Seats changed by BA for "Operational Reasons", staff now in seats
May 21, 2018, 10:25 am
#16
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: GLA
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May 21, 2018, 12:00 pm
#18
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 112
On a recent Man-LHR, travelling with my partner (GGL and Gold) I got upgraded at the gate to CE. My partner did not. My original seat next to my partner had a cabin crew member in it. I spoke to the pursor who managed to move my partner into CE next to me which was good of him. This was the first time i've been split up from my partner and one of us upgraded.
May 21, 2018, 12:24 pm
#19
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Bronze
Posts: 1,090
I'd be surprised if any BA staff would move a GOLD out of a seat for a staff member as it is all trackable. Further not everyone has the access levels required to do this.
As this was WTP, staff do not get allocated this cabin as a general rule unless there are no seats in other cabins. 2 days before travel, it is unlikely that anyone would have known that the staff would definitely in be given WTP seats. They would have been given those seats as a result of having either a Club or First priority and not being able to get seats in either of those cabins. They would then get whatever cabin and seats remain free.
As this was WTP, staff do not get allocated this cabin as a general rule unless there are no seats in other cabins. 2 days before travel, it is unlikely that anyone would have known that the staff would definitely in be given WTP seats. They would have been given those seats as a result of having either a Club or First priority and not being able to get seats in either of those cabins. They would then get whatever cabin and seats remain free.
May 21, 2018, 1:29 pm
#21
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
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Surely the point of seat selection is allowing individuals [and especially couples or families] to choose where they want to sit?
May 21, 2018, 1:32 pm
#22
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland
Programs: BA gold
Posts: 3,902
...because everyone is different? Some cares about a particular seat on a particular aircraft and others don't even care they are in a random middle seat.
Likewise, not all seats in a cabin is equal. BA knows this as there's different prices for seats within the same cabin.
I do find it annoying when they shuffle seats but the number of times this happened over nearly 980,000 miles of flying can be counted on one hand.
Likewise, not all seats in a cabin is equal. BA knows this as there's different prices for seats within the same cabin.
I do find it annoying when they shuffle seats but the number of times this happened over nearly 980,000 miles of flying can be counted on one hand.
May 21, 2018, 2:32 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Perth WA/ UK
Programs: BA Gold, Priority Club Gold, Accor Silver, Virgin Australia Gold
Posts: 1,750
If it is no big deal then why does this airline charge non status customers a small fortune to choose a seat when even flying in premier cabins? I think you will find it is a big deal.
May 21, 2018, 2:45 pm
#24
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BMI Gold, BA Silver (Gold imminent!)
Posts: 12
Happened to me once. Wife and I moved from 1A and 1C to 6A and 6C (last row of CE) to accommodate a single female traveller who was on first name terms with CC. I asked CC why we were moved after check in and she said it must have been an aircraft change - it wasn’t. I then asked if the solo traveller was BA CC and she denied it. incidentally we did not get our first choice of lunch.
May 21, 2018, 3:12 pm
#25
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 587
Staff travel is on a standby basis. We’re allocated seats that are available only after all revenue passengers have been accommodated. Chances are that the OP was moved out of their originally booked seat due to a seating fault/aircraft change/weight and balance/computer error/a host of other reasons, which was then resolved and the seats were reopened. Clearly, it would’ve been better to then reallocate the OP to these seats, but I don’t think this is something that usually happens (but then I have no idea about back office booking/seating systems). Resultantly, seats remained empty and unreserved so they were filled with staff at the gate.
Its not particularly helpful to suggest staff are moving pax seats as ‘favours’ to their mates elsewhere in the airline as this isn’t something any staff have the privilege of and definitely won’t have been the case.
Its not particularly helpful to suggest staff are moving pax seats as ‘favours’ to their mates elsewhere in the airline as this isn’t something any staff have the privilege of and definitely won’t have been the case.
May 21, 2018, 3:32 pm
#26
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Cheshire
Programs: BA, Accor, Hilton, ITA
Posts: 376
Just my tuppence worth. This happened to us from IST. We’d had 1D&F booked for months as Gold . Day before seats mysteriously changed to Row 6. Gold line said operational reasons by ground staff at IST. At airport manager traced change to a member of staff from London, nothing to do with them. Hard to believe someone on Gold line would try and cover up the reason. Lone man was sitting in our original seats.
We complained and got service recovery, they basically couldn’t explain away the IT trail that something fishy had gone on.. (Oh and wink wink we saw on the iPad the guy had a Black coloured icon, thanks to the CSM)
Last edited by cheshirepete; May 21, 2018 at 3:37 pm
May 21, 2018, 3:40 pm
#27
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Oxford (&Western Isles )
Programs: BA GGL, CCR; RyanAir MillionMiler :( ;
Posts: 756
I'd complain just to get someone to look at it. You probably wont get much satisfaction, but if it WAS BA staff pulling strings, then it will be noted and might save it from happening to other travellers. Good post.
May 21, 2018, 3:41 pm
#28
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: UK
Programs: BMI Gold, BA Silver (Gold imminent!)
Posts: 12
We were only changed at bag check in the airport and I know for a fact that there was no issue with seat or function. I really believe we were moved after check in for a member of crew.
May 21, 2018, 4:12 pm
#29
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: north of heathrow
Posts: 1,109
As cabin crew, unless something was mentioned on the iPad/PIL, we wouldn’t have the slightest clue why you were moved. But you wouldn’t have been moved for crew, or any other staff.
May 21, 2018, 4:20 pm
#30
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Plus, by this "logic", no one should ever complain about seat poachers and we should always be pleased to move to any seat upon request of anyone, for any reason or no reason at all.