Silver/Golds can no longer select Exit Rows in advance?
 

Well this is very odd.

I have booked an upcoming Euro Traveller flight, where the exit row is shown as blocked, but unoccupied, on Expertflyer. It is also unavailable for selection on BA.com.

I just phoned GGL, who tell me that those seats are 'restricted', and they are unable to assign those seats, nor are they available to send a request down to seating - because 'it is the airport that have restricted them'. 'The airport', in this instance, is Heathrow. I suggested to the friendly lady on the phone that this could be due to the change to Amadeus, but she had no idea.

No exit row for me (or anyone), it would seem. Colleagues and other frequent flyers report the same issue.

This isn't curtain roulette is it? Are you within 3 days of travel?

If not they are just keeping space for the CE curtain which can often be after the exit rows these days. Nothing new at all in that. I have just done a dummy booking and I can select ET exit row as a BA Emerald on a flight which will only have a small CE cabin (MRS).

If there are seats selectable fore and aft of the exit row then I would agree that would be strange, and there is a well known issue with 10D if you are specifically trying to get that one.

No - a fair question, although seats ahead of the exit row are available for selection without issue. I am currently assigned a window seat ahead of the exit row.

Hmm, this must be a very recent change. I booked an emergency exit seat last Wednesday and I now see the same thing on that flight - all emergency exit seats are marked as occupied by BA but not in EF.

Let's hope it is BA IT screwing things up and not just the latest enhancement for BAEC members.

Edit: To clarify, my flight is months out and the curtain is nowhere near the exit row.

Mmm, may be an equipment change in brewing then, that's the other cause of this around day 15 or so. (Assuming your gold card isn't new or has fallen off the booking, but GGL would have spotten that [surely?!]) I can't see there is a change of policy, if it is, it is very patchy: I've also checked LYS and BOD and can readily select the exit row.

Don't forget exit row seats in ET are not reserved just for Gold. Silver can select them too, as can Bronze from 7 days before, and all passengers from OLCI.

I have checked some upcoming ET bookings and exit rows are indeed greyed out, including those nowhere near the curtain (eg. Rows 22-23 on an A321).

I have a nasty feeling about this. Having just checked all my ET bookings, all seats up to row 13 are blocked. This wasn't the case when I made the bookings. Luckily I haven't been booted out of 12A (yet) on the flights that I currently have.

Edit: Also exit rows blocked on the 767

Interesting development. I've just checked a domestic booking where I have row 1 booked. The seat plan is wide open but both overwing exit rows on a 320 are not available. I can move seats in row 1.

I just checked my longhaul flights and I'm still able to select exit row seats. But ALL of my shorthaul flights (currently 18) have exit rows blocked).

If this is another enhancement it will just push me further away from BA.

OK, have checked a load of domestic flights (where I am in row 1) and looking further back all the exit row seats seem to be greyed for all of them.
One for CWS- have checked the LHR-INV inaugural and I see all of us in row 1 and row 10 (exit) not available for selection. EF says every seat (except those occupied) blocked back to row 10 but I can dot freely about all of them except row 10.
Looks like 'on purpose' at the moment, although I can't really work out who it is good for- they don't seem to be trying to charge for them.

http://i1382.photobucket.com/albums/...psak4pvase.jpg http://i1382.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9tnnv3dx.jpg

Me too, next week to Paris, in 7a and emergency exits behind me blocked out and the following week from LGW row one exit also blocked.

Yes, I agree something is up. I see something similar for INV too, whereas I would expect to be able to select row 10.

On the other hand, flights under the 72 hour window are available for selection - for example below.

I suspect an IT glitch, in the absence of better information.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640...922/lfg1vF.png

Yes, good advice: 'do not attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by incompetence...' :)

Yes, of course it must be a glitch. BA would obviously communicate such a change in policy before implementation. :)

We've been booted out when having 10DF booked. Ended up moving quickly into 10EF, and 10D stayed unoccupied for the flight.