British Airways won't move our paid seat assignment to new booking same flight.
Jan 22, 2022, 10:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 234
British Airways won't move our paid seat assignment to new booking same flight.
Booked an award trip on American AAdvantage. Paid a small amount for seat assignments on a short 2 hour leg on BA.
Later, I discovered that American was offering a Web Only Special that would save me 10,000 miles on the same flights. Rebooked it for the lower cost (haven't cancelled the first booking yet). However BA refuses to move our seat assignment to the new booking.
Their perspective is, "Tough luck! Doesn't matter if you're still on the same flight, but it's a different booking number".
My perspective is, "I paid for seats on a specific BA flight, I'll be on that flight, and I expect them to give me what I paid for".
So far, having zero luck with BA. It's not much money, but it's the principle of the issue. Anyone see a way around this?
Later, I discovered that American was offering a Web Only Special that would save me 10,000 miles on the same flights. Rebooked it for the lower cost (haven't cancelled the first booking yet). However BA refuses to move our seat assignment to the new booking.
Their perspective is, "Tough luck! Doesn't matter if you're still on the same flight, but it's a different booking number".
My perspective is, "I paid for seats on a specific BA flight, I'll be on that flight, and I expect them to give me what I paid for".
So far, having zero luck with BA. It's not much money, but it's the principle of the issue. Anyone see a way around this?
Jan 22, 2022, 10:25 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
...
Their perspective is, "Tough luck! Doesn't matter if you're still on the same flight, but it's a different booking number".
My perspective is, "I paid for seats on a specific BA flight, I'll be on that flight, and I expect them to give me what I paid for".
So far, having zero luck with BA. It's not much money, but it's the principle of the issue. Anyone see a way around this?
Their perspective is, "Tough luck! Doesn't matter if you're still on the same flight, but it's a different booking number".
My perspective is, "I paid for seats on a specific BA flight, I'll be on that flight, and I expect them to give me what I paid for".
So far, having zero luck with BA. It's not much money, but it's the principle of the issue. Anyone see a way around this?
You could keep the old booking until you can select seats for the new booking (OLC at the latest) and with the new booking open, cancel the old and then select the now free seats from the old booking. There is risk, in that there is a window of opportunity for others to pick your released seats in the seconds it takes for you to select them, but it is a possible way round it.
Others may be along shortly with their opinions, and other possible ways round it.
rb211.
Jan 22, 2022, 11:00 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,017
After a lot of clicking--->https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...ing-your-seat#
Refunds
- Paid seating is non-refundable, unless:
- British Airways changes your seat to an alternative seat and you are unsatisfied with the alternative seat;
- British Airways cancels your flight;
- you become ineligible to sit in an exit row and you inform us at least 48 hours in advance of scheduled departure of your flight; or
- you have paid for a cabin upgrade and do not wish to pay the difference to select your seat in the upgraded cabin.
- For the avoidance of doubt, paid seating will not be refunded if you:
- cancel your flight;
- are involuntarily upgraded;
- are considered unsuitable to sit in the seat type you have selected;
- accept a voucher towards a future booking that includes paid seating (see further the relevant voucher Terms and Conditions); or
- have booked a British Airways operated flight marketed by another carrier and choose to move to a different flight.
- On British Airways marketed and operated flights, if, in accordance with your ticket type, you choose to move to a different flight, you will be entitled to choose an equivalent seat on your new flight. If an equivalent seat is not available, any sums previously paid for seating will be forfeited and will not be refunded. Alternatively, you may choose a more expensive seat and pay the difference in price.
- On flights marketed by other carriers, if you choose to move to a different flight, you will not be entitled to choose an equivalent seat on the new flight and you will not be entitled to a refund.
- You have 30 days after the last flight in your itinerary to apply for a refund of paid seating, where due. Please submit your refund application online using our seating refund form. We cannot process refund applications at the airport or on board.
- Unless otherwise stated, we will only make a refund to the credit card used to pay for the paid seating, or in the case of Avios payment, to the Executive Club Member’s Avios account.
Jan 23, 2022, 1:12 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2019
Programs: BAEC Bronze, Mucci recipient
Posts: 1,785
Im with BA on this. You have paid for two separate bookings on the same flight, one of which has a paid seat reservation, the other not.
Unfortunately as the post above states paid seat reservations are non-refundable if you voluntarily cancel. This is exactly what you will have to do with the first booking containing the seat reservation if you choose to fly on the cheaper second booking.
Unfortunately as the post above states paid seat reservations are non-refundable if you voluntarily cancel. This is exactly what you will have to do with the first booking containing the seat reservation if you choose to fly on the cheaper second booking.
Jan 23, 2022, 1:26 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
I’m not sure how this would work on a FTV, could this be an option that keeps your seat selection value for a future flight?
Hopefully someone on here might have some experience.
Hopefully someone on here might have some experience.
Jan 23, 2022, 3:36 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Yorkshire
Programs: BA Gold & HH Silver
Posts: 1,465
Happy to be corrected if I am wrong but as this is AA paper, its probably ineligible for an FTV.
Jan 23, 2022, 9:28 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: AA Lifetime PLT , BA Silver , BD RIP , HH Gold, SPG / Marriott PLT , EF Subscriber
Posts: 6,702
Wait until Later
One thing I have learnt with booking non refundable Seats or Baggage .For seats wait until 80% of your desired seating is full : [Although many European Airlines with expandable Business Class is challenging. : . Also dont book Bags until you are 100% sure of what you actually Need. Lessons learned from Flying Spirit in USA.
Jan 23, 2022, 10:25 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Madison WI
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT - 2.9MM, Lifetime AC, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat Amb, Hertz Precs Crcl
Posts: 2,213
You could keep the old booking until you can select seats for the new booking (OLC at the latest) and with the new booking open, cancel the old and then select the now free seats from the old booking. There is risk, in that there is a window of opportunity for others to pick your released seats in the seconds it takes for you to select them, but it is a possible way round it.
Jan 23, 2022, 10:48 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Posts: 30,520
Unfortunately, OP does not have a leg to stand on on this one. I understand the disappointment, but the rules are crystal clear, and in this case, they are not in the OP's favour.
Jan 23, 2022, 2:18 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
Jan 23, 2022, 3:02 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
This probably will not work. Since this is a web special, the lower fare will have to be booked within the maximum 5-day hold AA allows. And AA will have the FF# for both tickets as they are awards and will not allow the duplicate booking to remain - they have mechanisms to cancel duplicate bookings. (I doubt the second would ever TICKET with the first still intact. Also, the OP may find the second PNR has already been cancelled if it has gone overnight as it is a duplicate booking.)
rb211.
Jan 23, 2022, 9:19 pm
#15
In memoriam
Join Date: Dec 2001
Programs: DL 2MM, AA MM, DL Sky Club Life, AA Admirals Club Life, Hilton Gold Life
Posts: 1,732
I imagine that since paid seats are not refundable is because the money goes into a special account immediately open for use by the carrier e.g a special beer fund for the IT department who have now alread drank the value