ReynoldsNumber

About three months ago I booked a BRU <> LHR in CE using Avios departing Saturday (Today) and returning Monday. What was strange (but possible) was that on both legs all row 1 seats were occupied - so I grabbed 3F outbound and 2F returning. Over the last few weeks I kept checking to see if any row 1 seats would become available. No surprises, nothing changed - being Gold, I presumed row 1 was occupied because of other GCH / GGL passengers.

Today at midday I proceeded to check in and nothing ahead of 3F was available - so I finalised the check in and got my 3F boarding card. After check in on the PC, you get that drop down list "what do you want to do" options ... surprisingly one of the options was change seat. I have never seen this on a PC browser session being offered before. I selected the option and was presented with the seat map, no more than a minute after checking in to 3F. To my amazement both 1C and 1F became available .... I immediately grabbed 1F and its confirmed with my updated boarding pass.....

What is going on here? There is no way the seats got freed between checking in and selecting this option!

Was the block theoretical seating because of GGL over GCH ? And why could it be overruled post check in?

Now im thinking my return flight in 2F will also exhibit this behaviour .....will report back on the outcome.

Could the avios booking be a factor ? It never was before .....

I guess more than anything, its a new bug on the system.

Any ideas?

Thanks.
RN

NickB

It is normally available before the BP is issued but not after.

ReynoldsNumber

Yes indeed - that’s the normal behaviour. But not for me today. The usual BA seat selection landing page is still showing the old seat 3A while clicking to get to the seat map shows 1F. That is if I can get my flights to even load on the all bookings page. Buggy and unacceptable software quality …. It never ends ….. it’s persistently poor for decades now.

I am fed up with BA …… I am a QA Manager for a big organisation …… how this hideously poor software manages to get to the Production environment without anyone internally noticing such grave failures in functionality is beyond me. Pure incompetence from the lowest layers all the way up to the Director of BA IT and above ……. I’ll say it again because it needs to be said again….

BA IT is comprehensively poor across the board and at all levels. They should be ashamed of themselves. POOR.

ReynoldsNumber

Finally loads and this is what I see ….. What the …….

So the flight will leave on time but will be delayed during the flight ?!?!

You can’t make this up…….

LondonAussie

This is very common with ATC related delays and have had this many times on BA shorthaul. They will board on time hoping that an earlier departure/arrival slot will become available.

As for Row 1, have done that a few times and hated it every time. Now I always prefer row 2 or 3 over row 1.

KARFA

That’s standard for a slot delay.

ReynoldsNumber

Apologies - Ahh I stand corrected!

LondonAussie

They could obviously communicate it and explain it a lot better. It's one of those things that we have learned from experience, but agree it looks confusing and doesn't make sense unless you have that tacit knowledge.

So you will probably get an extra hour in 1F. Although it will be on the ground, prior to leaving the gate.

flatlander

My partner is on the same flight. I warned her to prepare for a ground hold after boarding.

Ldnn1

And the annoying thing is sometimes you’re trying not to get the BP specifically for this reason, yet the darn app spits it out at you anyway

visit14

I was able to change seats after checking in at T-24hrs on a recent EWR departure. A completely different range of (better) seats were available when I looked the morning of the flight vs the previous day when I’d checked in. At check-in I’d selected collect BP on app, can’t remember if I’d actually saved it to my Apple Wallet at T-24h.

PUCCI GALORE

As for the seats coming available - it is entirely possible that with the latest fracas and cancelled flights - the original occupants have cancelled and freed them up

1Aturnleft

Indeed PUCCI GALORE but with so many apps and sources available for people to seek information, it becomes relatively easy to overthink the situation and assume an ulterior vendetta is afoot that's thwarting the end goal when in reality it's probably going to be something as simple as the explanation you've provided.

Every other thread on FT these days appears to be along similar lines (and that's of no disrespect to the OP).

A sign of the times I suppose.