Seats changed by BA for "Operational Reasons", staff now in seats
May 22, 2018, 7:03 am
#61
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
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The issue with seat changes is that they are not rare as BA would like to pretend. They are regular and random. Until very recently they were also not communicated though I think this is changing.
Staff do not always travel standby, it depends on their ticket. Some must travel but can be downgraded, some must travel and cannot be downgraded. Others may be booked as the load allows this and even those on standby would be accepted at check in if the space was available.
What is absolutely certain is that passengers do get moved for no good reason. Even as a gold I have been turfed out of 1AK without any communication only to find the seat occupied by another. I have never experienced the level of changes on any other carrier I get on BA. I have a flight this weekend and the seats have been altered 4 times in the last month with only the last change communicated.
Staff do not always travel standby, it depends on their ticket. Some must travel but can be downgraded, some must travel and cannot be downgraded. Others may be booked as the load allows this and even those on standby would be accepted at check in if the space was available.
What is absolutely certain is that passengers do get moved for no good reason. Even as a gold I have been turfed out of 1AK without any communication only to find the seat occupied by another. I have never experienced the level of changes on any other carrier I get on BA. I have a flight this weekend and the seats have been altered 4 times in the last month with only the last change communicated.
I have been moved from the front row on domestics for trim reasons (on the A321) two or three times, other than that (excluding curtain roulette and OpUps) I've once been 'involuntarily' moved. As a Silver member many, many moons ago I was moved from my chosen Club World window seat apparently because it was needed for crew rest.
What changes have occurred to your flight this coming weekend?
May 22, 2018, 7:07 am
#62
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I haven’t read the whole thread, to be honest I couldn’t be arsed. 
You must all know that I never defend BA when they are in the wrong but I am 100% sure there is no seating preference given to staff, everyone who has access to seating is watched carefully and would risk losing their job for something so obvious and not important.
I truly believe these seat changes occur due to configuration changes and operational problems such as technical problems with the seat that is then fixed by our engineers and put back for allocation.
You must all know that I never defend BA when they are in the wrong but I am 100% sure there is no seating preference given to staff, everyone who has access to seating is watched carefully and would risk losing their job for something so obvious and not important.
I truly believe these seat changes occur due to configuration changes and operational problems such as technical problems with the seat that is then fixed by our engineers and put back for allocation.
May 22, 2018, 7:11 am
#63
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
I don't find seat changes on BA happen all that often. I can probably count on one hand how many times it is happened.
Only couple of times I can remember is when the curtain moves but this does not typically affect the emergency exit rows.
I have never been shifted on a longhaul, except for Op-Ups, but that is not surprising since I only use BA for JFK/PHL-LHR on any sort of frequency.
If you are precious about seating, I urge you to avoid LX/LH where you will find a very succinct piece of paper spluttered out at you from the auto-boarding gates with your new seat assignment. This happens frequently on their "shuttle" routes (e.g. FRA/MUC-ZRH).
Only couple of times I can remember is when the curtain moves but this does not typically affect the emergency exit rows.
I have never been shifted on a longhaul, except for Op-Ups, but that is not surprising since I only use BA for JFK/PHL-LHR on any sort of frequency.
If you are precious about seating, I urge you to avoid LX/LH where you will find a very succinct piece of paper spluttered out at you from the auto-boarding gates with your new seat assignment. This happens frequently on their "shuttle" routes (e.g. FRA/MUC-ZRH).
May 22, 2018, 7:25 am
#64
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May 22, 2018, 8:15 am
#65
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Comments like this make me wonder why you are evening bothering to be on this board. Not all seats in a cabin are equal. BA (and other airlines) know this and they charge different prices for seats within the same cabin for this very reason. The whole point of seat selection is so that you can sit where you want to for whatever reason you have.
May 22, 2018, 8:27 am
#66
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I hear what you say and it makes total sense, but at the same time it's hard for a customer to understand how 4 GCHs can get moved out of their preferred seats for operational reasons only to board the aircraft and find the exact same seating configuration with staff sitting in their original seats. I am very used to my seat being changed due to aircraft changes or upgrades (all of which are understandable and appreciated) but to have your seats changed and then find staff in them 2 days after you are told there are "operational reasons" just doesn't seem right.
May 22, 2018, 9:00 am
#67
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I can see why you would think this and other than running an investigation which we cannot do we are never going to know the reason for the seat changes.
As a staff member I would just be happy to get a seat in all honesty.
As a staff member I would just be happy to get a seat in all honesty.
May 22, 2018, 11:10 am
#68
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Comments like this make me wonder why you are evening bothering to be on this board. Not all seats in a cabin are equal. BA (and other airlines) know this and they charge different prices for seats within the same cabin for this very reason. The whole point of seat selection is so that you can sit where you want to for whatever reason you have.
What unnecessary nastiness. Disagree by all means. But it's not for you to decide who should be on this board.
May 22, 2018, 11:43 am
#69
Join Date: Apr 2017
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Comments like this make me wonder why you are evening bothering to be on this board. Not all seats in a cabin are equal. BA (and other airlines) know this and they charge different prices for seats within the same cabin for this very reason. The whole point of seat selection is so that you can sit where you want to for whatever reason you have.
May 22, 2018, 11:50 am
#70
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ilcannone ... I may disagree with your perspective, but I support your right to express it.
[PS: I’m only 73 yo, and picky about seat selection in CE/CW]
[PS: I’m only 73 yo, and picky about seat selection in CE/CW]
May 22, 2018, 1:04 pm
#71
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold / OW Emerald
Posts: 753
Agree to disagree.
