All the good seats gone, even 2 months ahead
Sep 26, 23, 2:42 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: GGL, UA 1MM
Posts: 444
All the good seats gone, even 2 months ahead
I have noticed this problem getting worse recently ie last 1-2 years. Quite often I don’t get a lot of notice as to when I need to travel, it can be anything from 2-8 weeks out.
Increasingly I am finding that not only are the flights super expensive (and the reasons for this are well known), but am finding all the decent seats gone in Club, so I am paying for expensive seats, which I sort of understand as I am booking so late, but it really is disappointing to find only middle seats left (LHR-US)
I try and reassure myself it would be worse if everyone got a free seat choice.
ok, rant over.
Increasingly I am finding that not only are the flights super expensive (and the reasons for this are well known), but am finding all the decent seats gone in Club, so I am paying for expensive seats, which I sort of understand as I am booking so late, but it really is disappointing to find only middle seats left (LHR-US)
I try and reassure myself it would be worse if everyone got a free seat choice.
ok, rant over.
Sep 26, 23, 2:48 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: GGL, UA 1MM
Posts: 444
Yes, of course. My rant is that all the decent seats have already gone by the time I book, paying Ł7-8,000 for the seat by the toilets seems a little excessive.
Last edited by 2358; Sep 26, 23 at 2:53 pm Reason: Clarification
Sep 26, 23, 2:55 pm
#4
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 41,708
I guess this must be a flight with old club world? with new club suites there is less of an issue with the few good seats.
I think this is one of those situations where there is no solution (other than maybe a seat watch on EF for one to become available).
I think this is one of those situations where there is no solution (other than maybe a seat watch on EF for one to become available).
Sep 26, 23, 3:00 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: VIE
Programs: SAS EBG / *A Gold, Hilton Diamond, Radisson VIP, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,255
Well, the seats are expensive because the demand is high, which also suggests that many people are booking those flights. So it's not surprising that many seats are taken by the time fares get high...
Sep 26, 23, 3:10 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold; FB Silver; SPG; IHG Gold
Posts: 2,871
I tend to book a lot of short haul quite late, sometimes only one or two days out, and when flying in CE I will often end up in row 4 or 5, but that's fine as long as I get a window seat. I recently had a flight where the only CE seat available for a late booking was an aisle seat, which was annoying, but that's rare in my experience.
Sep 26, 23, 3:41 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: London (née Melbourne)
Programs: Qantas Platinum (Oneworld Emerald)
Posts: 803
Other than something controversial like changing the policy that allows Silver/Sapphire to choose a seat for free at time of booking.
Or even more controversial, if you've paid a higher fare than someone who already selected a seat, you should be able to kick them out and take it!
Sep 26, 23, 3:52 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Gold, HH
Posts: 238
For club whilst it’s annoying I don’t think middle seats are a bad option.
Sep 26, 23, 3:58 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Gold, HH
Posts: 238
Agree it’s super helpful and in choosing routing if there aren’t the seats you require.
Sep 26, 23, 4:03 pm
#13
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,204
The other possible cause is that with ticket prices so high the seat reservation prices are not actually putting the statusless off of purchasing - or more are (correctly) factoring in at purchase and buying anyway.
If that is the case BA could presumably fix it by raising the seat fees - but the consequences for this forum would be ugly.
If that is the case BA could presumably fix it by raising the seat fees - but the consequences for this forum would be ugly.
Sep 27, 23, 1:05 am
#15
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,131
It's like saying 'why is London so busy now and hotels so expensive?' well, because more tourists are travelling post-covid.
When I fly F in the US I often find seats are booked more than 6 months in advance. I'm looking now for January and on one Delta flight, there's only 2 F seats left, both aisle. Why? As people have booked the others! Simple.
