Middle seat used in club
Aug 29, 2023, 10:47 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 226
Middle seat used in club
Just got on my flight BA 461 MAD-LHR. I’m in 1F and there is someone in 1E. I thought one of the reasons I bought Club is because they kept this seat free?!
I assume it’s to help with the backlog from yesterday but is there any recourse from this?! Seems like I’ve been missold?
I assume it’s to help with the backlog from yesterday but is there any recourse from this?! Seems like I’ve been missold?
Aug 29, 2023, 10:52 am
#2
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: TPA/ABZ
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold. GGL/CCR.
Posts: 13,252
It's to try to put as many people in the places they were supposed to be after yesterday's problems. It's the right decision in my opinion.
Dear Customer,
As you may know, like all airlines using UK airspace, our flights have been severely disrupted as a result of yesterday’s major NATS Air Traffic Control issue. While the issue has since been resolved, we are still experiencing significant knock-on effects, including unavoidable delays and cancellations.
If you’re due to fly with us on Tuesday 29 August or Wednesday 30 August on a short-haul service, you can move your flights free of charge to a later date if you wish, subject to availability. We are also rebooking affected customers onto alternative airlines where possible. Please visit ba.com/mmb to review your options.
If you are travelling in our Club Europe cabin to or from Heathrow, please be aware that we have made the difficult decision to temporarily use the middle seats, which are usually unavailable. Our cabin crew will still be able to provide you with the full Club Europe service, but we understand that space is important, and we ask for your understanding on this occasion to help ensure we do not leave customers behind.
We are working hard to get as any many of our customers as possible to their destinations as planned, but please check the status of your flight before travelling to the airport. You can do this by visiting ba.com/mmb. If your flight has been cancelled and you have not been rebooked, please call us on +44 800 727 800.
While the issue is outside of our control, we don’t underestimate the huge inconvenience caused. We apologise and thank you for your patience as we work hard to get back on track.
British Airways
Dear Customer,
As you may know, like all airlines using UK airspace, our flights have been severely disrupted as a result of yesterday’s major NATS Air Traffic Control issue. While the issue has since been resolved, we are still experiencing significant knock-on effects, including unavoidable delays and cancellations.
If you’re due to fly with us on Tuesday 29 August or Wednesday 30 August on a short-haul service, you can move your flights free of charge to a later date if you wish, subject to availability. We are also rebooking affected customers onto alternative airlines where possible. Please visit ba.com/mmb to review your options.
If you are travelling in our Club Europe cabin to or from Heathrow, please be aware that we have made the difficult decision to temporarily use the middle seats, which are usually unavailable. Our cabin crew will still be able to provide you with the full Club Europe service, but we understand that space is important, and we ask for your understanding on this occasion to help ensure we do not leave customers behind.
We are working hard to get as any many of our customers as possible to their destinations as planned, but please check the status of your flight before travelling to the airport. You can do this by visiting ba.com/mmb. If your flight has been cancelled and you have not been rebooked, please call us on +44 800 727 800.
While the issue is outside of our control, we don’t underestimate the huge inconvenience caused. We apologise and thank you for your patience as we work hard to get back on track.
British Airways
Aug 29, 2023, 10:52 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,262
You're not the only one... a lot of folks experiencing / discussing it in this thread Swanwick Flight Planning System failure - Bank Holiday Monday 28 August 2023 - Page 19 - FlyerTalk Forums
I hope those impacted do claim for a few Avios or similar. They are not getting the extra space they puchased
I hope those impacted do claim for a few Avios or similar. They are not getting the extra space they puchased
Aug 29, 2023, 10:53 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: living near Malaga
Programs: BA Gold , Mucci recipient. Coffee Drinker, Blue Sky Thinker
Posts: 2,112
Just got on my flight BA 461 MAD-LHR. I’m in 1F and there is someone in 1E. I thought one of the reasons I bought Club is because they kept this seat free?!
I assume it’s to help with the backlog from yesterday but is there any recourse from this?! Seems like I’ve been missold?
I assume it’s to help with the backlog from yesterday but is there any recourse from this?! Seems like I’ve been missold?
You're helping fellow mankind by assisting with the backlog.
It will pass
Aug 29, 2023, 10:54 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Canada
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,254
It is the right decision. However, I still think that people should get some compensation since they likely booked club primarily for the extra space. Otherwise the only difference between ET is the food and beverages which we all know are worth 10GBP at best.
What does BA normally do re: comepnsation in these circumstances?
What does BA normally do re: comepnsation in these circumstances?
