booked Business award seats from Spain to US put me on IB and BA. Using the IB locator code given me by AA shows flights confirmed but won’t let me select seats, five days prior to departure. Any suggestions?
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Old Sep 8, 2019, 11:41 am
  #319  
 
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What elite status do you have with AA, BA or IB? Even in J, BA won't let you select seats for free in advance unless you're on a full fare ticket or have certain oneworld elite status. Otherwise, you can pick a seat at check-in. See https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...ving-your-seat.

But, you should be able to buy a seat selection if you want at britishairways.com with the BA record locator.
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Old Sep 8, 2019, 11:42 am
  #320  
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happened to me when I booked IB a few weeks ago ord-mad-prg.

I tweeted AA and they had selected my seats within 5 minutes. Further confirmation was seen by going onto IB.com and viewing my itinerary with the IB PNR.
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Old Sep 8, 2019, 2:45 pm
  #321  
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Originally Posted by worldwidetraveler
AA booked Business award seats from Spain to US put me on IB and BA.
Using the IB locator code given me by AA shows flights confirmed but won’t let me select seats, five days prior to departure.
Any suggestions?
Any of the flights with a BA flight number?
With BA you need mid tier status to select business class seat. Otherwise a fee to select a business class seat
Closer to departure (24 hrs?) seat selection becomes free

The AA forum BA seat thread:---->BA Seat Selection Issues for AA Flyers - charges, seating, award, etc.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...s-baggage.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...-aa-miles.html
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 1:36 am
  #322  
 
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Thanks all for the feedback. First flight on the itinerary has an IB flight number, connecting to BA numbered flights.
At Iberia.com, couldn’t select seats either. Guess I’ll wait to the 24 hour mark for check in. Never had this problem selecting Business Class seats on other airlines!
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 2:12 am
  #323  
 
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Originally Posted by worldwidetraveler
Thanks all for the feedback. First flight on the itinerary has an IB flight number, connecting to BA numbered flights.
At Iberia.com, couldn’t select seats either. Guess I’ll wait to the 24 hour mark for check in. Never had this problem selecting Business Class seats on other airlines!
I have a BA Avios booked trip coming up at the end of the month, and have found no way of selecting seats for IB online [even trying AY, RJ, QF sites which sometimes work]. I asked BA to do it on one call - that only seemed to stick for one flight, in the end my partner called IB and that seems to have stuck.

BA may have a different record locator to IB too [IB ones are five characters, BA six] and both are different to AA as they are all on different systems I believe. So you may need to root around some more to find the BA one if you don't already have it [sometimes the BA one will work for bringing up the itinerary on IB.com but for me at least never had any functionality to speak of].

Bottom line: if you're keen to select a seat due to availability/preferences you'll probably need to get on the blower.
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 2:44 am
  #324  
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Originally Posted by worldwidetraveler
Thanks all for the feedback. First flight on the itinerary has an IB flight number, connecting to BA numbered flights.
At Iberia.com, couldn’t select seats either. Guess I’ll wait to the 24 hour mark for check in. Never had this problem selecting Business Class seats on other airlines!
who operates the flights though?

you can have an IB flight number on BA metal and vice versa. Ditto with AA flight numbers on BA metal.


if it’s BA operated then it’s either free if you have status or pay if you don’t or wait until OLCI and it
l be free.
if the
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 6:52 am
  #325  
 
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Originally Posted by enviroian
happened to me when I booked IB a few weeks ago ord-mad-prg.

I tweeted AA and they had selected my seats within 5 minutes. Further confirmation was seen by going onto IB.com and viewing my itinerary with the IB PNR.
I followed your suggestion & tweeted AA. They were able to get a desired seat assignment on IB but could not help me with BA flights seat assignments. Said I should attempt BA seat assignments at the airport!
I will try again at 24 hour checkin.
wonder why AA and BA aren’t better coordinated? Especially when one is traveling “Business Class”.
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 6:57 am
  #326  
 
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BA does not allow seat selection in advance, even in Business Class, unless you have certain oneworld elite status, buy a full-fare J ticket, or pay extra to reserve a seat. What elite status do you have?
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 6:57 am
  #327  
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If you are travelling on BA, then unless you either hold OW status or have a booking in J or C class, then , prior to check in, you need to pay for seat assignment in business class

Award bookings in business class book into U class, so are ineligible for complimentary seat assignment

Not a systems issue there, just a cash issue
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 7:17 am
  #328  
 
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Originally Posted by USFlyerUS
BA does not allow seat selection in advance, even in Business Class, unless you have certain oneworld elite status, buy a full-fare J ticket, or pay extra to reserve a seat. What elite status do you have?
Am a retiree, no longer have status on any airline! The “fees” when traveling thru the BA hub at LHR are very high when compared to other European hubs/airlines.
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 7:35 am
  #329  
 
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Originally Posted by worldwidetraveler
Am a retiree, no longer have status on any airline!
That's why then. It's a BA policy to not allow seat selection except under limited circumstances.
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 7:38 am
  #330  
 
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This is a known problem flying Iberia when it isn't booked directly thought IB. I has this problem a few weeks ago where I booked ORD to MAD on an AA codeshare. It gave me the same message. I'm EXP. I just couldn't select a seat. AA twitter couldn't help me. Luckily my connecting flight was delayed into ORD and got rerouted JFK to MAD. But IB has an awful system. Even the Finnair/RJ trick doesn't work sometimes.
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