Seat Selection Nightmare

Old Oct 4, 2013, 2:23 am
  #1  
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Seat Selection Nightmare

I am really quite annoyed and upset!

Wife and I are booked to Vegas tomorrow in WTP - appears to be fully booked flight. After paying top dollar I was not happy at paying an extra £70 to ensure we sit together. Been checking all week and loads of seats open - look this morning just before check in opens and only 2 left - front row but not together!!

I am nearly Bronze and will be after the connecting flight from EDI tomorrow and then Silver by end of November - so I will select my seats for the return leg as soon as we get to Vegas!

So my plan is not to check in on line but do at the airport tomorrow and express my upset at our anniverary trip being ruined etc. Worst case hopefully someone wouldn't mind moving!!

So maybe I was cheap etc etc but this paying for seat selection is a bit Ryan Air to me!! Am I taking the right approach?

Also as my EDI-LHR is J am I right in thinking I can use the business check in desk?
seacow is offline  
Old Oct 4, 2013, 2:28 am
  #2  
 
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You might find the bassinets are empty, they will be released at checkin (actually they are released 3 days before but you have to call to get them) do check in but do not print your boarding passes as then you can keep going back online to see if there are any better seats, nice printed you can't. Finally don't use Ba app on phone/iPad to check as you then can't change seats, use BA.com
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Old Oct 4, 2013, 2:33 am
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You might find when OLCI opens, that there are more seats available to choose from than currently appear for you to pay for.

This happened to us on a J GLA-LHR-LAS trip last year. Although the upper deck appeared full, when OLCI opened, magically a couple of pairs were free upstairs.

DO make sure you check in online as soon as you possibly can. If you don't get the seats you want, you can still ask for help at the airport.

Have a great trip, and good luck!
zafiragirl is offline  
Old Oct 4, 2013, 2:33 am
  #4  
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Originally Posted by joejet
You might find the bassinets are empty, they will be released at checkin (actually they are released 3 days before but you have to call to get them) do check in but do not print your boarding passes as then you can keep going back online to see if there are any better seats, nice printed you can't. Finally don't use Ba app on phone/iPad to check as you then can't change seats, use BA.com
Thanks Joejet - its only the bassinet seats that are left open!! I will keep checking through the day and see if anything changes but is there any benefit to me actually checking in now?
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Old Oct 4, 2013, 2:35 am
  #5  
 
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At the end of the day its the risk you take by not pre-booking a seat.

I suggest you go through the online checkin process to see if any of the seats have opened up, and if not cancel the checkin and do it at the airport, but its unlikely BA will have pity on you as its your own risk
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Old Oct 4, 2013, 2:38 am
  #6  
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Originally Posted by seacow
... So maybe I was cheap etc etc but this paying for seat selection is a bit Ryan Air to me!! Am I taking the right approach?
When you reach Silver you will appreciate BA's seating policy
Tobias-UK is offline  
Old Oct 4, 2013, 2:40 am
  #7  
 
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The rationale for BA's free seat selection structure has been endlessly discussed on FT so I won't rehearse the pros and cons. It suits a lot of customers and not others.

People who aren't eligible for free seat selection have a choice. If having a particular seat is important to you, it can be guaranteed by paying the fee. if it's not that critical, you can choose from what's available at check-in. Your reluctance to pay outweighed your preference for particular seats and unfortunately it turns out you made a bad judgement call on that. Perhaps not surprising given that the WT+ cabin is so small.

Given where you are now, I would still check in online at T-24 rather than leaving it to the airport. Other seats may have been freed up.

re. EDI-LHR. If your onward flight is in WT+, as you seem to be saying, then that's not eligible for business check-in, lounges etc.
fripperies is offline  
Old Oct 4, 2013, 2:45 am
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You may well find that there are plenty of seats available when check in opens. I had the same issues on my flight to JFK last week. Two days before the flight almost every decent seat in club was showing as booked so I forked out£65 to get the last remaining window seat (the only other seats left were the doubles in the middle).

Lo and behold, come online check in opening there were loads of seats to choose from, including all those previously showing as booked. To be honest I was a bit miffed but at least I got a decent seat I guess.

So don't worry too much, you may find that not all seats are taken when you come to check in.
tinytraveller is offline  
Old Oct 4, 2013, 2:46 am
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Originally Posted by stickyfingers85
I suggest you go through the online checkin process to see if any of the seats have opened up, and if not cancel the checkin and do it at the airport, but its unlikely BA will have pity on you as its your own risk
There is a slight risk with this strategy though; if the flight is oversold in WT+ and above you could end up being downgraded or even bumped . Unlikely as it is I'm not sure I'd take the risk.

I also wouldn't bet on someone moving, unless they are in an even worse seat, and if neither of you can convince someone either side of you to move that means that at least two people would have to move to accommodate you both.

If you do end up apart, try to forget it and enjoy your holiday.
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Old Oct 4, 2013, 2:50 am
  #10  
 
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Seat Selection Nightmare

The best way to approach it is to add the cost of seat selection to the fare. If you would still have paid that price then book them. If not then don't.
highpeaklad is offline  
Old Oct 4, 2013, 2:53 am
  #11  
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Originally Posted by seacow
Thanks Joejet - its only the bassinet seats that are left open!! I will keep checking through the day and see if anything changes but is there any benefit to me actually checking in now?
Yes, someone else might check in before you and grab the front row seats - you being left with 2 middle seats in 2 different rows!
Tobias-UK is offline  
Old Oct 4, 2013, 2:56 am
  #12  
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Most important advice: Do not let this relatively small issue spoil your holiday in the USA.

Step 1: When OLCI opens see if there are any pairs available.

Step 2: If no pairs are available, do not select a seat and cancel check in.

Step 3: Check again on the morning of your flight since some people might have cancelled or moved - if there are pairs then select them and proceed as normal, if not cancel check in.

Step 4: Proceed to airport and see if they can help you there.

Step 5: See if you can swap onboard.

Step 6: If nothing is possible, take your individual seats and look forward to your time together in the USA - not sitting together on a plane represents only a few hours of your life and I would not let it spoil the holiday.

Finally: to avoid future disappointment, pay now for ASR on the way back!
Sixth Freedom is offline  
Old Oct 4, 2013, 3:04 am
  #13  
 
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You will be able to use the lounge in Edinburgh but not in London as your domestic leg will state Business UK on the BP. I don't know about the check in line for non-status flyers.

Good luck with the seats, I have a feeling it will work out OK.
crazy8534 is offline  
Old Oct 4, 2013, 3:06 am
  #14  
 
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Originally Posted by Tobias-UK
When you reach Silver you will appreciate BA's seating policy
Cannot agree more. The BA seating policy is great for Silvers, and even better for Golds.

I would be very annoyed if people on the cheap advance purchase fares are selecting the best seats for free in advance, when those booking later on much more expensive fares get shifted to the back of the cabin.
rossmacd is offline  
Old Oct 4, 2013, 3:11 am
  #15  
 
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One advantage you do have is that you will be checking in T24 from your EDI flight whereas those commencing their trip from LHR will do OLCI some hours later.

From past experiences, I suspect some seats will open up for you - enjoy your trip.
passy777 is offline  

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