Aug 29, 2023, 10:55 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,399
Just got on my flight BA 461 MAD-LHR. I’m in 1F and there is someone in 1E. I thought one of the reasons I bought Club is because they kept this seat free?!
I assume it’s to help with the backlog from yesterday but is there any recourse from this?! Seems like I’ve been missold?
I assume it’s to help with the backlog from yesterday but is there any recourse from this?! Seems like I’ve been missold?
Out of interest, how did the crew handle meal service for the people in the middle seat? Did they receive a meal? If not, it would be very very strange to sit in the middle between two people eating either side of you. If they did, I wonder how BA managed to store enough meals for 6 people per row.
Aug 29, 2023, 10:59 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: London (née Melbourne)
Programs: Qantas Platinum (Oneworld Emerald)
Posts: 988
I sent in a complaint (one of the few complaints I've ever made) because there were spare seats in ET so it wasn't even necessary. I was surprised to get nothing but a copy/paste apology while others reportedly got varying amounts of Avios, some for having a person sat in the middle seat next to them and not even being put in the middle themselves.
It was the inconsistency that annoyed me the most. Seems like Customer Service rolls a dice or spins a wheel to decide what compensation, if any, will be provided.
Aug 29, 2023, 11:00 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Spire Elite
Posts: 1,713
Just got on my flight BA 461 MAD-LHR. I’m in 1F and there is someone in 1E. I thought one of the reasons I bought Club is because they kept this seat free?!
I assume it’s to help with the backlog from yesterday but is there any recourse from this?! Seems like I’ve been missold?
I assume it’s to help with the backlog from yesterday but is there any recourse from this?! Seems like I’ve been missold?
Personally I’d let it slide given the circumstances. IMO it’s only really a cause for complaint if they do it for little or no reason.
Aug 29, 2023, 11:02 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,146
Where the ***** has the Blitz Spirit gone with people? It’s a mega disaster for pax, airlines and airports all over the place. Can we surely not accept the crisis has happened, and try to help our fellow man/woman/child without seeking compensation for a trivial ‘inconvenience’? I despair.
Aug 29, 2023, 11:02 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 534
Standard BA practice in times of disruption. Sometimes it makes sense - 461 left Madrid with not a single seat vacant onboard, sometimes it makes less sense - 1399 from Manchester today left with 5 people in middle seats in Club but with 26 empty seats in ET.
It normally only lasts a few days and if you write in they'll put you through the random Avios generator and throw something your way. And if at first you don't succeed, go back and try again.
It normally only lasts a few days and if you write in they'll put you through the random Avios generator and throw something your way. And if at first you don't succeed, go back and try again.
Aug 29, 2023, 11:02 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: UK
Programs: BA Silver, IHG Platinum
Posts: 943
It is the right decision. However, I still think that people should get some compensation since they likely booked club primarily for the extra space. Otherwise the only difference between ET is the food and beverages which we all know are worth 10GBP at best.
What does BA normally do re: comepnsation in these circumstances?
What does BA normally do re: comepnsation in these circumstances?
Expect inconsistent results if you.
Aug 29, 2023, 11:07 am
#12
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: BA Exec Club, Accor Diamond, other airline programmes very basic
Posts: 194
I think in the circumstances that it is okay to use the middle seat in Club. If I were the person looking to get on my travels I would be happy to be plonked in the middle seat in CE and if I were the person already booked in 1A I hope that I would understand why the seat adjacent to me was occupied in the present extenuating situation.
Aug 29, 2023, 11:09 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Vale of Glamorgan
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,992
Utilising the middle seat is a perfectly reasonable response to the current situation, but it is also perfectly reasonable to expect some form of compensation from BA, who have not delivered what they promised when selling Club Europe. ("Middle seat kept empty, guaranteed window or aisle, more personal space.") The two are not mutually exclusive.
Aug 29, 2023, 11:16 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,238
It’s okay to think BA made the right call.
It’s okay to think you should be partially refunded for not receiving the product/service you purchased.
The two are not mutually exclusive.
Seems BA is trying to have its cake and eat it too - it could have downgraded those middle seat pax to all those empty coach seats and paid 75% downgrade comp, but instead it thinks it can just shove them into other passengers seating area and not have to pay any DG comp?
Does BA collect APD at the higher rate for Club Europe departures from London?
It’s okay to think you should be partially refunded for not receiving the product/service you purchased.
The two are not mutually exclusive.
Seems BA is trying to have its cake and eat it too - it could have downgraded those middle seat pax to all those empty coach seats and paid 75% downgrade comp, but instead it thinks it can just shove them into other passengers seating area and not have to pay any DG comp?
Does BA collect APD at the higher rate for Club Europe departures from London?