BA Seat Allocation algorithm hates me?
Mar 15, 2018, 5:19 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: BAEC Gold, LH M&M Member
Posts: 2,705
BA Seat Allocation algorithm hates me?
I just booked a short-haul flight for a couple of weeks out. I'm Gold, Mrs NeverFirst is silver.
"You have been assigned seats", which is fine, except the algorithm put me & MrsNeverFirst in row 25(!) when the seats are barely 20% assigned - nothing has been assigned from row 12 backwards! The same thing happened on the inbound.
Luckily I noticed and moved to row 7, so crisis(*) averted. (Now I'm thinking maybe they know it's going to be a bus gate and loaded through the rear doors...
)
(*) FT Hyperbole, of course.
"You have been assigned seats", which is fine, except the algorithm put me & MrsNeverFirst in row 25(!) when the seats are barely 20% assigned - nothing has been assigned from row 12 backwards! The same thing happened on the inbound.
Luckily I noticed and moved to row 7, so crisis(*) averted. (Now I'm thinking maybe they know it's going to be a bus gate and loaded through the rear doors...
)(*) FT Hyperbole, of course.
Mar 15, 2018, 5:29 am
#2
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,734
Is row 7 at risk of Curtain Roulette? In which case the "crisis" may continue. The exit rows would be the usual choice in this situation since it's far enough back to avoid Curtain Roulette (hopefully) and allows fairly speedy egress.
But Amadeus Seating may well have moved you anyway within a day or two if it is left untouched. Once you've selected a seat then it won't recalculate.
But Amadeus Seating may well have moved you anyway within a day or two if it is left untouched. Once you've selected a seat then it won't recalculate.
Mar 15, 2018, 5:34 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
However, I still cling to my (fanciful) theory that those who care will look, notice and change; those who don't care will sit wherever they're put and not care, leaving the better seats for those of us who do care.
Mar 15, 2018, 8:38 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: BA exec, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 555
Mar 15, 2018, 8:57 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,714
BA spent three years when I was Gold always placing me in a Middle seat whenever I travelled in Y. With the new system things seem much better.
Mar 15, 2018, 9:44 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: BAEC Gold, LH M&M Member
Posts: 2,705
If I was traveling alone, I would. My companion is anti-exit-row for some reason. (Yeah, I've never understood that, either). She also seems to get upset if I choose a different row for her(?)
Mar 15, 2018, 11:34 am
#8
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Platinum; Hilton Gold, IHG Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 787
I'm not a lady, but this is exactly why I don't like exit rows. I'm only 5ft8, so the extra leg room only outweighs the inconvenience on very long flights.
Mar 15, 2018, 1:36 pm
#9
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,734
Oh goodness yes. The number of times I've heard the cabin crew suggest plaintively *but it's only for a few minutes during take off and landing" for them to get sheer daggers by way of a reaction. Or worse. And on occasion what I assume to be paragons of virtue resort to hiding their handbags under newspapers and what-not, clearly knowing what the inspection is for....