787-8 to 787-9 Seat Change Prototcol
May 20, 2019, 8:04 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Yorkshire Dales, UK
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold, Marriott Platinum Elite, Avis President's Club
Posts: 120
787-8 to 787-9 Seat Change Prototcol
Just wondered if there is a straight answer to the below scenario, IF it were to happen.....
Flying DUR-LHR in 1AB and 2AB on the 787-8 next Easter
Noticed whilst bored the other day that a 787-9 operated over Easter week this year and wondered what's the protocol for when this happens?
As a Gold would they ensure we were in the F Cabin, or, as I fear, would it end up as a free for all in King Shaka airport as I find that suddenly i'm in a middle seat in the second cabin separated from the missus and kids... actually that sounds quite nice!
Look forward to your 'expert' answers.
J
Flying DUR-LHR in 1AB and 2AB on the 787-8 next Easter
Noticed whilst bored the other day that a 787-9 operated over Easter week this year and wondered what's the protocol for when this happens?
As a Gold would they ensure we were in the F Cabin, or, as I fear, would it end up as a free for all in King Shaka airport as I find that suddenly i'm in a middle seat in the second cabin separated from the missus and kids... actually that sounds quite nice!
Look forward to your 'expert' answers.
J
May 20, 2019, 8:16 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,176
You won't be left in the F cabin!
If you haven't already been moved you will shortly so keep an eye out in MMB and if those seats don't suit then move yourself to ones that do.
It's possible - depending on loads - that the F cabin could be opened up (F seat but CW service - so called FLUB) close to departure but that is not guaranteed.
If you haven't already been moved you will shortly so keep an eye out in MMB and if those seats don't suit then move yourself to ones that do.
It's possible - depending on loads - that the F cabin could be opened up (F seat but CW service - so called FLUB) close to departure but that is not guaranteed.
May 20, 2019, 8:34 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 32
We were on one of the Easter 787-9 and First Class was used at FLUB.
3 of us all Gold noticed at 23 hours before check in that we could take the last 3 seats in F so we did. Whether everyone in FLUB was Gold I don't know. I think they were the people who were saavy enough to know about FLUB and willing to take the risk the they would be booted back to a middle seat in Club.
My son was thrilled with FLUB and said the flight was an 11 out of 10.
3 of us all Gold noticed at 23 hours before check in that we could take the last 3 seats in F so we did. Whether everyone in FLUB was Gold I don't know. I think they were the people who were saavy enough to know about FLUB and willing to take the risk the they would be booted back to a middle seat in Club.
My son was thrilled with FLUB and said the flight was an 11 out of 10.
May 20, 2019, 9:00 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Lincolnshire, UK
Programs: BA GGL - maybe only briefly!
Posts: 1,378
We had a trip changed from 787-8 to 787-9 quite a long way out and we were automatically moved from 1A/B into 6A/B. We asked on board whether we could move into the F cabin but they didn't have the staffing so it stayed empty unfortunately.
May 20, 2019, 9:22 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: U.K.
Programs: BA Exec Club Gold, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 277
There are two policies for dealing with this scenario.
Firstly, if it’s planned that a -9 will operate on a service usually operated by a -8 then the F cabin will be blocked and only opened if the rest of the flight is oversold resulting in the need for additional capacity. At -72hrs the departure airport takes control and they’re meant to block these seats off. It may well be that at -24hr when OLCI opens, someone with no status could pick a seat in F. However, when the flight is closed seats are meant to be reallocated so that the likes of GGL/GCH are sat in the first two rows. At LHR I’ve seen this done many times and the F cabin has been allocated to those with higher status. At out stations it doesn’t necessarily go so smoothly and so in the case of the OP being DUR-LHR, I wouldn’t count on it necessarily being done in a text book fashion.
The second scenario is unplanned changes. For example a last minute aircraft change, such as the original -8 going tech and it being replaced by a -9. Again, F is only used if it needs to be due to capacity, and minimum seat changes are made to allow an easier transfer.
Firstly, if it’s planned that a -9 will operate on a service usually operated by a -8 then the F cabin will be blocked and only opened if the rest of the flight is oversold resulting in the need for additional capacity. At -72hrs the departure airport takes control and they’re meant to block these seats off. It may well be that at -24hr when OLCI opens, someone with no status could pick a seat in F. However, when the flight is closed seats are meant to be reallocated so that the likes of GGL/GCH are sat in the first two rows. At LHR I’ve seen this done many times and the F cabin has been allocated to those with higher status. At out stations it doesn’t necessarily go so smoothly and so in the case of the OP being DUR-LHR, I wouldn’t count on it necessarily being done in a text book fashion.
The second scenario is unplanned changes. For example a last minute aircraft change, such as the original -8 going tech and it being replaced by a -9. Again, F is only used if it needs to be due to capacity, and minimum seat changes are made to allow an easier transfer.
May 20, 2019, 9:33 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
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And I can tell you as a SCCM that we keep a close eye on this and when the First cabin hasn’t been closed out we either speak to our FMU (Flight Monitoring Unit) or the outstation and get closed out and customers moved, hopefully this is happening less often as procedures have been put in place.