Seat reservation fees increase
#17
Moderator, Emirates
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I thought it daylight robbery to charge £81 for an exit row in Y (3.5 hour flight LHR-DME VV). Just checked and that’s now up to £87
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#18
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
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Being an FT reader and for a while OW Sapphire, I at least understand the goal of protecting good seats for elites. I disagree with it though because to me, part of the benefit of J travel is the "all inclusive" product. And first come first served has worked for the other airlines.
I like CW aisle seats to be honest, but I chose to fly DL/AF for my next trip because for +$100 in fare, I was able to select seats on four legs for two of us.
I like CW aisle seats to be honest, but I chose to fly DL/AF for my next trip because for +$100 in fare, I was able to select seats on four legs for two of us.
#19
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What many who come here to complain about this policy appear not appreciate is that before BA introduced this policy it wasn’t even possible to reserve seats in advance unless by status or if you’d purchased a ticket in the higher-priced fare buckets. The policy was introduced to provide those passengers an option to choose a seat before checkin.
#20
Join Date: Jun 2015
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This topic is very well done more so than some CW steaks
#21
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Ok...I’ll bite on that one, if you’re paying the £1,500+ to fly what’s another £70 if you add it to the total. It’s not robbery if you’re parting with the £1,500 -£5K in the first place and has other have said you don’t have to pay or be robbed in the daylight!
This topic is very well done more so than some CW steaks
#22
Join Date: Jan 2014
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As a solo traveler , I am getting very sick of DYKWIA's who think and assume solos will move to cater for them. On Friday on the way down to Malaga in CE, some chap was so rude to the CSM , you would never believe that he had the option to pay if being with his wifey was so important to him. I did move to keep the peace.
#23
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Oi I resemble that remark
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/31068821-post22.html
Originally Posted by Jimmie76
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.
Last edited by Jimmie76; May 28, 2019 at 10:21 am
#24
Join Date: Nov 2013
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What many who come here to complain about this policy appear not appreciate is that before BA introduced this policy it wasn’t even possible to reserve seats in advance unless by status or if you’d purchased a ticket in the higher-priced fare buckets. The policy was introduced to provide those passengers an option to choose a seat before checkin.
Because part of "premium" is that it's nice to have an all-inclusive experience. You could easily start saying "What's £2 for a cup of tea if you're paying £1,500+ to fly?" and that wouldn't make it right to change CE into BoB.
#25
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The news was scooped by Business Traveller and was a hot topic on here at the time. I spoke to someone at BA and asked why the press office wasn't prepared for it being leaked. They admitted that the press office were caught a little off guard but should have been ready. I correctly predicted the negative headline in the next days Daily Mail. I said that they needed to issue (should have had one ready) a release pointing out that the option to select seats wasn't there before. That was something the Daily Mail decided not to focus on strangely. So the only thing that had changed was that you could do it now which was a positive change but for a fee which some would see as negative.
#27
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
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I suspect the price point is set to dissuade those who really don't mind where they sit and to provide those who do mind an option (that was hitherto unavailable) to choose at a price if it really is that important for them to have a specific seat. I see it not about committing daylight robbery but about dissuading uptake to allow greater choice for those on higher fares or with status.
#28
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Environmentally Friendly Travel
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#30
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,225
But not sitting together for 50 minutes is very different to sitting apart for 11 hours on a long haul flight isn’t it? The price of seat selection on short haul is much lower also. Just as a data point - I live in the North.