Then people are weak! Joking!!!! I would ask in such a way that no one felt they had to move. I have refused requests before for middle seats. Would offer the aisle rather than middle. We will see what happens.

No movement yet. Interesting thoughts though which if correct should give check in staff more options to move them

Good luck anyway and I hope you enjoy your trip. Please let us know the outcome however it turns out.

Aren't families assigned seats for free shortly before OLCI opens? That could explain the recent movement in the seat map.

No, it's three days before. So it wouldn't explain movement just before OLCI opens. I reckon that angatol's thought is more likely to be correct.

Yes, that's definitely possible, particularly if there is a large family or tour group, however seacow also had a few hours advantage too. Las Vegas is a more O&D (point to point) route than NYC or ORD or LAX, so I wouldn't expect that to explain the whole story. I think a lot of WT upgrades have happened already.

I happen to agree with you.

After a few decades travelling business and first when you had your pick of seats on a first come first served, it was a bit flummoxing when BA began charging for advance seat selection for premium tickets held by non-status folks.

But I quickly came to realize it was a pretty nice offer for me (now a non-status pleb due to being retired) to even be ABLE to reserve a seat at all--even for a fee. Because I'm a truly insignificant ant in the BA loyalty scheme. Repeat business gets BA's attention; not stumping up the cost of a CW two or three times a year.

But their seat fee at least gives one a choice, without status. Pay and reserve, or take pot luck.

But I know full well if I take pot luck I may end up in the worst seat in the cabin. because so many folks have status with BA and other OWs. So I deal in realities here, not what ifs and what maybes and oh other airlines don't do it this way. BA does. That's the deal.

As for folks who still try to "rely on the kindess of strangers" in their Blanche Dubois moments, it's becoming less likely folks will change seats.

I've been asked once or twice lately when it was clear folks took pot luck and didn't pay up for seat selection and didn't like their seats--so they were trying a bit of blagging.

I've found cabin crew to be very nice about this; I very quietly and politely say "I paid the seat selection fee this trip, so I'd really rather not change if that's all right." Unless it's a crisis, the cabin crew I've dealt with have been very nice and moved on.

If you do buy reservations and an UuA becomes available, you can get your seat reservation fee refunded. Just fill out the form within 14 days of doing the UuA.

Well at EDI and the flight is oversold so still no movement. Will try again at LHR.

I would be really surprised if the person next to my middle seat paid for it, especially 2 days before but you never know.

Lesson learned as I said before. This wasn't really about good or bad seats more seats together and stupidly I never thought we would be split up!! Older and wiser will see what happens down south.

Have a mull about whether you want to offer to go via Denver or JFK in return for a big bag of money....... You'd need to tell customer service by gate 15 in T5 if that was a go-er for you. There is W and (nudge nudge) J availability on both routings, however Denver to LAS is one class economy and get in at 21:38.

And DEN immigration is usually a breeze compared to LAX.

Which airline connects to DEN-LAS with BA? I've always had to do DEN-LAX-LAS if staying with oneworld.

Frontier, which isn't oneworld, so indeed it's usually needs an irrop for BA to re-route on to that, but if they looking at a lot of involuntary denied boarding they may respond to the suggestion. DEN is better than LAS too for customs and immigration; JFK perhaps not as good.

Hey guys. Well it all worked out fine. The guy next to me didn't care less where he sat, had a few drinks as well but worked out fine. Just watching fountains at bellagio in the room!! Thanks for all the tips along the way. Flight was good but highlife went on fritz twice in the first couple of hours. Grrrrr

Welcome to Vegas, I hope you have a great time there and I'm so pleased it worked out for you, dodgy IFE or not (though two meltdowns in 9 hours is probably par for the course). And enjoy the anniversary....