1Aturnleft

I took a flight LHR-FCO the other day in Club Europe where I'd assigned myself row 10 (Emergency Exit row on the A321) at time of booking. Online check in at T-24 still showing me as row 10, T5 check-in the boarding pass was printed and still row 10. Upon boarding I get the beep at the gate and I'm told I've been shifted out of row 10 and into row 12 in order to accommodate a couple. Row 12 being in the final row of Club. I asked to be switched back to my original row 10 seat and I'm told it's not possible. I also ask why I wasn't asked/paged to come forward earlier to see if I was willing in accommodating the split couple (I've been asked in this way before and obliged - just so long as the revised seat isn't any worse than the seat I'd already assigned). Gate agent just reiterated seat assignments are subject to operational change without notice.

On board, the meal choices ran out during serving row 10 which meant a choice of curry, curry or curry by the time the meal cart got to my row.

​​​​​​I had a chat to the purser about what had happened after the service was completed who confirmed zero frequent flyer data existed for the passengers in my original row 10 seat or the adjacent passenger on their iPad... and I believe them, they had no reason to lie.

What I'd like to know is why would BA seat shift a gold or other status passenger out of what was a prime seat (or any seat for that matter) in order to accommodate a couple of passengers who could have paid to guarantee seats together and who on this occasion appear to have chosen not to?

Just to clarify the seat was fully operational and in no way defective not were any passengers with infants which necessitate seating in specific rows because of emergency equipment (additional oxygen mask).

krispy84

SKT-DK

While I completely agree that they should have asked you first (and given you are a GCH, you should be one of the last to be asked to move!), they are sadly within their rights to do so. That does not make it right though. I had the same happen on QR in J where the station manager came on board long after boarding and told me to move (yes, told - not asked!) to accommodate a family. This has actually happened twice, and one time was to the dreaded, window-less 5K on the 788! Needless to say - and just like yourself - I was pretty unhappy at that point.

But if you ask me, in this case the purser was wrong in telling you what data did or did not exist - that really is none of your business.

1Aturnleft

It could have been worse ..... You could have been banished to those 2 nasty middle seats between the toilets and behind the bar!

The purser was extremely careful in their phrasing. To the point they didn't share specific data with me because it would have been a data protection breach. I know that and wouldn't put anyone in such a compromising position. The specific wording used (or not used) led me to my own conclusion there was zero data on the iPad regarding the couple's flyer status. Ultimately, higher status, lower status or no status is irrelevant I suppose, it's more to do with the way BA ground staff handled the seat reassignment and the justification over doing so. Had I paid for the seat assignment I'd have got a refund. As a GCH I got a tough luck story.
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madfish

Globalist

2 points come to mind,

Seat shifting is for operational reasons. Accommodating a couple to sit together, ashough very nice, does not impact operations.
Why couldn't the person in row 12 have been moved forward instead of the person in row 10 had to be moved back?
Second, isn't there some practice to request frequent flyers for their meal choice before the rest of the cabin? Or is that only on other airlines.

If the meal choice was better handles, the seating issue would have been less of a problem.

Globalist

UKtravelbear

LCY8737

Misco60

I don't see any anger in the OP's post; merely frustration. And understandably so: in a cabin where there are undoubtedly good seats and bad seats, with different levels of service, it does make a difference where you sit.

BAEC

I feel for the OP.

When its happened to me, I inform the CSM, CSD etc of the situation and ask if I can pre-order my meal from the choices before service begins. Staff have always obliged.

Yeoman5

I was moved recently without notice when boarding, seemingly with no justification other than "operational reasons". My seat had been changed by BA 3 times prior to the flight with no notification. I spoke to BA about why they do this and they advised they are working on a system solution to notify customers. A BA IT project.... sounds fun.

A couple of years back Mrs Y and I were moved from the front row of Y on the NCE-LHR route (was a 767) to almost the back row. It was a Saturday morning flight and I reckon there were no more than 50 passengers in Y. And our original seats were empty.

windowontheAside

I have heard that people get moved around on empty flights for trim purposes. I guess that makes sense as presumably the light load of pax all choose to sit as far forward as possible on checkin.

Snuggs

jah718

Seems crazy that they wouldn't ask what their meal preference was. I am a member of Qatar Airways FFP and I am always asked what my meal preference is and brought it first and that is travelling in Y and not even top tier!

V10

I'd put money on there being some sort of staff connection involved here.