mangoMan

I haven't flown BA CE much so sorry if this is a silly question. When do they decide where to position the curtain between CE and ET? If I select a seat further back with no one next to me, despite there being available seats further forward, will they "pack" the cabin by moving the curtain forward, such that I'd be reassigned to an empty seat further forward to fill a row? I'm flying on an A321 (densified) LHR-TXL and would like a window seat, but also would like easy aisle access, so I figure if I select a window further back, maybe I'll get lucky and have the aisle seat remain vacant.

KARFA

fruitcage

scottishpoet

I have never known ba to mive the curtain to squeeze economy back leaving an empty CE.

However expect the flight to be busy. Most ET cabins are busy. There is no direct alternative to TXL.

If you have no status the chances of you having empty seats beside you are very limited. See the theoretical seating thread.

corporate-wage-slave

Indeed, what I see it that they do try to ensure that at OLCI - and for a period after - the system tries to ensure that CE passengers can select a window or aisle seat, even if that removes that option from ET passengers. At the same time BA does try to ensure it has some ET seating available for sale at the last moment, even if they are middle ones, for last minute purchases. So there isn't a specific policy to ram down ET seating.

Flights generally run quite full on BA, so that's your starting assumption, and you're more likely to end up with an empty middle seat in three places: if there are not many status passengers then exit rows can be good choices - for TXL you can give up on that idea though! Non status passengers would normally have to pay a lot extra to sit there and so that and TS often means the middle exit rows stay empty. The second area is in the final 20% of the aircraft, almost everyone prefers a front seat. Then at T-72 it's often the case that the front 2 or 3 seats which were blocked are opened up, and again TS comes into play to block out middle seats if a Silver or Gold moves to one of those previously blocked rows. However then there is Curtain Roulette that comes into play so it's double jeopardy there.

SonTech

I do believe the OP will be selecting a seat in CE but have empty rows in front and wants to know if they move the curtain forward (do they do this?) to enable more ET will they will be moved forward to an empty seat in CE. Its not the usual select a seat close to the CE section and then get moved to the back if they extend CE..

Dover2Golf

There certainly is with Eurowings!

Dicksbits

Better a curtain than none at all....

mangoMan

This is correct. Basically, if I select a seat at the back of CE (currently row 7) in the hopes I get an empty seat next to me, will it all be for naught as they'll just move the curtain forward to "pack" CE? Flight is next week but I can choose a seat now for free because I have AA Gold (OW Ruby). Also, EF shows row 1 as blocked (for top-elites, I assume) - does this open at OLCI?

Thanks for all your help!

corporate-wage-slave

Row 1 may open to you at T-72. Just to make the obvious point - since you say you haven't flown BA much - namely that CE the middle seat will always remain blocked. If you are trying to get 3 seats to yourself then yes you best go further back. It's unlikely the curtain will go forward, but it is a risk, but unless I'm missing something here then it is unlikely you would be any worse off, you could continue to hop around the cabin if necessary.

scottishpoet

Row 1 opens to OW Saphire at T-72, although theoretical seating may limit what is available.

Yes if you pick row 7 you are at risk of being moved if the curtain moves forward. Also less likely to get your choice of meal than if you are nearer the front

lipsum

deleted

BOH

My last 3 BA flights have had NO curtain divider between CE and ET, One was from LHR to BLL and the other two were LGW-GOA-LGW on both the outbound and inbound. Is this some sort of the further race to the bottom by BA as it becomes one less thing on the aircraft to maintain and erodes further the difference between CE and ET? The curtain at least provided a small amout of an exclusive feeling and also did prevent some of the loo use up front by all.

frandrake

Good luck flying with those chaps!

Dicksbits

I had it twice on ex-BMI birds from Gatters recently. I had a conversation with the CSM who told me that 5 were being repaired atm. Someone else mentioned it to her on the same flight and she awarded us both 1,000 avios as service recovery.