Pay for Seat Selection on BA international business class?
Apr 29, 2018, 2:57 pm
#571
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I totally agree with your statements.
The point I am trying to make is that the fee has very little to do with protecting the better seats for status holders.
I have just done a dummy booking in March as a guest on to Beijing on the 5th and returning on the 12th in business.
I can select any of the seats in the business cabin (every one is available on both legs).
Row 6 is priced at £76
Rows 7,10 & 11 are £69
Rows 12 & 13 are £62
If forking out for a business seat and paying to choose a seat, £14 more expensive is not going to stop me picking a better seat.
The point I am trying to make is that the fee has very little to do with protecting the better seats for status holders.
I have just done a dummy booking in March as a guest on to Beijing on the 5th and returning on the 12th in business.
I can select any of the seats in the business cabin (every one is available on both legs).
Row 6 is priced at £76
Rows 7,10 & 11 are £69
Rows 12 & 13 are £62
If forking out for a business seat and paying to choose a seat, £14 more expensive is not going to stop me picking a better seat.
The differential pricing may well stop others who don't want to pay any more than is necessary for what they're trying to achieve: perhaps paying for seats only because they want to make sure that they as a couple are sitting together, or in order to get a window seat without caring which window seat it is.
The overall effect of the policy, including all its permutations and refinements, does have the overall effect that decent seats are available to status passengers even when they are booking late in the selling cycle. And that is the fundamental point.
Apr 29, 2018, 3:48 pm
#572
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The point I am trying to make is that the fee has very little to do with protecting the better seats for status holders.
[...]
Row 6 is priced at £76
Rows 7,10 & 11 are £69
Rows 12 & 13 are £62
If forking out for a business seat and paying to choose a seat, £14 more expensive is not going to stop me picking a better seat.
[...]
Row 6 is priced at £76
Rows 7,10 & 11 are £69
Rows 12 & 13 are £62
If forking out for a business seat and paying to choose a seat, £14 more expensive is not going to stop me picking a better seat.
Apr 29, 2018, 5:40 pm
#573
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Aberdeenshire
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 153
But that is not £14, it is effectively £62 and above. And I think that most of us with status disagree with precisely your point and think that it is most certainly the fee which is protecting our seat choice as per the example I give above of my latest booking. Don't you think that if there was no fee, given that that cabin is sold out, someone else would have long booked that last window pair that I managed to get because of my status? I sure do, and I think that it is why the AF flight with a few seats for sale did not have a window per left for me with the exact same cabin configuration.
And I have already agreed that it is the overall cost that leads to few people choosing to pay that protects the seat selection for status passengers.
Its just that I disagree with a previous point it is designed to protect the best seats.
i.e £76 for the middle rear facing seat in row 6, or £62 for a rear facing window seat with direct isle access in row 13
Apr 29, 2018, 5:59 pm
#574
Join Date: Jun 2015
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I did say if paying to select a seat £14 is not going to stop me from picking a better seat, i.e £76 for the best - £62 for the other = £14 extra for the better seat.
And I have already agreed that it is the overall cost that leads to few people choosing to pay that protects the seat selection for status passengers.
Its just that I disagree with a previous point it is designed to protect the best seats.
i.e £76 for the middle rear facing seat in row 6, or £62 for a rear facing window seat with direct isle access in row 13
And I have already agreed that it is the overall cost that leads to few people choosing to pay that protects the seat selection for status passengers.
Its just that I disagree with a previous point it is designed to protect the best seats.
i.e £76 for the middle rear facing seat in row 6, or £62 for a rear facing window seat with direct isle access in row 13
£14 or even £2 across a family of 4 is going to stop many and therefore still leave the best seats (depending on all other factors, status, theoretical seating).
But then again seating is as complex as it seems...so maybe BA are on to something...
Apr 30, 2018, 12:23 pm
#575
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Aberdeenshire
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 153
Ah I am seeing a slightly different take here on your perception. But there is the clear message that cost is a barrier to all seats not just the best seats. BA price their seats based on the best (i.e row 1). Customers aren’t willing to pay $100 or $86 for seats regardless of where it is in the cabin. Unless it truely guarantees them seats together.
£14 or even £2 across a family of 4 is going to stop many and therefore still leave the best seats (depending on all other factors, status, theoretical seating).
But then again seating is as complex as it seems...so maybe BA are on to something...
I also think the bigger risk to seats being selected is from single business passengers picking there preferred window or aisle seat.
Last edited by Knickam; Apr 30, 2018 at 12:26 pm Reason: Additional comment
May 1, 2018, 7:18 am
#576
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: flyover country
Posts: 2,435
Another way to look at it is that BA is selling status, or at least a one-time partial benefit of status. Many corporations sell status or elements of status; apparently BA decided to jump on the bandwagon.
May 7, 2018, 1:31 pm
#577
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
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Posts: 6,367
I’m not sure if this is noted above or in a wiki (on mobile so cannot see) but I am AA EXP and was able to do this for my non status wife who is on a separate PNR on same flight in business class.
Aug 18, 2018, 10:37 am
#578
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: NYCEWR
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I am an AA EXP now and BA still says they can't give me a seat assignment on my BA metal AA codeshare flights in business. They told me to call AA who tried and can't do it. Any workarounds?
Last edited by TheCount2; Aug 18, 2018 at 10:57 am
Aug 18, 2018, 10:47 am
#579
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If it’s a ba operated flight you need to reserve seats with BA. Do you know you BA PNR? If so you should be able to go on BA.com MMB and do it.
Aug 18, 2018, 10:57 am
#580
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I have the BA PNR and first went to MMB and then called a BA CSR who said he couldn't do it. He told me to call AA. I guess HUCA tomorrow, several weeks until flight time.
Aug 18, 2018, 11:00 am
#581
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Aug 18, 2018, 11:47 am
#582
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
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I assume that your AAdvantage number is on the AA PNR and has propagated through to MMB, and that you achieved EXP before you made the booking. If not then you may need to have AA, and possibly BA, remove it and put it back. This may be the best thing to try in any case.
Aug 19, 2018, 1:08 pm
#583
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: NYCEWR
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I assume that your AAdvantage number is on the AA PNR and has propagated through to MMB, and that you achieved EXP before you made the booking. If not then you may need to have AA, and possibly BA, remove it and put it back. This may be the best thing to try in any case.
Aug 19, 2018, 2:39 pm
#584
Join Date: Sep 2013
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Jun 13, 2019, 1:36 pm
#585
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 345
select seats using BA Silver Status with AA Award?