Free seat selection T-24
Jan 11, 2018, 9:38 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 110
Free seat selection T-24
I have an upcoming round trip IAH-LHR-EDI the second week of April. Seat fees to reserve are a tad high for 4 segments so I thought I would ask opinions. I have 0 status so free selection is T-24 only. I am ok with just an aisle on the TATL (777) and anything but dead center on the EDI leg (767). I'm very mildly aware of the "Thoretical seating" concept. Basically should there still be enough desired seats at T-24 for free selection or should I just reserve the seats and pay?
Please excuse me if this is elsewhere, I never find anything I'm specifically searching for.
Please excuse me if this is elsewhere, I never find anything I'm specifically searching for.
Jan 11, 2018, 10:21 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 5,917
My impression is that at T-24 you should be OK to get Aisle seats
What you can do is use the free version of expert flyer to do seat alerts on your flight to see what is occupied (d not worry so much about blocked)
expertflyer.com
You can also use expert flyer over the next few days to monitor the availability of seats on flights "in the next 24 hours", but again do not worry too much about the blocked seats, just the occupied. At T-72 you will see lots of seats become blocked and then as more people check in more blocked seats are made available.
However if you think you will not be able to check in around t-24 or T-22 it may become more difficult.
cws has posted info previously about roughly how many people check in at what time and may do so again, your EDI will likely be a bit more status heavy than those numbers but should still be ok. You would be unlucky if two thirds of the flight has picked seats and only picked windows and aisles
What you can do is use the free version of expert flyer to do seat alerts on your flight to see what is occupied (d not worry so much about blocked)
expertflyer.com
You can also use expert flyer over the next few days to monitor the availability of seats on flights "in the next 24 hours", but again do not worry too much about the blocked seats, just the occupied. At T-72 you will see lots of seats become blocked and then as more people check in more blocked seats are made available.
However if you think you will not be able to check in around t-24 or T-22 it may become more difficult.
cws has posted info previously about roughly how many people check in at what time and may do so again, your EDI will likely be a bit more status heavy than those numbers but should still be ok. You would be unlucky if two thirds of the flight has picked seats and only picked windows and aisles
Jan 11, 2018, 11:35 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,586
Another way of looking at it is this:
IAH-LHR, practically everyone is going to be checking-in at T-24. No inbound BA conxs with earlier OLCIs. Greater initial selection, but options may suddenly decrease at T-24. Perhaps consider purchasing this one to secure the aisle on this overnight flight, especially if current options are minimal.
LHR-EDI, potentially lots of earlier OLCIs from across the network. It is only an 1.5 hour flight though…
EDI-LHR, very few advance OLCIs (maybe those doing back-to-backs).
LHR-IAH, medium advance OLCIs - those connecting in LHR from further east. A mixed result.
IME, also travelling with no status and only using OLCI, I've been able to choose reasonable seats at T-24, for myself and my wife, often getting bulkheads or aisles, etc., as desired. Sometimes it doesn't work and then I remind myself that someone has to sit in the middle, today it's my turn...
IAH-LHR, practically everyone is going to be checking-in at T-24. No inbound BA conxs with earlier OLCIs. Greater initial selection, but options may suddenly decrease at T-24. Perhaps consider purchasing this one to secure the aisle on this overnight flight, especially if current options are minimal.
LHR-EDI, potentially lots of earlier OLCIs from across the network. It is only an 1.5 hour flight though…
EDI-LHR, very few advance OLCIs (maybe those doing back-to-backs).
LHR-IAH, medium advance OLCIs - those connecting in LHR from further east. A mixed result.
IME, also travelling with no status and only using OLCI, I've been able to choose reasonable seats at T-24, for myself and my wife, often getting bulkheads or aisles, etc., as desired. Sometimes it doesn't work and then I remind myself that someone has to sit in the middle, today it's my turn...