However I think it's very unlikely someone who doesn't care about seat selection is tall like I am and flies Y a lot. It's a matter of perspective
I would really have to refrain myself from being very ticked off if I got a non-exit row seat in long-haul Y. I'd probably bother asking the CSM and any passenger in the exit row seats for a swap, and for that to be moderately successful, I can't really act like I'm at my wits end!
I haven't been victim to random seat changes, but I can say equipment change is dealt with terribly poorly by BA. I once saw an equipment change, saw my seat was still good enough (despite having been moved) only to be moved at the gate, again! The CSM was very accomodating, and seat 1C was still available, so my legs didn't suffer too much... except for careless passengers with huge carry-on bags.
However I think it's very unlikely someone who doesn't care about seat selection is tall like I am and flies Y a lot. It's a matter of perspective
I would really have to refrain myself from being very ticked off if I got a non-exit row seat in long-haul Y. I'd probably bother asking the CSM and any passenger in the exit row seats for a swap, and for that to be moderately successful, I can't really act like I'm at my wits end!
I haven't been victim to random seat changes, but I can say equipment change is dealt with terribly poorly by BA. I once saw an equipment change, saw my seat was still good enough (despite having been moved) only to be moved at the gate, again! The CSM was very accomodating, and seat 1C was still available, so my legs didn't suffer too much... except for careless passengers with huge carry-on bags.
Last edited by thebigben; May 22, 2018 at 1:14 pm
May 22, 2018, 1:55 pm
#72
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Whilst I totally agree that being lied to by an airline is horrendously bad form and no one should ever be subjected to it, you are in absolutely no position to determine my presence on this forum. I may not be as old (presumably many people here are at least in their mid-30s, which I'm not), experienced with premium cabins, loyal to any one airline, an 'elite member' of any alliance, or whatever, but having such a condescending attitude is exactly why I would hold resentment to those frequent elite flyers accustomed to premium cabins and the like (can't say I do per se, but seeing half the waffle that goes on the same few subforums does lead one to believe certain things).
Your age really has nothing to do with this. If you paid your money and reserved your seat you are in the same positon as everyone else. I'm not sure why you thought it relevant to mention your age? And btw, referring to half the responses on this forum as being "waffle" is far more condescending then me questioning your reason for being on the forum in the first place...
May 22, 2018, 3:34 pm
#73
Join Date: Apr 2017
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You are correct, it is not up to me to determine your presence on this forum. However, when you make statements in your original post #20 above "It's incredible that people get this flustered over a seat. Especially when one essentially gets what one originally intended, perhaps albeit in a slightly different position" you should not expect everyone to agree with you. Some people DO get flustered over a seat, and that's what this forum is for, and I was the OP, so I commented on your post. Clearly the response chain so far should shows just how much people do care despite your position to the contrary.
Your age really has nothing to do with this. If you paid your money and reserved your seat you are in the same positon as everyone else. I'm not sure why you thought it relevant to mention your age? And btw, referring to half the responses on this forum as being "waffle" is far more condescending then me questioning your reason for being on the forum in the first place...
Your age really has nothing to do with this. If you paid your money and reserved your seat you are in the same positon as everyone else. I'm not sure why you thought it relevant to mention your age? And btw, referring to half the responses on this forum as being "waffle" is far more condescending then me questioning your reason for being on the forum in the first place...
OK, for starters, I never once expected ANYONE to agree with me about my initial comment. I even acknowledged this.
And I apologise I wasn't clearer regarding my 'waffle' remark - that was actually intended for the overall forum in general, albeit moreso in certain subforums, not this one particular thread.
May 25, 2018, 8:47 pm
#74
Join Date: Nov 2004
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I just had a seat change on YVR-LHR at the airport, didnt get informed of it or anything. We noticed it as we were checking in for the F lounge in the airport.
I showed the lounge agent my wife’s emailed boarding pass from this morning and asked if she could find out why my wife had been moved from 59E to 59B (I’m in 59A so we both have direct aisle access). Lots of back and forth, an offer to have us both moved to 59 D/E (“swapping with the couple seated there now”) but when i said no thanks and pressed what had happened she said she would make another call to the front counter. Another ten minutes later and we are given 59E back again and I remain in 59A as booked. Funny thing is we now get to stare at the folks who attempted to dislodge my wife from 59E ;-)
oh, i almost got to use a great line from a favorite movie, Fletch: “Just because I bought her ticket doesnt mean i want her sitting next to me”
I showed the lounge agent my wife’s emailed boarding pass from this morning and asked if she could find out why my wife had been moved from 59E to 59B (I’m in 59A so we both have direct aisle access). Lots of back and forth, an offer to have us both moved to 59 D/E (“swapping with the couple seated there now”) but when i said no thanks and pressed what had happened she said she would make another call to the front counter. Another ten minutes later and we are given 59E back again and I remain in 59A as booked. Funny thing is we now get to stare at the folks who attempted to dislodge my wife from 59E ;-)
oh, i almost got to use a great line from a favorite movie, Fletch: “Just because I bought her ticket doesnt mean i want her sitting next to me”
May 26, 2018, 1:20 am
#75
Join Date: Aug 2006
Programs: BA Blue
Posts: 361
I accept that this is normally the case, and this has been said many times on this forum, sometimes by very well-respected members. However, I have also lost preferred seats (in one case, three exit row seats in long-haul Y, changed at the gate) to find them occupied by off-duty BA staff. Sometimes it does happen.
Just my thoughts
DMF