Should I be worried about CE seat availability?
Jun 22, 2018, 5:18 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 688
Should I be worried about CE seat availability?
We're a party of 2 travelling CE from BUD-LHR in 2 weeks. There is currently only 6A/C available as a pair; rows 1 and 2 are marked "blocked" on ExpertFlyer and the other rows have single seats taken.
Should we cut our losses and pay for 6A/C reservation so that we don't risk being split across the aisle, or might rows 1 and 2 open up nearer to departure?
FWIW, one of us is Bronze and the other is just Blue. Thanks for any advice!
Should we cut our losses and pay for 6A/C reservation so that we don't risk being split across the aisle, or might rows 1 and 2 open up nearer to departure?
FWIW, one of us is Bronze and the other is just Blue. Thanks for any advice!
Jun 22, 2018, 5:24 pm
#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: 63,803
Though I can't guarantee anything, personally I really would not bother. Not only will row 1 and 2 open up at some point, but also they may well push the curtain back. Usually CE passengers do get a reasonable seat selection, and in any case at one week you get more choice when your Bronze seat selection opens up.. Moreover as you pass via Theoretical Seating and OLCI, there will be multiple other options for seat selection. Just remember not to print or download a boarding pass until the last moment, if you don't get the seat arrrangement you want.
Jun 22, 2018, 5:25 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,091
Row 1 will be blocked for Golds presently, and will be opened up to other passengers around 72 hours before the flight.
Not sure why Row 2 would be blocked at this time.
Personally, I'd wait until T-7 days and select for free as Bronze, and then review at T-72 hours as Row 1 could be still empty at that point
Not sure why Row 2 would be blocked at this time.
Personally, I'd wait until T-7 days and select for free as Bronze, and then review at T-72 hours as Row 1 could be still empty at that point
Jun 22, 2018, 5:34 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: HKG
Programs: BAEC Gold, CX MPC Gold, Avis preferred plus, MyWaitrose card
Posts: 287
Even if split across the aisle (as long as you are in the same row) you will only be a matter of a few centimetres further apart than you would be if you were in A/C or D/F anyway...
Jun 30, 2018, 9:16 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 688
thanks everyone; just to update, we waited for today (t-7 days) and 6A/C was still available so we reserved for free. Interestingly, the front seats have still not opened up. 6A/C or two across the aisle were the only options.
Jun 30, 2018, 9:56 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Brighton UK
Programs: BAEC-Silver, AMEX-BA Prem' Plus & Standard, Accor Gold, HH-Silver, IHG,IBIS On Business
Posts: 955
In that case my recent OpReq movement I got in an email about last week for next sunday LGW-SEV from 5AC up to 2AC might end up coming back to haunt me then as Im only a lowly blue after just moving to BA. Now I fear that even though it was BA who moved us ( 2AC were blocked when we booked and paid a couple months ago) 2AC will get given to those with higher status ( and fair enough to them imo) and we'll get bumped and split up even though we'd paid for our initial 5th row seats to make sure that didnt happen. There was me thinking they were being nice as I've got a total of 12 flights ( 9 of them holidays/ working hols) booked this year and will be hitting Silver in under 6 months. Fingers crossed I guess.