Sixth Freedom

I agree too. And it is worth noting that the current policy offers the best of both worlds.

You don't care where you sit: no problem.

You do care where you sit and hold status: good selection of seats available, even close to departure

You do care where you sit and do not hold status: good selection of seats available, even close to departure, if you pay a trivial amount of money more

You are Swanhunter: you book LHR-HKG when the flight is full of Golds and Silvers on holiday and booking far ahead, you book at the last minute and end up in 17E - you are unlucky!

A P Yu

If someone has paid $7k for a ticket then they are probably on a flexible ticket which gets free selection anyway.
These complaints more frequently come from people who have paid around $3k who want to be treated like they have spent $7k.

Sixth Freedom

Indeed ... but there are some cases where R and D fares are extremely expensive. For example:

R class to LAX, booking 4 weeks out = GBP 3,825.45 = USD 5,958.64
D class to LAX, booking 2 weeks out = GBP 6,321.45 = USD 9,846.49

Neither of these fares include complementary ASR.

LupineChemist

The issue as I see it is who is paying. My employer paying $X thousand for a seat doesn't really affect me. Me having to pay $200 from my own pocket for a work trip would get under my skin. It may be trivial but corporate logic is an oxymoron. I could see something like "sign up for BAEC for a year of free selection!" As a way to entice people and encourage status.

jerrys

I just wanted to point out the fact that what looks like a very small issue ($200 extra for $7,000 ticket) - does, for some people, get out of proportion to the point they will not book with BA due to this.

Same thing with UA not providing meals on Business for some flights. EWR-MIA may have meal service in the morning and evening but not in between, though tickets cost the same (Again, in Business!!).

This is just how people are, and in a competitive market - companies like BA need to be aware of this.

If everybody else where doing this - fine, but since its not the case, I'm sure BA can find a better way to benefit their Elite flyers then penalize newcomers.

bibbju

I agree with this as I'm one of those people. I don't think BA's ticket prices are particularly competitive (I can pretty much always get a better deal than BA flying HKG-LON return) so then asking for an additional $200 to reserve a seat is just taking the michael. I don't have status with BA and I'm not willing to pay a series of additional $200 seat fees to earn that status. I'll stick to Star Alliance and Emirates where I can choose my seat (for free!) when I book my flight.

lizban

I'm sure that the beancounters have worked out that the revenue received outweighs any lost business.

I'm also aware that some people really like it.

I am equally aware that it creates a lot of ill feeling about BA.

I am however 100% convinced that whinging here won't change it.

Blueboys999

I'd want to be treated like I'd spent a significant sum and, in my book, $3k falls easily into that category. I suspect that around 99% of the population have never paid even half that for an airline ticket.

You are indeed fortunate if it amounts to small change for you.

rapidex

This is BA's way of ensuring good seats remain freely available for elite FFers,who may well book at short notice.This policy is a big advantage to Gold and Silver card holders,me included,has been debated at length and is not going to change.
If a few infrequent flyers get upset by this,then United are welcome to the crumbs from the table.BA revenue management certainly know which side their bread is buttered on.

angatol

.....

jerrys

There is a very very long list of airlines who no longer exists, and this is a continuous trend throughout the years - so I think one should be careful in assuming the executives of an airline really know what they are doing (Really SilverJet ? business class only flights )

I looked at the BA financial reports (2012), and while I'm not an accountant or qualified to analyze them - I do see they report a loss after tax of 100,000,000 pound!

I'm qualified however to report that they just lost $7,000 of revenue from my business due to this stupid $200 fee.

Kgmm77

Complete non-sequitur.

BA revenue management know nothing (or as close to as nothing) about people who chose to fly on competitors because of this.

Also, focusing only on your current frequent fliers is a surefire way of ensuring that you go out of business. The only uncertainty is when that will happen.

I've no strong feelings about the seat charge itself, but simply stating "BA revenue management knows best" is also adding very little to the debate.

jerrys

I'm with Star Alliance, so usually will book via their airlines, but:
1. I already got my Gold status with *Alliance for next year so not care about extra qualified miles too much.
2. BA direct to London was the natural selection for schedule
3. I thought i could use some more Avios (But this is a discussion for another thread...)

However, BA schedule would have saved me 8 hours in total, from which only 3-4 really matters for lost of 'business' time or scheduling. So any which way i look at it now, the $3,000 in excess is not worth it ($300-900$/hour - you do the math).

Regarding cancellation fee: Nothing! since it was done in less the 24 hours from booking the ticket.

It just goes to show that people (including me) will make some irrational decisions in their purchasing patterns. BA almost got me this time

muscat

But you could have flown Economy, arrived at the same time, and saved your company (and shareholders) even more money. @:-)

jerrys

For the sake of this conversation I'm comparing apples to apples, otherwise there is no end to it (I can also swim and save a ton more, or give up my salary and make my shareholders happier).