Reassigned Seats
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 13
Reassigned Seats
I was randomly checking my reservation today for our upcoming flight and noticed that we have now been reassigned seats, due to an change in aircraft. When I purchased our flights I had pre paid for 4 seats and had selected a window and an aisle, one in front of another. These were up at the front in WTP and the most desirable seats (not the bulk head). Now today I look and we have been assigned seats in the middle of the plane in a row of 4, for both of our flights which are much less desirable and cheaper. I understand that seat selection is not guaranteed but I would have expected to be informed about the seat change. I have called BA and there are no other seats available to be moved to, as a row of 4 really isn't ideal for our family. Is this common practice for BA to charge you a huge amount of money to pre select seats and then reassign you in cheaper seats without any form of notification? I find this to be very sneaky and deceptive. Should I call BA back and ask for a refund?
#2
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
Yes, request a refund, you're entitled to it under BA's own terms and conditions for paid seating.
https://www.britishairways.com/travel/paid-seating-terms/public/en_gb
It's a pain when seat changes happen but ultimately there isn't much you can do that I'm aware of
https://www.britishairways.com/travel/paid-seating-terms/public/en_gb
It's a pain when seat changes happen but ultimately there isn't much you can do that I'm aware of
#3
Join Date: May 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 1,896
You are entitled to a refund, but may be better waiting to claim it. Once you claim your refund, you’ll lose the currently allocated seats and will then be taking the risk at check in that something suitable will be available.
Better to keep the currently allocated seats (even if not perfect) and then still claim a refund after you’ve flown.
Better to keep the currently allocated seats (even if not perfect) and then still claim a refund after you’ve flown.
#5
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 279
You are entitled to a refund, but may be better waiting to claim it. Once you claim your refund, you’ll lose the currently allocated seats and will then be taking the risk at check in that something suitable will be available.
Better to keep the currently allocated seats (even if not perfect) and then still claim a refund after you’ve flown.
Better to keep the currently allocated seats (even if not perfect) and then still claim a refund after you’ve flown.
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,271
I do wonder though if you can claim a refund after having accepted the change to your pre-booked seating. I would think that you would have to refuse the seating change to qualify for a refund.
#7
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
Since such an appraisal could arguably only be made after the flight, the OP is fine to claim afterwards. Furthermore, aircraft swaps can happen right up to time of departure so some claims are necessarily retrospective.
#11
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 5,925
Is this common practice for BA to charge you a huge amount of money to pre select seats ... depending on how you define "huge amount" then yes, if you do not have status it is common practice for BA to charge you if you want to pre select a seat
Is this common practice for BA to reassign you in cheaper seats ... I believe no, BA has many hundreds of flights daily. A very small amount would be affected by changes that would cause seat reassignments.
Is this common practice for BA to reassign you in cheaper seats without any form of notification? It appears you have been notified, otherwise you would not be aware of the change. However BA does not, in my experience, proactively call or email everyone who has pre assigned seats (paid or status) and inform them of such a change. You only find it by checking in MMB.
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 13
Breaking this down :
Is this common practice for BA to charge you a huge amount of money to pre select seats ... depending on how you define "huge amount" then yes, if you do not have status it is common practice for BA to charge you if you want to pre select a seat
Is this common practice for BA to reassign you in cheaper seats ... I believe no, BA has many hundreds of flights daily. A very small amount would be affected by changes that would cause seat reassignments.
Is this common practice for BA to reassign you in cheaper seats without any form of notification? It appears you have been notified, otherwise you would not be aware of the change. However BA does not, in my experience, proactively call or email everyone who has pre assigned seats (paid or status) and inform them of such a change. You only find it by checking in MMB.
Is this common practice for BA to charge you a huge amount of money to pre select seats ... depending on how you define "huge amount" then yes, if you do not have status it is common practice for BA to charge you if you want to pre select a seat
Is this common practice for BA to reassign you in cheaper seats ... I believe no, BA has many hundreds of flights daily. A very small amount would be affected by changes that would cause seat reassignments.
Is this common practice for BA to reassign you in cheaper seats without any form of notification? It appears you have been notified, otherwise you would not be aware of the change. However BA does not, in my experience, proactively call or email everyone who has pre assigned seats (paid or status) and inform them of such a change. You only find it by checking in MMB.
I wasn't notified, I logged into my reservation and noticed the seat selection was not what I originally selected. I then checked and saw the plane type had been changed. BA in no way notified me.
I just find it to be very poor customer service to charge a customer to pre select their seats and then to change their seats for far less desirable seats which are cheaper to purchase and not even send a notification of change. But at least I have found out in advance and we have all been placed together.
#14
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
Well I paid over $600 in seat selection fees for my family, I would call that a huge amount of money. At least for me it is.
I wasn't notified, I logged into my reservation and noticed the seat selection was not what I originally selected. I then checked and saw the plane type had been changed. BA in no way notified me.
I just find it to be very poor customer service to charge a customer to pre select their seats and then to change their seats for far less desirable seats which are cheaper to purchase and not even send a notification of change. But at least I have found out in advance and we have all been placed together.
I wasn't notified, I logged into my reservation and noticed the seat selection was not what I originally selected. I then checked and saw the plane type had been changed. BA in no way notified me.
I just find it to be very poor customer service to charge a customer to pre select their seats and then to change their seats for far less desirable seats which are cheaper to purchase and not even send a notification of change. But at least I have found out in advance and we have all been placed together.