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Can I downgrade Business to coach on BA traveling in Europe?

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Can I downgrade Business to coach on BA traveling in Europe?

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Old Sep 9, 2019, 10:07 am
  #1  
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Can I downgrade Business to coach on BA traveling in Europe?

Hi all!. Flying BA and AA on a trip from LAX to LIS in Dec. BA metal from LAX-LIS via LHR. Bought biz class RT. However, BA won't even let me pay to get row 1 on A320 European config from LHR to LIS. The rest of BA biz is terrible. They are holding Row 1 for their premiers and if by chance it opens up during my check in window, I can reserve those seats. My thought was to downgrade to exit row in coach. Called Ex Plat desk to get them to help me with BA and I'm told it cannot be done??? Can anyone help me solve this? One option is the day of the flight offer one of the coach exit row passengers my Row 2 aisle seat? I'd rather find out if there's a way to do it ahead of time.
thanks in advance.
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 10:33 am
  #2  
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Originally Posted by tomj888
Hi all!. Flying BA and AA on a trip from LAX to LIS in Dec. BA metal from LAX-LIS via LHR. Bought biz class RT. However, BA won't even let me pay to get row 1 on A320 European config from LHR to LIS. The rest of BA biz is terrible. They are holding Row 1 for their premiers and if by chance it opens up during my check in window, I can reserve those seats. My thought was to downgrade to exit row in coach. Called Ex Plat desk to get them to help me with BA and I'm told it cannot be done??? Can anyone help me solve this? One option is the day of the flight offer one of the coach exit row passengers my Row 2 aisle seat? I'd rather find out if there's a way to do it ahead of time.
thanks in advance.
Yea, I'm not aware of any way to "officially" move to an economy seat for that segment ahead of time other than changing your entire trip and repricing that segment to economy which will probably be prohibitively expensive.

For a 2 hr. flight, is row 1 really that much better than row 2? I'm sure whoever is in the exit row will be happy to switch to whatever business seat you end up with on the day of the flight.
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 11:03 am
  #3  
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Don't over-complicate this. Just ask someone in an exit row to swap. It's a micro-haul flight, but some people obsess about the meal, so may be quite glad of the chance.Just make sure that you tell the cabin crew.
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 11:27 am
  #4  
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Thank you for all the responses. I will just offer a biz seat for a coach seat day of travel.
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 11:30 am
  #5  
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I understand the reason. At 6’4”, the row 2 30” seat pitch sucks mightily compared with an exit row. 30” pitch in “Business”.

We will move this to the BAEC forum for more informed input.

Moderator
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 11:39 am
  #6  
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Hi,

I would also check back as people may move. As an AA EXP per your profile you should be able to get row 1 free of charge (if available)

Regards

TBS
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 11:49 am
  #7  
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Originally Posted by JDiver
I understand the reason. At 6’4”, the row 2 30” seat pitch sucks mightily compared with an exit row. 30” pitch in “Business”.

We will move this to the BAEC forum for more informed input.

Moderator
Darling, it’s a tad more complicated than that. What I appreciate about Club Europemis that the middle seat is always free. It is possible that the OP is, like my husband, somewhat broad in shoulder and having the area next to you free is most pleasant. I would also add that the OP won’t even get anything to drink in his exit row water included, unless he pays for it.

If he still wants to do that, ask the crew first. They need to allow it (they might think that he/she was blinkers but that they will keep for themselves). What I will do is actually ask the crew when I fly n Thursday and go and look to see if it’s worth it. My 6ft husband fits in Row 2 or whichever if we’re not in Row 1. I’ll report back.
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 12:34 pm
  #8  
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Prepare for a refusal as some passengers are very protective of their exit row seat

Don’t forget, between takeoff and landing you can raise the armrest which provides additional lateral space and room to angle your legs into the middle footwell. But don’t monopolise it though. It is shared space
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 1:18 pm
  #9  
 
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Tried to do just this about 2 weeks ago and was refused every step of the way. I was told after boarding was complete maybe the cabin crew could assist but i thought by that point it would be too much hassle.
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 1:24 pm
  #10  
 
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Originally Posted by tomj888
BA won't even let me pay to get row 1 on A320 European config from LHR to LIS. The rest of BA biz is terrible. They are holding Row 1 for their premiers and if by chance it opens up during my check in window, I can reserve those seats.
If I remember correctly, Row 1 is available to OW EMDs. Your profile says that you are AA EXP, so you should be able to reserve seats in Row 1 without paying.
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 1:27 pm
  #11  
 
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Originally Posted by Andriyko
If I remember correctly, Row 1 is available to OW EMDs. Your profile says that you are AA EXP, so you should be able to reserve seats in Row 1 without paying.
If there is availability. What does the EF seat map show?
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 1:53 pm
  #12  
 
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Be careful to check the exact frame on the day,
with A319/320/320NEO/321 and 321NEO'S The exact location of an exit row can often vary.
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 1:59 pm
  #13  
 
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Originally Posted by tomj888
They are holding Row 1 for their premiers
Rather than Premiers it is being held for OW Elites.

If you are OWE make sire your FF number is correctly in the booking
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 2:25 pm
  #14  
 
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Originally Posted by Prospero
Prepare for a refusal as some passengers are very protective of their exit row seat
Too right, were it not for Mrs RC looking daggers at me, I would seriously have declined our opup from row 12 to row 4 on our last trip to Rhodes.
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Old Sep 9, 2019, 2:34 pm
  #15  
 
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No sane individual would swap an exit seat for a CE one. You could bribe them though, say £100?
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