The problem with theoretical seating
May 6, 2019, 7:34 am
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
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I was indeed amazed at the flow [oops] of pax, predominantly male, using the forward loo on our recent LGW-JER. Thee must have been nearly a dozen ... including the one who had to go before push-back! It’s very noticeable when you’re sat in 1C!
Now I do have some sympathy with those with medical issues affecting this department, having been a sufferer myself (before successful medical intervention). But, as one’s mother might have said, “Well, you should have gone earlier.”
Now I do have some sympathy with those with medical issues affecting this department, having been a sufferer myself (before successful medical intervention). But, as one’s mother might have said, “Well, you should have gone earlier.”
May 6, 2019, 8:07 am
#32
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Krakow
Programs: BAEC Silver, Miles and More(FTL), IHG(Platinum), Accor, HHonors(Diamond), SPG, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 5,975
The people who ended up in middle seats were those checking in late at the airport , even before TS came along.
In my experience FTs can have just as much if not more luggage than an infrequent flyer as FTs are more likely to gry and travel HBO.
As for frequency of toilet trips and up and down to get stuff out of a bag, I see no clear difference between traveller types.
In my experience FTs can have just as much if not more luggage than an infrequent flyer as FTs are more likely to gry and travel HBO.
As for frequency of toilet trips and up and down to get stuff out of a bag, I see no clear difference between traveller types.
May 6, 2019, 8:50 am
#33
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,850
My experience is quite the opposite, premium lounges are a haven for oddball behaviour. You need only read the daily threads on here for lots of examples.
Also, whilst I’m at it, the premise of your point around Theoretical Seating being to blame is also wrong. Regardless of a seat block or not, middle seats are rarely paid for or pre-selected. They get occupied by those who check in late regardless. It has been ever thus ever since you could select seats online.
May 6, 2019, 10:35 am
#34
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: US/UK - and elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,565
Not TS, but similar things happen on other airlines: on AA the front of economy is usually reserved for 'elites' - but often you get Group 9+ passengers sitting there since it's the only place left.
May 6, 2019, 11:30 am
#35
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: UK (currently)
Programs: BA Gold (and many other greater and lesser distinctions)
Posts: 7,213
But the check-in staff and CC are pretty clueless also. A few weeks back Mrs FF99 and I (both Gold) had a theoretically empty middle seat between us in the exit row. We boarded very early (Gp 1) only to find the middle seat occupied by an elderly gent with a fold up cane, who had pre-boarded with those who needed assistance. He was happy to move to the window seat when we asked, but was less happy to hand over his cane to be put in the overhead locker when asked to do so by a CC member !! Even then the penny did not drop and nobody asked him to move out of the row. Only when the safety briefing was belatedly being given by another CC member (as the a/c was starting to roll), did the penny finally drop with the CC. The hapless gent was asked to vacate his seat - with the a/c already moving - and given no assistance at all to get to his new seat 10 rows back. Shocking performance by both check-in staff (at outstation) and CC.
May 6, 2019, 11:54 am
#36
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold; Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,230
Yes, same on AA with MCE seats (or "Preferred" depending on the aircraft type) where they are often allocated to Basic Economy passengers.
As for toilet habits, there are times I drink and I seem to have the constitution of a camel whereas there are other occasions where it feels like I am up and down every five minutes and peeing like a racehorse! That's why I usually choose an aisle seat!
May 6, 2019, 1:56 pm
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, *A Gold, Hertz President's Circle, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 529
Probably best to stop digging at this point.
My experience is quite the opposite, premium lounges are a haven for oddball behaviour. You need only read the daily threads on here for lots of examples.
Also, whilst I’m at it, the premise of your point around Theoretical Seating being to blame is also wrong. Regardless of a seat block or not, middle seats are rarely paid for or pre-selected. They get occupied by those who check in late regardless. It has been ever thus ever since you could select seats online.
My experience is quite the opposite, premium lounges are a haven for oddball behaviour. You need only read the daily threads on here for lots of examples.
Also, whilst I’m at it, the premise of your point around Theoretical Seating being to blame is also wrong. Regardless of a seat block or not, middle seats are rarely paid for or pre-selected. They get occupied by those who check in late regardless. It has been ever thus ever since you could select seats online.
Yesterday both middle and window were empty. But got filled with 70 minutes to go until departure. By two real oddballs.
No way all the couples in rows behind would have passed up the exit row if they could’ve bagged it.
May 6, 2019, 1:58 pm
#38
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold, *A Gold, Hertz President's Circle, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 529
Good point. I wonder why the airlines don’t ‘upgrade’ sapphires to the better seats?
May 6, 2019, 2:58 pm
#39
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,284
What made these people 'oddballs'? Were they simply not stereotypical city workers?
May 6, 2019, 7:07 pm
#40
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: All over the place often South Wales and Lake District
Programs: BA Gold for Life Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,554
Regarding toilet habits, I don't know about the OP, I go when I need to go. Sometimes, that is one the plane, often not. What does annoy me though is HAL removed the toilets that were in place immediately after immigration at T5 before going down to baggage reclaim and you have to walk past the exit to landside to get to the loos...
May 6, 2019, 7:34 pm
#41
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: London Stratford, E7
Programs: BAEC Gold! Thanks to FT
Posts: 3,394
But the check-in staff and CC are pretty clueless also. A few weeks back Mrs FF99 and I (both Gold) had a theoretically empty middle seat between us in the exit row. We boarded very early (Gp 1) only to find the middle seat occupied by an elderly gent with a fold up cane, who had pre-boarded with those who needed assistance. He was happy to move to the window seat when we asked, but was less happy to hand over his cane to be put in the overhead locker when asked to do so by a CC member !! Even then the penny did not drop and nobody asked him to move out of the row. Only when the safety briefing was belatedly being given by another CC member (as the a/c was starting to roll), did the penny finally drop with the CC. The hapless gent was asked to vacate his seat - with the a/c already moving - and given no assistance at all to get to his new seat 10 rows back. Shocking performance by both check-in staff (at outstation) and CC.
May 7, 2019, 7:38 am
#42
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Plymouth, UK
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 1,159
We might have done exactly that... asked and if refused then we would have accepted that he had every right not to move... we will have gambled and lost. But nothing wrong with trying IMO.
May 7, 2019, 8:32 am
#43
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Sapporo, Japan
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May 7, 2019, 8:57 am
#44
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: UK (currently)
Programs: BA Gold (and many other greater and lesser distinctions)
Posts: 7,213
In the latter case, the stray late check-in pax would get A and that is exactly what he got when we offered it to him. Why is our behaviour so grossly objectionable that it is worthy of specific criticism ? We would never dream of insisting that the middle pax move if they did not want to. The way we have done it offers them the option of middle or window, rather than forcing a window on them. Can you explain why this outcome is so unfair, in circumstances where BA has actually gone to the lengths of writing a programme that aims to keep the middle seat free for us if not actually required for another passenger ?
I have to say that the degree of hostility shown by some posters to perfectly reasonable posts by others (my post actually concerned the incompetence of the check-in staff and CC, on which you and others have not commented) is a reason why my visits to FT have scaled down considerably from the halcyon era 15 years ago, when everybody treated the Board as a place for light-hearted and informative banter. I believe that I am not the first to comment on this, and I am sure that I won't be the last.
