Pay for Seat Selection on BA international business class?
#77
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: LCY
Programs: BAEC Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,208
One exception is that if you are disabled, you can call customer services to book assistance at the airport and reserve a seat while you're doing it. You might have to give some details to substantiate your request and, of course, exit rows will be off limits.
#78
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 86
Under this reasoning, why wont BA charge $950 for advanced seat reservation in business ?
According to the threads mentioned above, most of the cabin is occupied anyways by passengers with BA status who are exempt, and according to the same threads, there are numerous passengers without status who are really annoyed by the additional fee - so if BA charges more, those with status will feel a lot better for the money the benefit saved them, and those without status who wouldn't spend $200 to purchase the option, will anyways not spend $950 - so Its a win win
According to the threads mentioned above, most of the cabin is occupied anyways by passengers with BA status who are exempt, and according to the same threads, there are numerous passengers without status who are really annoyed by the additional fee - so if BA charges more, those with status will feel a lot better for the money the benefit saved them, and those without status who wouldn't spend $200 to purchase the option, will anyways not spend $950 - so Its a win win
#79
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: LCY
Programs: BAEC Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,208
Under this reasoning, why wont BA charge $950 for advanced seat reservation in business ?
According to the threads mentioned above, most of the cabin is occupied anyways by passengers with BA status who are exempt, and according to the same threads, there are numerous passengers without status who are really annoyed by the additional fee - so if BA charges more, those with status will feel a lot better for the money the benefit saved them, and those without status who wouldn't spend $200 to purchase the option, will anyways not spend $950 - so Its a win win
According to the threads mentioned above, most of the cabin is occupied anyways by passengers with BA status who are exempt, and according to the same threads, there are numerous passengers without status who are really annoyed by the additional fee - so if BA charges more, those with status will feel a lot better for the money the benefit saved them, and those without status who wouldn't spend $200 to purchase the option, will anyways not spend $950 - so Its a win win
#81
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,813
Can't argue with saving $3,000, but the UA option comes with a few hours in a domestic F seat, a connection and (if pmUA) arguably the worst fully-flat seat in the sky.
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
One might also well argue that it is better to charge $7000 so that only those that are that desperate to get a seat assignment have to pay $7200. Also, those with status that want seat assignments are saving $200 since they can get the assignment free of charge
Charge $7200 - all have to pay it
Charge $7000 without assignment, then can save $200
Charge $7200 - all have to pay it
Charge $7000 without assignment, then can save $200
Charge $7000 - all have to pay it
Charge $6800 without food, then can save $200.
And so on.
In many markets you will find the following:
Charge $7000 on BA - and have to pay $200, often not reimbursable, for seat assignment or risk being next to galley
Charge $7000 on another airline - and get seat assignment
#85
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
Almost no-one I know uses BA back to the UK and the seat fee is always one of the things mentioned when asked why.
Last edited by 1010101; Aug 29, 2013 at 1:22 am
#86
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,548
I expect that they have analysed it over time . I expect that most people do not have ocd over seating really don't overly care about selecting seats in advance. Those that do can get a better selection of seats
#87
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: UK
Programs: Tufty Club (Gold), BAGA Gymnastics level 4, 440yds swimming certificate
Posts: 2,533
Yeah I'm with DaveNoble on this. Its been like this for long enough now for those BA Accountants to have effectively performed their cost benefit analysis on the approach and confirmed it to be the right approach for BA.
#88
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Ether
Programs: Some, not all.
Posts: 1,595
Which is exactly the argument the LCCs use - only pay for what you use. Does BA really want to be seen in the same camp as Ryanair? It's one thing to pay a seat assignment fee on a €10 fare, quite another on a business class fare.
#89
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Gold, TG Gold, HHonors Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 8,665
In its own way, BA is trying to show it rewards loyalty. It either makes its profits through customer loyalty or seat selection fees.
This policy has been in place for several years now BA has reported an increase in its premium traffic over the past two years so something must be working.
#90
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,548
I really think that overall it is a minor thing and that most people just don't care and those with status a full fare or ocd can get assignments if desired