Never Stansted

Flying on the BA116 in J on 22/5, and aiming to sit on the UD if possible.

The BA site only shows 64B available to book:



ExpertFlyer shows much better availability on the UD. It doesn't seem that the seats showing as available on EF but not on BA.com are blocked given that EF normally makes clear that a seat has been blocked (i.e. 64A).




Anyone encountered this before or have any thoughts? I've looked at other flights I've got booked on EF and haven't seen the issue - the only seats unavailable on those are because they are either booked or blocked.

Airprox

Not all seats on the UD are available to purchase for those who cannot select them because of status. This is what I see on that same flight, which matches EF:

golfmad

I just tried a dummy booking for that flight and the seat selection options matched those presented by Expert Flyer. See screenshot below.

I suggest you call BA. They should be able to select the seat you want from the available list (apart from 64A at the moment).

EDIT: Beaten to it and I agree that it's probably a status problem for the OP.

Airprox

As the OP's picture shows them being asked to pay £88 for a seat in Row 64 there is obviously no free-seat granting status associated with the booking, so unless they have status which isn't attached, phoning BA isn't going to achieve anything.

golfmad

Indeed. Having read your post I added an extra bit to mine agreeing with you.

Never Stansted

Thanks very much both - helpful to know. Hopefully something will open up nearer the time. Curious that 61B is held back but 64B available to purchase...

Airprox

61B is an average seat, 64B is a terrible seat.

mikeyfly

OP - if you have Silver or higher status or equivalent on a One World carrier - make sure your membership number is in the booking as it will enable you to have further seat choices

Never Stansted

Thanks - alas a few years since that was the case, but starting to collect the TPs again so hopefully will have status before too long!

ThatT1Feeling

OP, somewhere within your account management on EF you can tell it what BA status you hold so that it can present you a seat map which is appropriate to you.

It's possible that EF either thinks you're Sliver or above if you populated it some time ago, or maybe it shows top-status seatmaps by default?? Either way, if you're not Gold, the EF seatmaps will always show a discrepancy with what you see on ba.com

golfmad

It's in the Preferences part of the My Account tab. There's a place to add your BAEC number but if the OP doesn't have status associated with that number then I'm still not sure why it's presenting that information. Perhaps the OP has a different BAEC number in there which has status but is not the one used by the OP on the BA site when the booking was made?

ratypus

I agree with someone above - 64B is the weakest seat on the Upper Deck: on the aisle, and maximum foot traffic and light disturbance with the loo and galley both just behind your right shoulder...

Honestly, I would pick one of the available window seats on the Lower Deck (per ExpertFlyer) over taking 64B. Especially if 64B is going to cost £88. And especially on a JFK-LHR flight if it's (most likely) an overnight one - you will really want to just sleep on that short hop, so the noise and galley disturbance in 64B will be at maximum annoyance...doubt you'll get more than 2-3 hours of peace from the galley between the evening and breakfast meal services (noting that on this short flight you may well want to skip either or both of those yourself...much better on the JFK night flights to take advantage of the full Club World dining on the ground and then rest on the plane).

I wouldn't pay for 64B if I were you.

windowontheAside

I would take any window seat on the LD over any aisle on the UD. But that's just me and window seats. I really dislike UD aisle seats.

Never Stansted

Originally had no number on EF at all - added my lowly Blue membership and the map remained unchanged. Though quite useful to know what might become available at T-72/T-24, and what's already been booked.

Never Stansted

Thanks! And agree - have had 64A and 64K before and would happily pay £88 for those, but wouldn't pay for a UD aisle on a redeye. Will keep the money and chance my luck nearer the time, I think...