Curtain Roulette?
 

Apologies if this is covered elsewhere...currently booked on a short-haul out of LHR, in ET on an A320.

I picked 3 seats in Row 13; we cannot take the exit rows in Rows 11 and 12 because (i) they seem to be allocated to the Club Europe cabin and (ii) we have a lap infant on the booking anyway, so an exit row is neither allowed nor practicable (much easier to keep a bag under the seat in front for easy access to baby stuff...).

Now we are still c. a month away from travel date, but ExpertFlyer is showing Club Europe back to Row 12 (consistent with BA MMB). Row 12 itself is showing 'blocked', but there are allocated CE seats already in Row 11, so it's clearly a busy flight in CE. Now...in the ET cabin, ExpertFlyer is showing all of Row 13 and Row 14 as 'blocked' except for our 3 seats in Row 13. Seems to be there's at least a risk of the CE cabin expanding again and getting kicked out of our seats?

Is that right? Should we just move further back now? I am absolutely not fussed where in the ET cabin we sit - travelling with 2 small children so will have checked bags, not be in any hurry on arrival, no spare hands for BoB catering etc. So it's absolutely immaterial where we sit.

Am I reading ExpertFlyer right here? I just want to avoid that we get kicked out of Row 13 and somehow don't get allocated seats together - that would be quite difficult as it's really best to have both parents present with the two kids.

You're right to avoid the exit row with children - they have to be at least 12 to be able to sit in the exit row so that's a non-starter for many years ( :) ) anyway.

If you aren't fussed at all where you sit, then I would move further back now and that will take the concern away. Actually I think it's extremely unlikely that a CE cabin would go beyond Row 12 anyway - but if you really don't mind where you are, then why not move further back where there tends to be a higher likelihood of empty seats ?

It would be rare for the curtain to go back further (though not impossible), so I think you're 95% plus OK there. But if you really don't want to be forced back and you really don't mind where you sit, then why not move now? You'd have more overhead luggage space, and depending on the destination you may have a rear door exit option too.

Personally, and as others have has said too, I'd move right to the back of the aircraft now rather than staying so close to the curtain. The rear seats are sometimes are the very last to fill up so you may possibly have less passengers down the back. If you've checked luggage and no rush to get off then I think that's the wisest thing to do at this stage.

With little ones you'll also be much nearer the toilets which may be pragmatic travelling with 2 young ones, and a view out the window well behind the wing is perhaps, from my own experiences as a parent quite good for keeping the older one occupied too.

just bear in mind, that if you're on a densified A320, the back row has no windows, and the row in front has a misaligned window.

I wasn't specifically aware of that so thanks ^

they are being converted at the rate of 1 a week, so it's ever more likely

Have I chosen unwisely?
I have (or had) the first row in ET to AMS tomorrow (was row 8).
I have gone into check the seat choice and now while the seat numbers are still as previously selected, there is no seat map of the cabin. It is also listing A, C, D as middle seats? On the app and BA web site.

If I make a dummy booking ET now starts at row 9 :( (and only one Y fare left I think).

If they have moved the curtain back, then I guess they will re-seat us further back, however not sure what else was left. In the non BAEC dummy booking only seats left are right at the back of the plane but i guess this is due to theoretical seating.

Is this going to error at ONCI or should there not be some sort of notification before hand?
I cannot select anything elsewhere in ET due to the error in app and on the site, so if nothing else, I will call up and ask them to have a look.

Yes I'm afraid this is classic curtain roulette, they've moved back the curtain and your seat reservation is caught up in that. You'll be assigned some new random seats at the airport. It's just possible you'll gegt an upgrade, but I wouldn't count on it. There is a separate bug where some exit row window or aisle seats show as "middle".

I have an AMS-LHR in May - got an email today with a seat change. I was, I think in row 9 ET seat. I was moved to row 37! Seems a bit harsh. I assume it was curtain roulette which is fine but why do they move folk so far removed from their original seat choice? There was plenty of availability further forward so I’ve moved again. Just curious!

See below a screenshot from Experflyer for LGW-MLA this coming weekend. Mr WSM and I (both BA Gold) are currently seated in 10D and 10E. 10F is also showing as blocked on the BA app.

Am I right in thinking the surrounding blocked seats are in preparation for a curtain move?
I assumed that if 10F was blocked because we are Gold it would show as available to us on the app and blocked on Expertflyer.

Should we move now before we get ejected?

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...9b3a1d051.jpeg

I'm going to assume this is for Sunday 15 December. If it is another day then the following may not make sense. Until the flight goes into FLY at T-72 BA will maintain a buffer of usually 2 or 3 rows at the top of ET and often a buffer of one row at the back of CE so that the curtain can move without disrupting too many passengers. Once you get to T-72 then Theoretical Seating kicks and another set of logic comes into play, but since you're Gold that only works to your potential advantage.

At the time you chose row 10 then the curtain would probably been between row 6 and 7, it has now moved to between 8 and 9 due to some presumably mid priced CE tickets being sold more recently. It's currently D4 and M2. I notice the earlier KM flight is nearly full and would now be more expensive than BA. So if there are any further CE sales from D, which isn't that pricey, then there is a risk the curtain will go further back still, but you are still one row away from that, they can still sell a few more CE and you would be OK. I can't see the curtain going back to row 7, though it could happen. I think it's unlikely to go to row 10, though again it could happen. Your service is already pretty full too.

There is a further complication that depending on the precise aircraft selected for the route, there are some rows at the exit where they may not be able to have a curtain, so that brings another dollop of complexity. You're currently on a G-GAT. which is preferred for the MLA route, but it could change.

In short, yes, you are at risk. No, you are not definitely going to be moved, I think probably on balance you won't be, but that's my guess and I could be wrong. If you aren't good with risk you would move, if you're ok to live a little, um, dangerously, then you'd stay put. But the big mystery to me is why you didn't select 13E and F, the exit row?

Thank you @corporate-wage-slave for such a comprehensive answer! You are correct, it is indeed the Sunday 15th December flight. I think the curtain was already between row 8 and 9 when I booked (back in July) but I can’t be sure. I think we’ll take the risk and stay put. I’ll let you know what happens.

I didn’t choose the exit row because I like to be able to keep a bag at my feet. Also because I have some neck and shoulder issues (arthritis) which make me feel I’m not fit enough for the responsibilities of sitting in an exit row. Big mystery solved. ;)