Inappropriate seat reassignment?

Old Jan 2, 2019, 6:19 pm
  #1  
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Inappropriate seat reassignment?

Wondering if this is a regular occurrence.

My partner and I flew GLA-LHR a few days ago on an avios booking. As a gold BAEC member, I selected seats when I made the booking a few weeks ago, and reaffirmed the choice when checking in via the app.

Upon entering the lounge, the agent asked if I was flying Club (?) to which I answered no. Then she asked if I had changed my seats. Eventually, she concluded our seats had been reassigned because the Club cabin was extended to row 6 where our seats were. It was an A319 and we were moved to the twin seat in row 25 next to the toilet and without a window. I protested but the agent wouldnt have any of it. I then raised the situation again at the gate and the agent recommended that I reserve my seats next time, so I didnt bother engaging further.

What ticked me off the most was the lounge agents response to my request to consider swapping us with someone else. Yes, I did pull a DYKWIA and highlighted my status. She said it was pointless to try because all of the plane passengers might have a gold status, as well. She also implied it was too late.

Of course, it was tolerable - took maybe 5min longer to exit the plane, obviously there was no immigration, but I had no access to BoB given the short length of the flight. However I cant help but wonder if this is all normal and in policy? I did raise a complaint and am waiting to hear back.
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Old Jan 2, 2019, 6:31 pm
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It's a risk you take by choosing seats very close behind the curtain. If it moves - and it frequently does - you'll loose your seat. If it moves after check in has opened you are pretty much out of luck. The knock on effects of moving further passengers is probably something BA considers a greater evil compared to inconveniencing a Gold member.
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Old Jan 2, 2019, 6:45 pm
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Thanks for the quick response - will stay clear of the curtain in the future
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Old Jan 2, 2019, 7:08 pm
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Originally Posted by dubistokay
What ticked me off the most was the lounge agents response to my request to consider swapping us with someone else. Yes, I did pull a DYKWIA and highlighted my status. She said it was pointless to try because all of the plane passengers might have a gold status, as well. She also implied it was too late.


BA won't move other passengers - as with other airlines it wont move other passengers because you want them to - so pulling a DYKWIA and mentioning your status is not going to help you. And yes it was too late especially close to departure.
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Old Jan 2, 2019, 7:49 pm
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Welcome to FT!

Yes as noted above regardless of your status you have no ability with BA to move other passengers so you can have a better seat. As a GGL I can’t move anyone just because I like their seat better, not even a blue

Out of interest are there airlines you travel with which will do that? It sounds from what you wrote that you had some expectation they would move someone to your seat so you could have theirs, and I just wondered whether this was born from experience elsewhere?
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Old Jan 2, 2019, 8:02 pm
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Theres a risk of Gold disappointment here, so BA needs to do something clever to avoid this situation.
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Old Jan 2, 2019, 8:10 pm
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Originally Posted by richardwft
Theres a risk of Gold disappointment here, so BA needs to do something clever to avoid this situation.
Clearly Golds should be banned from, say, the five rows behind the curtain
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Old Jan 2, 2019, 8:10 pm
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I was originally booked in Y to INN last weekend, but took advantage of a POUG for 85. Glad I did as my wife and I were in row 5 in economy and when we got on the plane CE was to row 6 so we would have been shifted.
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Old Jan 2, 2019, 8:16 pm
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Originally Posted by MADPhil
Clearly Golds should be banned from, say, the five rows behind the curtain ...
Nope, you just reserve good economy seats for Golds as appropriate until the curtain becomes fixed. Shoving them to row 25 is not on.
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Old Jan 2, 2019, 8:29 pm
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When the first row in economy brought with it an empty middle seat, and/or more legroom, it was worth considering the risk of a seat-shift. But I see no real advantage at all in sitting there now: if you want to be off the aircraft promptly you'll do (almost) as well the seats a couple of rows back.
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Old Jan 3, 2019, 12:00 am
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Originally Posted by richardwft
Nope, you just reserve good economy seats for Golds as appropriate until the curtain becomes fixed. Shoving them to row 25 is not on.
Curtain might still move all the way to boarding time. Are you suggesting preventing non status passengers from choosing a seat till then?
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Old Jan 3, 2019, 12:12 am
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As OP found this is the luck of the draw and SOP on BA is not to have a mass redistribution of seating to suit one or two travellers.

In economy there are no guarantees unfortunately.
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Old Jan 3, 2019, 12:43 am
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Golds, by definition, should fly quite frequently. Does it really matter that on one sector, and a short one at that, that you were moved?
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Old Jan 3, 2019, 12:54 am
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Originally Posted by richardwft
Theres a risk of Gold disappointment here, so BA needs to do something clever to avoid this situation.
You seem to be working on the assumption that BA is actually that bothered about whether it pleases or disappoints its Gold members. I'm increasingly coming to the conclusion that (senior management at least) really couldn't give a damn. They just want our money and then deliver whatever they see to be the bare minimum in service.
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Old Jan 3, 2019, 1:07 am
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Originally Posted by gms
You seem to be working on the assumption that BA is actually that bothered about whether it pleases or disappoints its Gold members. I'm increasingly coming to the conclusion that (senior management at least) really couldn't give a damn. They just want our money and then deliver whatever they see to be the bare minimum in service.
You cannot really expect BA to organise the whole of its economy cabin to suit a minority of travellers, even higher status ones.

The issue with 'curtain roulette' has been around since ever and it has always been the case that travellers can be moved for operational reasons.

The option of course is to travel in CE where such issues are less likely to occur.
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