FT01

As title, does BA's blocked seat next to gold apply on long haul?
I understand it's only applicable if flight isnt full, but just wondered if it even apllies at all.

If so, is the best bet to choose one of the rows with 2 seats, near the back? It's LHR-EWR so is listed as a 777.

Thanks

surryson

If the flight isn’t full AND the seat next to you hasn’t been pre-assigned by perhaps a group of 2, then yes, if your card is in your booking, the seat will be theoretically blocked. Important to note that it’s not a ‘hard block’ and the seat is assignable by an agent with the right level of system access, or to another card holder.

FT01

Sorry for this, likely, silly question, but what do you mean by pre-assigned? I'm thinking you mean those seats have already been chosen by someone else, but then I don't understand how I would be able to choose them?

Also, does it matter if I booked now but didn't reach gold until next month? Or should I wait? I'll be gold after I return from a trip on Apr 1st.

Thanks again

salut0

I’ve had seats blocked but it’s not out of the question that your “blocked” seat will be taken if the flight is full (enough).

Or this might happen instead.

1Aturnleft

I take it they mean if for example you were to assign yourself 30A and 30B is already assigned to another passenger, 30B isn't going to be turfed out to accommodate a blocked seat for you.

On the otherhand if 30B is vacant at the point you assign yourself 30A then theoretically it should subsequently show to others with lesser status as being greyed out on the seat map moving forward.

Yes it does matter that you're still Silver as the block won't necessarily protect 30B from being assigned until you move up the status ladder. If it were me I'd wait until you reach Gold before assigning the seat you want.

Keep in mind of course the theoretical seating block can be lifted at any time based upon load factors of your booked flight in the event 30B is needed by another passenger.

For additional context, theoretic seating blocks aren't seen by crew on board. For all intent and purpose, it shows on the crew iPads as an open seat so 30B would still be seen as free for the purpose of reseating other passengers if they needed to, even if the theoretical block had protected it from being assigned up until the point that boarding had been completed.

The only way to absolutely guarantee 30B remains blocked and yours would be to purchase it as a comfort seat.

orbitmic

OP, you should search for the "Theoretical seating masterthread" - it will tell you all you need to know about what BA does and does not do in terms of seats access/blocks

PETER01

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...ts-status.html

corporate-wage-slave

When you get much nearer to departure then you may want to look at the options, at this stage it's too soon, and I suspect there is also a fair chance that the flight will go out completely full, just the way aviation is quite busy at the moment. Full flights, with standby passengers, won't lead to empty seats anywhere. But as a general rule, people love to sit near the front, so seats towards the back of the cabin are usually less preferred. The TS thread above has more information.

FT01

Thanks all.
I'll wait til I get my gold card and book then. PE is £1200 return, which i cant justify for an upright seat. Will pray for a light load 🙏

Cheers

mikeyfly

Ha! Light loads aren’t common these days… you might also get a cheap POUG

salut0

Have you looked at starting your trip in Scandinavia? Not sure when you’re traveling but there are some good WT+ fares from ARN and CPH. For example:




(sorry for the graphic: can’t seem to paste the URL from Google Flights successfully)

FT01

Thanks for the suggestion.
I'll have a look at it and see if i can make the schedule work.
Cheers

itsmeitisss

I don't think people are suggesting you hold off booking your flight, but that you hold off selecting your seat.

xtra1

I frequently travel from LCY. Learnt to never book CE. Instead, I just book Economy. I mostly get the adjacent seat blocked. (Due to my Gold status.) CE always looks chock-a-block full; while I get more 'space', in Economy. As there are no lounges at LCY, the ONLY benefit of CE from LCY, is the 'free' inflight meal.