Msclelovr

I know this is a "first world problem" but I'd appreciate your views and help.

I'm due to travel shortly with my partner (long-haul from LHR in F) and I've been allocated 1A. He's been put in 4A but would prefer 1K which is free. I tried to change his seat online but got an Error Message saying to call BA. I rang the Gold Line (as I'm Gold for Life) and surmised this is because he's Silver. I was told No, that's not the case and the seating request would be put through.

Fast forward 2 weeks and the seating has not been changed; he remains in 4A and 1K is still free. This time, calling the Gold Line again, I'm informed that it is "policy": because he's only Silver, he cannot sit in row 1. I observed that this seems odd - it means that a frequent BA traveller with appropriate status can sit in row 1 but must be separated from their partner travelling on the same booking in the same class. To which the nice person on the Gold Line said Yes, but I could sit elsewhere...tho the only other seat free in F is (you guessed correctly) 1K

Does the "policy" seem sensible and reasonable to others?

Globaliser

Whatever you may think of it, this policy is well established and the subject of frequent advice here - perhaps once a fortnight?

This post from the ever-helpful jerry a. laska might help: Seating Queries: First

thebigben

This is especially important as First tickets come with free seat selection. I mean, it seems that 1A/1K aren't the always the best First seats, so it sounds silly in that regard. However, having the few best seats blocked for Golds only seems sensible, so that I am likely to get 1A/1K in Club Europe if I don't book it very long in advance, for example.

I get this is annoying when traveling with a companion, but I'm on the same boat and I'll just book 1A/2A until T-72

Andriyko

You will be able to move your partner to 1K roughly three days before departure (if that seat remains free).

A P Yu

Is 4E or 3A available for you to move to?

armouredant

flatlander

Sorry, that's the policy. There is much debate on it, which is very closely allied to the debate over paid seating in premium cabins because the underlying reasons are the same.

The debate can be summarised as:

People who occasionally buy tickets in premium cabins expect to sit wherever they want and to be able to book a seat. Often they buy tickets far ahead of travel and expect to be able to secure a favourable seat at that time. They feel that the price they have paid (in cash and/or airline pseudo-currency) justifies this.

BA wants their more loyal customers to have a better choice of seating even if they book closer in. BA feels it is worth differentiating the service for their loyal passengers.

Most airlines prioritise first come first served for favourable seats. BA prioritises loyalty.

So in CW, you require status or payment to choose a seat long before travel. In F you require status to sit in row 1 since all F passengers can choose a seat at the time of booking.

Since it's BA's aircraft, they make the rules.

cosmo74

Personally, I think the policy should be that 1A/K is reservable for Gold's only, plus anyone travelling on their PNR - which I think is what the OP is suggesting it should be, rather than a free for all for anyone. There's not a lot of point choosing 1A if your travelling partner who's Silver, or heaven forbid Blue, can't sit next to you. And yes, whilst you could take it in the hope that 1K becomes free, there's a chance another Gold will snaffle it, or someone else without status who's quicker at T-72 and you'll be left sitting apart.

Proudelitist

Yes.

Are you really unable to be apart for a few hours?

Lefly

I'm sorry but that kind of objection, that often comes up when talking about seating, is "superfluous", IMHO
It's quite obvious two people with no special medical needs can sit apart for a flight/car ride/etc, but the fact that it is possible doesn't mean those two people wouldn't enjoy more their trip being seated together...

That said, I have nothing against this policy.

Proudelitist

I would enjoy having a donkey that barfs gold bars. Doesn't mean I need to complain that nobody will give it to me.

bhbloke

Having both of you in Row 1 isn't great for buddy dining either as it's quite cramped for a second person.

fiona

I have managed to get row 1 as a silver. OH was in row 2 and to be honest he could have been several seats away. I prefer the two seats together in rows 4 or 5 but at least I can say I have sat in row 1.

orbitmic

As others have mentioned, this is a long standing and consistent policy, and i'm only surprised that the first agent mis-informed you as presumably, at that time, you might have found other seats available if you wanted to sit together even though you mention none are available by now.

A few days before the flight, 1K may become available for your partner to select. There is no guarantee that it will, and indeed, in some cases, theoretical seating may keep it blocked if there is no other gold in the cabin. If it becomes free, that could be anything from 3 days before the flight to at check in only.

And yes, for what it's worth, I personally find the policy perfectly reasonable as those are, in effect, the only seats reserved to GCH/OWE and above when travelling F, and I know that many others are grateful for it too.