Advice needed after equipment change leaves us without bassinet seat
Aug 16, 2018, 3:04 am
#76
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
Aug 16, 2018, 3:18 am
#77
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 756
I’m not sure it is common sense that the health & safety risk of lifting heavy bags is linearly reduced by simply reducing the number of times it happens in a given day?
Could it perhaps be that the health & safety point is a red herring and it’s simply revenue generation plus deterring the extra cost of fuel to lug the extra weight around?
Could it perhaps be that the health & safety point is a red herring and it’s simply revenue generation plus deterring the extra cost of fuel to lug the extra weight around?
Aug 16, 2018, 3:35 am
#78
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
*Very frequent handler of my own baggage, that is, but the difference between them is quite substantial even when I am lifting my own bags (often x4... ).
There is quite a legitimate reason for airlines to stick those Heavy stickers on bags over 23 kg. Those Heavy bag tags on some airlines actually says "Heavy - Two-Person Lift (or Assisted Lifting) Required" or something to that effect.
Aug 16, 2018, 3:43 am
#79
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Exec Gold; Accor Le Club Gold
Posts: 122
I think it is a shame this thread has suddenly become so angry. As a selfish child-less traveler I dread a crying baby being near me on even a short flight. But the more generous side of me can see straight away how difficult it must be to be a family split up a long way apart in the aircraft. I would have hoped that an airline, when changing aircraft type, would be more active in managing this issue.
The cabin crew could have asked passengers in the row behind the bulkhead row to move since these are not particularly special seats and having one's partner one row behind must be better than many more rows behind.
And just because the OP didn't understand the baggage rules and was frustrated by another apparent obstacle in their way doesn't justify unpleasantness here. I'm sure they were thankful to the supervisor and check in agent when the fees were waived, even if they didn't express that here!
The cabin crew could have asked passengers in the row behind the bulkhead row to move since these are not particularly special seats and having one's partner one row behind must be better than many more rows behind.
And just because the OP didn't understand the baggage rules and was frustrated by another apparent obstacle in their way doesn't justify unpleasantness here. I'm sure they were thankful to the supervisor and check in agent when the fees were waived, even if they didn't express that here!
Aug 16, 2018, 3:51 am
#80
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
The real opportunity to resolve this was at the change of aircraft, not onboard. BA could have given the row 30 bulkhead to the OP, or to those that had presumably previously claimed the 789-8's second bulkhead by payment or status. Maybe BA gave preference to the latter deliberately, which would be an unfortunate commercial policy, but I wonder if it happened passively: it's probably only a freak that the second bulkhead on the 787-8 and the sole bulkhead on the 787-9 are both row 30 but it make it harder to move the buyer/holder of row 30 further back.
There's no reason why the 787-9 bulkhead couldn't be row 20 or any other number to change the passive outcome or free BA's hands to make an active reallocation, but it's a bit late now!
There's no reason why the 787-9 bulkhead couldn't be row 20 or any other number to change the passive outcome or free BA's hands to make an active reallocation, but it's a bit late now!
Aug 16, 2018, 3:51 am
#81
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
I think ideally, airlines should block the bassinet seat from being selected by anyone other than a passenger with a lap infant until check-in, so that those who are most likely to use the bassinet will get the priority. That way, it's more likely that it will remain available for selection by passengers with an infant, even in aircraft substitution.
Aug 16, 2018, 3:53 am
#82
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: DUB/ORD/SIN/PVG
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[Edited - OP and infant appear to have occupied to middle bassinet seat]
Sad reflection that the one Y seat designed for use by a parent+baby is sandwiched between unprotected seats with no apparent effort to accommodate a traveling family. No amount of obfuscation and rule quoting can mask this and I struggle to understand how anyone with a legitimate motivation for participating in this forum can think otherwise. Flyertalk is not unbiased, it is pro-flyer! (Or should be....). It should also be pro-good manners, polite and considerate behavior...
We travel transatlantic almost exclusively on EI - either as a family of 5 or on my own for work.
On 2 occasions (once in Y and once C) EI ground and cabin crew have juggled seats to allow us use of a bassinet seat/approved infant seat - we have profusely thanked those who were moved and offered to buy a drink etc.
On 2 other occasions (in C) I have been asked to move from row 2 (the only row in C designated for travel with an infant) by cabin crew. On both occasions staff traveling in C were also moved so I got an equivalent (or better) seat than my original - I would of course have moved nonetheless.
In each case it took the ground/cabin crew some effort and (God help us) interaction with other human beings to make this happen but despite all the usual pressures of getting the cabin secure for departure they made it happen and didn’t hide behind rules or computer screens!
