BA Gold line refuse to offload me for "security reasons"?
Sep 11, 2017, 12:38 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: BA Gold Guest List, Concorde Room Card, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 728
BA Gold line refuse to offload me for "security reasons"?
Odd interaction with the gold line this evening.
I have a BA flight tomorrow. Now normally I don't retrieve my boarding pass at OLCI, however for some reason I did. And so, sod's law, after doing so I received an Expertflyer notification that a better seat had opened up.
In the past, I have phoned BA, they have offloaded me, so that I can OLCI again and choose a different seat.
Not possible, sir. "Policy". "Security reasons".
Patently, a BA phone agents job will be offloading passengers from flights day-in-day-out, from flexible tickets, seat changes, etc.
Anyone able to explain the possible "security" concern? Or just yet another asinine anti-customer BA policy?
I have a BA flight tomorrow. Now normally I don't retrieve my boarding pass at OLCI, however for some reason I did. And so, sod's law, after doing so I received an Expertflyer notification that a better seat had opened up.
In the past, I have phoned BA, they have offloaded me, so that I can OLCI again and choose a different seat.
Not possible, sir. "Policy". "Security reasons".
Patently, a BA phone agents job will be offloading passengers from flights day-in-day-out, from flexible tickets, seat changes, etc.
Anyone able to explain the possible "security" concern? Or just yet another asinine anti-customer BA policy?
Sep 11, 2017, 2:36 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,657
Odd interaction with the gold line this evening.
I have a BA flight tomorrow. Now normally I don't retrieve my boarding pass at OLCI, however for some reason I did. And so, sod's law, after doing so I received an Expertflyer notification that a better seat had opened up.
In the past, I have phoned BA, they have offloaded me, so that I can OLCI again and choose a different seat.
Not possible, sir. "Policy". "Security reasons".
Patently, a BA phone agents job will be offloading passengers from flights day-in-day-out, from flexible tickets, seat changes, etc.
Anyone able to explain the possible "security" concern? Or just yet another asinine anti-customer BA policy?
I have a BA flight tomorrow. Now normally I don't retrieve my boarding pass at OLCI, however for some reason I did. And so, sod's law, after doing so I received an Expertflyer notification that a better seat had opened up.
In the past, I have phoned BA, they have offloaded me, so that I can OLCI again and choose a different seat.
Not possible, sir. "Policy". "Security reasons".
Patently, a BA phone agents job will be offloading passengers from flights day-in-day-out, from flexible tickets, seat changes, etc.
Anyone able to explain the possible "security" concern? Or just yet another asinine anti-customer BA policy?
Sep 11, 2017, 4:24 pm
#5
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,128
Sep 12, 2017, 3:49 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: BA Gold Guest List, Concorde Room Card, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 728
And yes, I was able to have my seat changed without being offloaded, but only after a lengthy hold. Whereas being offloaded would take them one/two(?) mouse clicks.
Sep 12, 2017, 4:30 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,657
We arent supposed to offload for moving seats as it can cause problems. It could mean that at the least arent able to check back in online. So if the person you spoke to moves the seat by talking to a manager they followed the correct process. Yes while it can take longer its better to wait and do it this way.
Sep 12, 2017, 5:30 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: Mucci, BA Gold, HHonours Diamond, BA AMEX PremPlus
Posts: 5,140
Only possible before you have created ANY kind of BP - be it via the app, e-mailed or printed. Once you've done that, then you're locked in.
Sep 12, 2017, 5:31 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
No. You can change seats via OLCI as long as you have not printed or downloaded your boarding pass. Once you have done that, you can't change via OLCI any more.
Sep 12, 2017, 6:16 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
This is one of the frustrating parts of BA IT. Plenty of other carriers allow you to change seats multiple times whilst OLCI is still open, even if you have printed/downloaded multiple BPs. Particularly handy on services where carriers use versions of TS and that you hold low/no status, where seat availability changes almost hourly.
Sep 12, 2017, 6:20 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,237
A friend's firm has changed their travel to IAH to United (Y) after too many staff complained about BA. They can apparently change seats on the app right up to the time they board. This seems to be a great facility if correct
Sep 12, 2017, 6:33 am
#15
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ipswich
Posts: 7,543
Don't most other airlines offer this? I'm hardly an expert on lots of others, but on my occasional forays into other planes, I see this as standard.