ba_cityflyer

Normal service resumed for me.

Woody12354

My LHR to GLA Sep 24 still exit rows are blocked. Let's hope it changes over the next few days/week.

It's the one benefit I really value, as well as the lounge (obviously)

essexadventurer

I'm gold and the exit rows are back for all our short haul economy flights:

Feb (more than 7 days out)
LHR to EDI 767
EDI to LCY E90

Mar
LHR to MUC 32A
MUC to LHR 319

Apr
LHR to CPH 320

benjyyy

OW Sapphire here and on my flights to and from BHD at the end of this month all exit row seats are unavailable

Dicksbits

Future flight searches are showing blocked exit rows in short haul Y for me. (Gold).

qwest01

It would seem that BA have changed the rules without telling us. For Silvers the benefits state: •free seat selection at the time of booking, whatever cabin you're travelling in, for everyone travelling with you in the same booking (except on hand baggage only fares and not including exit row seats on long haul flights)

Makes no mention of Except exit row seats. For me it is a struggle to retain silver and for short haul if I can't get an exit row when I book I might just as well go with EasyJet and pay their small fee for the exit row and priority boarding which is strictly enforced. Seems like a no brainer to me. Since on long haul we are always in CW, the silver benefits are negligible anyway. So I might as well look at QR and EK for travel to the East. They say that it is often the last straw that breaks the camel's back, well this small straw could be that one.

ginger50

I would have thought that the LCCs would want less people flying whereas BA would want fewer!

simonrp84

I made that decision about 6 months ago after a run of BA flights where I couldn't get an exit row. Haven't looked back since - it's saved me/my company money and, aside from one IRROPs case, the experience has been much more pleasant. Can do without the lounge.
As an aside, if you don't buy a seat on Easyjet then they tend to shove you in the 'free' seats first. So if, like me, you buy an up-front/exit seat then there's a very good chance (~70% for me) of a free seat next to you. Buy yourself a sandwich before boarding and it's better than CE!

Dicksbits

Take Gatwick for example: Stripping out the (useless) lounge and no exit seat in Y for Silver/Gold, together with small amounts of avios now acquired, then price becomes king. Norwegian and Easyjet come straight into play.

Vinotraveller

While I will continue to get silver each year, I do also use LCC's a lot for direct flights into Europe from EDI. It is true that being able to pay for a row one seat at the time of booking and having properly enforced priority boarding is a perk of using a budget airline. I still enjoy my BA flights too though, but boarding is generally more shambolic and I have to wait until T-72 to see if I can get a row 1 seat.

FlyingScientist

I once had a whole three exit row seats for myself on a flight that had all seats except for the exit rows taken.

Petrus

It's just a a glitch in the systems.
Jeez, what a sad state of affairs when nefariousness is the presumed underlying factor. I suppose BA have themselves to blame a little

bd95

EI do the same, though they do sometimes put their elites (who don't get free seat selection) into the premium seats at check-in.

The result is less pressure on the overheads up front, usually space in the front rows and, on lightly loaded flights, plenty of space throughout the cabin. Contrast this with a BA flight!

Jpsartre

Silver here, exit rows are still greyed out on all my upcoming flights.

gcuk

Glitch or not, communication is never a bad thing.
I still can't book exit rows for an upcoming EDI trip on 8 March so pricing up options, BA exLHR £134 return, exLGW £111, not possible to book exit rows on either. easyjet exLGW £65 return, can book exit row for £8.99 each way or for free with my easyjet plus card so flying yet again with easyjet. Booked on the 18.55 home but if early at the airport, can even change to the 17.00 flight for free with easyjet. That's why most of my shorthaul is now with easyjet.
BA need to realise there are alternatives. I switched after the cabin refits and reduced avios and TP. Others may switch after this latest episode.