Concorde Row 1 Denied After OLCI Confirmation
 

I have just arrived at JFK for my Concorde flight to LHR. On the advice of this forum, I did OLCI exactly 24 hours prior to departure and got seat 1C confirmed.

This morning at check-in, I got a boarding pass for 25C.

The Concorde lounge manager, Marge, explained that even though I have Emerald Oneworld status there is a glitch in the OLCI system and unless you are BA Premier (an invitation only level) the OLCI system will give you row 1 or 2 but then the BA JFK staff will remove it for their control.

Furthermore, they advised that even if I can get row 1 on the return through OLCI that LHR will remove it as well.

They were not nasty, but just said this is a common problem on Concorde and they have problems with it everyday.

I was on a Qantas Frequent Flyer award but she said that wasn't the reason I was removed. They indicated they would evne do it to a full fare customer.

There is not a lot of recourse. They have full fare customers on stand-by this morning.

I do consider myself very fortunate to receive a Concorde award seat, but am just a bit dissapointed not to get the coveted row 1 after I thought I was so lucky to get it.

SO what is really so great about Row 1, and Row 11 ? Bulkhead?

Do the bulkhead seats have limited legroom. I mean there's a wall there and sometimes it's nice to strecth your legs under the seat infront of you if there is one.

I have a Concorde flight on July 12th and I'm BA Gold.

Glitch with OLCI? What a load of s**t! Prior to any flight going "live" on OLCI, the Airport (in this case JFK ) have about 8/9 hours to edit the flight. One part of editing is to block certain rows of seats. One of the rows that should have been blocked was row 1 on Concorde. Once it has been blocked,it shows up in OLCI, as not being available.

The check-in staff, can then realise seats to passenegers at check-in.

Sorry to hear that you lost row 1..

2018

Prestige.

On a different note, get row 3 with OLCI and you'll get to keep it even if you have no status at all, if past experience is reliable. In any case, all this will be academic five months from now.


[This message has been edited by Buster CT1K (edited 06-14-2003).]

so, who got your seat ?--and did BA comp you for their error?--Did they say Why it was not available (aside from the glitch?)-I mean did they say someone else reserved it b4 you ?--and if so, who's to say that there' wasn't in error ?

COMP for the error? You have to be joking.

A seat is a seat, Concorde is a fast plane that takes you from A to B, it's not a 7 course cocktail dinner. I know many people are thrilled and excited by the prospect of flying her but please folks, get a grip...

Reserving a seat online or on a self service terminal is never a guarantee that seat will be yours, there isn't an airline in the world that does that. Row 1 is for Prem's and row 2 is for Golds/Emeralds. As Speedbird2018 said, it was probably an error by the groundstaff. The person that got a seat in row one was probably someone that was entitled to it.

[This message has been edited by ScottC (edited 06-14-2003).]

The passenger who was reassigned 1C did not show up, so the supervisor was able to reassign me that seat. The same happened to the guy in 1D too.

What is BA Premier?

"What is BA Premier?"

It is BA's invitation only tier.

Dave

Somebody who has been inivited by BA to become a Premier. Do a search on the subject and you will find plenty of info.

"Entitled" to it ?--That defines anyone who by way of a BA system, or travel agent has ben assigned a particular seat..

I take it you are joking because read another way, it could be interpreted as "all people are equal--it's just that some are more equal than others"--If the guy booked a reward ticket, was given one, then there should be no differentiation between his ticket and the guy that paid X $ to buy his...and in my book, ANY reputable company that makes an error should stand behind their product and correct/comp the traveller to maintain their business.

Sure the concorde's going to stop flying, but that's not a license for bA to throw customer service out the window--customers have VERRRRRRRYY LOOOONNG memories.

British Airways did not make an error. Row 1 and 2 on the concorde have always been reserved for Gold's and above and VIP's. No matter what airline you fly on, no matter where you got your pre-assigned seat (if it's through BA telesales, online check in, airport kiosk, travel agent, check in counter, or the lounge) it is never guaranteed untill that plane leaves the gate. Every airline in the world has the right to re-assign anyones seat at anytime for any reason. When you buy an airline ticket, you are guaranteed a seat, but not any particular one. As for getting comped for it, I'm going to leave that one alone. Customer Relations would consider that a joke in and of it self.

[This message has been edited by BRITISH AIRWAYS USA (edited 06-15-2003).]

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In my millions of miles of premium-cabin international travel, I have experienced more seat assignment "issues" on BA than all other airlines combined. Refusing to pre-assign. . . Seats assigned then unassigned. . . Show up thinking you have one seat and, poof, you don't. Award tickets or full fare tickets -- it doesn't seem to matter in my experience.

I completely understand how "nothing is guaranteed until check-in," but I can count on one hand the number of times I've had problems on other carriers (several of which I've flown many times more than BA) and it is almost routine on BA.

I just don't understand why they can't get this figured out. Perhaps they'd be better off just not preassigning anyone. At least everyone's expectations would be low so there would be nowhere to go but up once you get to the airport.

So does anyone actually have a goodreason why someone who sorts their seat assignments at OLCI should get bumped out?

ScottC: BA actually markets Concorde as a metaphorical "7 course cocktail dinner" so why is it so unreasonable to expect, for your airmile or dollar, to get what you paid for?

Sure, no airline guarantees seats. Same way they don't guarantee the actual flight they sold you on will fly, and the same way no bank guarantees they will give all your cash back...

... but in the real world, what keeps businesses in business is not contract, but trust. Win the argument, lose the sale.

Listening to this sort of bull**** on FT has already decided me not to avail myself of any of the Concorde 'offers' before it shuts down.

The only suggestion I can make is a VVVVVIP was expected on-board and that is their "normal" seat.