Frequentflyer99

I (Gold) am travelling with Mrs FF99 (Blue) on a separate PNR with one sector in common. Upper deck wide open for Golds but not for lowly Blues.

I asked BA to link the bookings and send a request to seating control for her to be sat in 64J next to me, which I can still see is unoccupied. "This can't be done" I was told, "only a note for the airport when check-in opens".

Is this really true ? I know that reqeusts to seating control were largely abolished, but I think that I remember someone here saying that they had achieved this.

The CS agent seemed very puzzled that Mrs FF99's ticket was issued by a "travel agent" on 001 ticket stock. An explantion about I class avalability through AA that BA could not offer, comletely floored the poor fellow

G-BOAC

You could try specifically requesting a TCP from them to prove you know what you're talking about and they may help? But on www.speedbirdclub.com in the news somewhere we noted recently they said TCPs have been abolished for Golds (and below - anyone but PREM I think)

Frequentflyer99

But I would come sadly unstuck and demostrate that I did not know what I was talking about, if they asked me to explain what a TCP is ! Can someone please explain ?

latitude

I had similar recently.

Booked some J tickets with kids on separate PNR. Could see the row of 4 we wanted were completely free but as kids are only blues they have no access. Emailed and called to no avail.

Captain Schmidt

ditto. had to fly back from HKG-EDI for a funeral and had my Mum on the flight back to London from EDI. could see the seat next to me was open, but was told that she couldn't be assigned it. managed to get my sister to OLCI her as i was travelling overnight. emailed the EC to say how petty i thought they were and got some standard crap reply. i wonder if BA realise that it's the little the things like this that really irk their customers, or if they even care. with this and a few other things recently, i've been thinking about ditching BA and moving over to CX despite me being about to get back to Gold with BA.

Frequentflyer99

Well it seems that I am indeed stuffed, but I am going to try one more thing ....

I am flying Sat on another journey and will see if I can button-hole a Special Services person in the F lounge. They seem able to do anything they want. Last time I spoke to one about longhaul flights Mrs and Miss FF99 were taking to join me abroad a week later, he managed to arrange fro them to be put into 62J/K with no difficulty.

Swanhunter

Just another way to feel the love.

ali_c

Hope this helps:

To do a seat request this can only be done on the booking of a prem, gold, silver cardholders booking or on a booking with a child. To do the request the 2 bookings need to be tcp together then the request added to the exec card holder or child’s booking this does go to seating and the seats get allocated on the other one, and does work as i have tried it many times. I was just as baffled when it started and took me lots of trial and error to figure it out.


ali_c

edit - a TCP means total complete party and is just a line to show staff that the 2 bookings are together

Smirnoff

It worked for me about 4 weeks ago. Got 4 on a separate booking moved to Gold CE seats.

IMHO it depends on who you speak to at BA. Most of the staff simply do not know that they can send a message to seating requesting the Gold seats. Keep trying until you get someone that does.

shark67

From www.speedbirdclub.com:

From 03 April 2006 there will be a number of changes to the Seating Policy as follows:

<snip>

2. TCPs
Will continue for
- families with children under 12
- for medical bookings with medical escorts
- for dignitaries travelling with protection officers

Will not continue
- for Executive Club members

NB – Prems are entitled to a Silver Card for their partner, which gives them an increased level of access to the seat map. Passengers wishing to sit together should be encouraged to book on the same PNR to enjoy the benefits of the highest Exec Club member.

<snip>

4. The Golden Seating Rules
If you can see it - book it
It's first come first served

Remember that seat maps are tailored to customer types:
- Top tier Executive Club customers
- Disabled and Additional Need

Always passenger and segment relate the seat request

If you can't see it, refer to OLCi/airport at -24 hours

All remaining seats will be released 24 hours before departure, and will therefore be available to customers at check in, using On Line Check in (OLCi) or at the airport


Well, it may work if you tell BA that your partner is a dignitary and you are his/her protecting officer

Frequentflyer99

How much energy can one devote to this ???

Have just got off the phone to a muppet who assured me categorically that whoever had told me that this could be done did not know what they were talking about !! He said that sending the message would produce nothing and we then to'd and fro'd for 10 mins as to why he should / should not do it, just to see what the outcome would be.

In the end he he claimed that he dis send a message, but I very much doubt it. I will check-face to face when at LHR on the w/e. Then at least I can lose my temper with an animate being and not just a voice

latitude

What I don't undestand is....if they say it can't be done and they didn't know what you were talking about- who the heck did they send the message to? His great Aunt in Spain?!

Seriously though, I understand your frustration

Frequentflyer99

Or perhaps V.V.

Smirnoff

Seriously though, if this still is a Gold benefit (although shark67's post appears to imply that it has gone), then why can't they simply TCP a non-Gold booking with a Gold booking, allowing you to see the Gold seats for both bookings in MMB. Surely, this is a simple IT function.

adrianjc32

You can put a TCP comment into a PNR, however it only exists as a comment and both PNRs continue to exist (with seperate locator numbers) as seperate reservations.

The seating policy was written (after alot of customer feedback) to ensure that the top customers (FF and high yield) and those on their bookings got the best choice. Others get less choice until -24. I can see why in this situation it causes frustration for the passengers concerned, although overall I still think it allows a better choice for card holders. the best thing to have done would be to put the comment into the PNR and at edit the seating team can try to get two seats together.