Sad reflection that the one Y seat designed for use by a parent+baby is sandwiched between unprotected seats with no apparent effort to accommodate a traveling family. No amount of obfuscation and rule quoting can mask this and I struggle to understand how anyone with a legitimate motivation for participating in this forum can think otherwise. Flyertalk is not unbiased, it is pro-flyer! (Or should be....). It should also be pro-good manners, polite and considerate behavior...
We travel transatlantic almost exclusively on EI - either as a family of 5 or on my own for work.
On 2 occasions (once in Y and once C) EI ground and cabin crew have juggled seats to allow us use of a bassinet seat/approved infant seat - we have profusely thanked those who were moved and offered to buy a drink etc.
On 2 other occasions (in C) I have been asked to move from row 2 (the only row in C designated for travel with an infant) by cabin crew. On both occasions staff traveling in C were also moved so I got an equivalent (or better) seat than my original - I would of course have moved nonetheless.
In each case it took the ground/cabin crew some effort and (God help us) interaction with other human beings to make this happen but despite all the usual pressures of getting the cabin secure for departure they made it happen and didn’t hide behind rules or computer screens!
Last edited by Dambus; Aug 16, 2018 at 4:37 am Reason: [Mis-interpreted earlier post]
Aug 16, 2018, 4:00 am
#83
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: HKG
Programs: BA(GGL) QF LTS CX AM, Hilton Diamond, PPL(A)
Posts: 1,654
I think ideally, airlines should block the bassinet seat from being selected by anyone other than a passenger with a lap infant until check-in, so that those who are most likely to use the bassinet will get the priority. That way, it's more likely that it will remain available for selection by passengers with an infant, even in aircraft substitution.
blame the seat map here too!
which stupid designer thought of putting a bassinet seat in in Seat E??? doesn't that cause unnecessary inconvenience / discomfort of the mother with the infant (e.g. how do you carry the baby out of the bassinet and get out over an aisle passenger?)
Logically speaking, they should do it in the aisle for D/G. This also has the benefit that the middle E seat will presumably be one of the last few seats to be taken (unless you get a couple choosing E/G)... won't help the OP here given they need 2 seats, but such an arrangement increases the chance of a family sitting together somehow (and worst case, the others can sit 1 row behind to presumably help out)
Aug 16, 2018, 4:06 am
#85
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: BA, Hilton
Posts: 2,092
There's a lot of heat being generated, but it is worth going over the whole thread to get the details. The issue is not that the OP was left without a bassinet (despite the title). The issue is that due to the aircraft swap, there were not enough free seats around the bassinet for all of the OP's family to sit together in the same row.
The OP expressed an opinion that the people who had booked 30D and 30F should be moved so his family could sit all in one row. Others, including it seems BA, disagreed with this.
Ah, I see Prospero has beaten me to the same point
Aug 16, 2018, 4:18 am
#86
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
...And just because the OP didn't understand the baggage rules and was frustrated by another apparent obstacle in their way doesn't justify unpleasantness here. I'm sure they were thankful to the supervisor and check in agent when the fees were waived, even if they didn't express that here!
...He then said we would need to pay £130 in excess baggage because we only had two bags, each at about 30kg (so we're 32kg under our total allowance) and because we had opted to reduce the number of bags to make it possible for me to carry them all, we'd have to pay a big excess. Had to speak to a supervisor.
Then at the gate: No, sorry l, we can't move anyone. This happens sometimes.
On the plane: No, sorry.
The other pax weren't interested either. So we'll just have to lump it.
Lovely. Thanks BA. Thanks for your help and understanding.
Then at the gate: No, sorry l, we can't move anyone. This happens sometimes.
On the plane: No, sorry.
The other pax weren't interested either. So we'll just have to lump it.
Lovely. Thanks BA. Thanks for your help and understanding.
And regarding the luggage - I can't see why on Earth this is a policy? We were significantly under our allowance, and having extra bags would have made getting around the airport with a newborn virtually impossible: four suitcases, four cabin bags, two car seats, one push chair, two children, all to be handled by two adults...
Another case of not being reasonable with families...
Another case of not being reasonable with families...
Aug 16, 2018, 4:27 am
#87
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 756
I think ideally, airlines should block the bassinet seat from being selected by anyone other than a passenger with a lap infant until check-in, so that those who are most likely to use the bassinet will get the priority. That way, it's more likely that it will remain available for selection by passengers with an infant, even in aircraft substitution.
Aug 16, 2018, 4:40 am
#88
Join Date: Feb 2002
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As far as I understand, reading post #15 up thread, the bassinet seat was assigned to the OP.
