British Airways Upgrade Scam [cost for an advanced seat assignment]
May 5, 2019, 5:36 am
#16
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
I think that the biggest scam success that BA had was getting someone to pay over double the cost to still get an economy seat with an adjacent empty seat
May 5, 2019, 5:47 am
#17
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: HKG
Programs: BA GGL & CCR
Posts: 600
Bait and switch... a classic scam.
You're baited into paying the upgrade cost assuming the product would include what would normally constitute a business class service (the ability to choose a seat) and then are asked to pay a subsequent fee. Furthermore you’re not entitled to return to your original product when you learn this.
Something doesn’t have to be illegal or regulated against to be a scam, you merely have to consider it dishonest or deceptive.
You're baited into paying the upgrade cost assuming the product would include what would normally constitute a business class service (the ability to choose a seat) and then are asked to pay a subsequent fee. Furthermore you’re not entitled to return to your original product when you learn this.
Something doesn’t have to be illegal or regulated against to be a scam, you merely have to consider it dishonest or deceptive.
May 5, 2019, 5:51 am
#18
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,613
Bait and switch... a classic scam.
You're baited into paying the upgrade cost assuming the product would include what would normally constitute a business class service (the ability to choose a seat) and then are asked to pay a subsequent fee. Furthermore you’re not entitled to return to your original product when you learn this.
Something doesn’t have to be illegal or regulated against to be a scam, you merely have to consider it dishonest or deceptive.
You're baited into paying the upgrade cost assuming the product would include what would normally constitute a business class service (the ability to choose a seat) and then are asked to pay a subsequent fee. Furthermore you’re not entitled to return to your original product when you learn this.
Something doesn’t have to be illegal or regulated against to be a scam, you merely have to consider it dishonest or deceptive.
May 5, 2019, 5:55 am
#19
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Roswell, GA
Programs: AA EXP 2.8m,Lifetime PLT, Hilton Diamond, IHG PlLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 3,191
actually every seat in Club Europe is a scam... middle seat blocked (thanks so much) , but no extra leg room or larger seat then coach
May 5, 2019, 5:56 am
#20
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: HKG
Programs: BA GGL & CCR
Posts: 600
Ofcom or Ofgem, Office of the Ombudsman, HMRC
May 5, 2019, 5:57 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,258
Words that are over used and annoying: Scam & Hack.
May 5, 2019, 6:01 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: LON, ACK, BOS..... (Not necessarily in that order)
Programs: **Mucci Diamond Hairbrush** - compared to that nothing else matters (+BA Bronze)
Posts: 15,129
I've dropped to Bronze this year due to a new job etc. And whilst booking my next flight recently I was horrified to see that I'd have to pay for seat selection in Club World. I wasn't prepared to do this and decided to beat BA at their own game........I therefore immediately switched to an F ticket and don't have to pay to select my seats.
May 5, 2019, 6:05 am
#23
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
Bait and switch... a classic scam.
You're baited into paying the upgrade cost assuming the product would include what would normally constitute a business class service (the ability to choose a seat) and then are asked to pay a subsequent fee. Furthermore you’re not entitled to return to your original product when you learn this.
Something doesn’t have to be illegal or regulated against to be a scam, you merely have to consider it dishonest or deceptive.
You're baited into paying the upgrade cost assuming the product would include what would normally constitute a business class service (the ability to choose a seat) and then are asked to pay a subsequent fee. Furthermore you’re not entitled to return to your original product when you learn this.
Something doesn’t have to be illegal or regulated against to be a scam, you merely have to consider it dishonest or deceptive.
Where did BA 'bait' that a free seat selection would be provided by paying to upgrade to a higher cabin?
May 5, 2019, 6:05 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: LON, ACK, BOS..... (Not necessarily in that order)
Programs: **Mucci Diamond Hairbrush** - compared to that nothing else matters (+BA Bronze)
Posts: 15,129
In the same theme I find what some US airlines call 'First Class' on domestic flights a deeply deceptive practice. Getting off a BA flight in First and connecting to a domestic First and the difference is huge (& not in a good way).
Last edited by Jimmie76; May 5, 2019 at 6:13 am
May 5, 2019, 6:13 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,145
It is, of course, incredibly unfair that those of us who fly regularly with oneworld carriers acquire status that allows free seat selection at the time of booking. How dare we derive benefits from our loyalty!
May 5, 2019, 6:18 am
#26
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: BAEC Gold, HHonors Gold, Marriot Bonvoy Gold, MeliaRewards Gold, Radisson Gold
Posts: 816
Bait and switch... a classic scam.
You're baited into paying the upgrade cost assuming the product would include what would normally constitute a business class service (the ability to choose a seat) and then are asked to pay a subsequent fee. Furthermore you’re not entitled to return to your original product when you learn this.
Something doesn’t have to be illegal or regulated against to be a scam, you merely have to consider it dishonest or deceptive.
You're baited into paying the upgrade cost assuming the product would include what would normally constitute a business class service (the ability to choose a seat) and then are asked to pay a subsequent fee. Furthermore you’re not entitled to return to your original product when you learn this.
Something doesn’t have to be illegal or regulated against to be a scam, you merely have to consider it dishonest or deceptive.
May 5, 2019, 6:39 am
#27
Join Date: Nov 2016
Programs: BA Blue, Avios, Accor Basic, IHG Gold
Posts: 67
To call this a scam is pretty hypocritical.
The only reason these charges exist is because the airline industry is driven by customers who are incapable of considering anything other than the headline price when determining value.
If people thought rationally, they'd consider the whole package of product they're buying and determine value in relation quality, not just overall spend.
I frequently find it cheaper to book BA than Ryanair once I've considered everything I actually need, including things like getting from wherever Ryanair dump me to where I actually want to be and the like.
The only reason these charges exist is because the airline industry is driven by customers who are incapable of considering anything other than the headline price when determining value.
If people thought rationally, they'd consider the whole package of product they're buying and determine value in relation quality, not just overall spend.
I frequently find it cheaper to book BA than Ryanair once I've considered everything I actually need, including things like getting from wherever Ryanair dump me to where I actually want to be and the like.
May 5, 2019, 6:51 am
#28
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: HKG
Programs: BA GGL & CCR
Posts: 600
If I we’re to offer, for a surcharge a product sold as ‘express service’ and it was no faster then the standard or to name a product ‘extra leg room’ and it had no more inches above standard. You would consider it a defense to say our version of that service doesn’t actually include those features?
Believe what you like. I side with the OP, it’s a scam.
May 5, 2019, 6:53 am
#29
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
OP simply presumed that he would obtain the seat assignment for free. Rather than researching the costs as he should have, he merrilly clicked away.
Whether it is worth paying for a seat assignment in narrow-body CE is a subjective matter. But, OP apparently thought that it was. So he did.
No scam. Maybe OP simply does not pay attention.
Whether it is worth paying for a seat assignment in narrow-body CE is a subjective matter. But, OP apparently thought that it was. So he did.
No scam. Maybe OP simply does not pay attention.
May 5, 2019, 6:54 am
#30
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
You are not required to sit together ( unless one of you is 11 or younger and needs the supervision ) - it is a choice on whether to pay to select seats; if there are adjacent seats available at checkin time , you can sit together
BA is quite clear on its website on its seating policy ; it isn't hidden away in some small print that is easily missed ; it is up to an individual on whether to check whether it is fit for what they want ; it is fit for purpose in that it gets the passenger to destination
BA is quite clear on its website on its seating policy ; it isn't hidden away in some small print that is easily missed ; it is up to an individual on whether to check whether it is fit for what they want ; it is fit for purpose in that it gets the passenger to destination