Jackanory

In order to maintain some social distancing and to avoid the higher CE fares (which guarantees the middle seat free), I was wondering if this was still an active feature during the Covid19 pandemic as flights get back up and running?

Dan72

It's worked for me, but on the flights I have taken it appears to have worked for most, as I have not been on a full flight yet.

Joe McGarey

I flew LHR - BCN on Saturday 27/06.. From looking at expert flyer, seat next to me was blocked and next to a few others too... so I assume theoretical seating was operational yes. Load was around 60%, so no guarantee though. Majority of people were pretty good with masks on board which adds some layer of comfort when distancing isn't possible.

CT-UK

Doesn't look like it... I have an AMS next week I was the only pax with an allocated seat (1A) today another pax has a seat (1C) go figure why anybody would pic that?

rossmacd

Although not BA, flights are getting progressively busier and busier. My flights last week versus the previous week were noticeably busier, and on some (where the carrier has their own version of theoretical seating e.g. LX/LH), there were no seat blocks for eligible status passengers.

If you wish to guarantee a seat block, then I would advise to pay for it. However, one would question if this is a concern for you, should you be travelling at all?

corporate-wage-slave

TS is definitely working, and it's difficult now for BA to operate without it (since it actually handles a great deal more than just blocking empty seats next to Goldies). The nature of TS is that if you have a half filled aircraft then TS more-or-less works for everyone, in terms fo physical distancing, On a low loaded flight then weight and balance awkwardly come into the mix. Most flights at the moment are in the half-filled to low-loaded category. Once flights fill up, at some point even Goldies won't have empty seats next to them unless in CE. As noted in the July thread, I've been tracking services to AGP and for the first 2 - 3 weeks a lot of services are close to being full, and TS isn't going to help there.

I used the terms more-or-less on half filled services: TS gets defeated when Silver and Gold cardholders startt to move to the front of the ET cabin, something that people are still doing. So those with status should consider - even more than normal - going towards the back of ET or two thirds down the CE cabin.

corporate-wage-slave

Either the Gold cardholder wanted that seat or it's an auto-allocation which the GC holder will move later. TS would only block 1C at 3 days, since TS doesn't apply to Amadeus Seating. (See main TS thread).

Misco60

1C is usually my first choice, regardless of which other seats are occupied or available.

scottishpoet

if your flight is next week then TS has not kicked in yet.

Looks like another gold wanted to sit beside you, and before TS kicks in at T-72 there is little if anything stopping them doing that.

sunshinebob

Got to be the most touched seat on the plane. That and the fact that every idiot with a polar sized backpack wants to take your head off probably makes it the most "deadly" seat during boarding.

For the record its my seat of choice too as my better half sits in 1A.

CT-UK

Just made me smile / frown when I noticed they could have picked any other seat

AdBoy

Which you now could, of course.

CT-UK

I have...

Misco60

If I knew that 1A would still be the only other occupied seat at the time of the flight then I would choose 1D or 1F rather than 1C. But that is extremely unlikely, and so I choose the seat I prefer.

Tocsin

Diito and likewise for Mrs. T I stand leaning against the bulkhead until I hear those glorious words "Boarding complete".