accajl

The OH and I are flying CW to SFO on a Sat in mid-Nov. We are only Blue's so can only reserve our seats at T-24. Having reviewed the photos on Airliners.net the UD seems a much nicer cabin than the main deck. What are the chances of seat availability on the UD at T-24?

astralclouds

pretty high

don't, however, expect 62A or K, 63A or K. Two together may also not be possible - more likely one either side of the aisle.

Trav+

The UD is extremely nice, very pleasant indeed. But I recently had a flight downstairs in J on a 744 and it certainly wasn't a huge disappointment after several flights on the UD.

If you and the OH are on separate PNRs then you may wish to use OLCI on two computers, rather than check in one at a time. That method has been said to help ensure seats together, so it's certainly worth a try.

Gulfw

It's down to the timing and loading of the flight. I flew LHR-HKG last month upstairs - having selected seats online. Top deck was full downstairs pretty empty. I was tempted to move for peace and quiet but too much hassle and, as you say, the environment upstairs is so much nicer. The bins beside a window seat are a real bonus especially as you have to clear the decks in ncw.

Yesterday from SFO to LHR the flight was full and I was really glad to be upstairs. All that said, and with BA's silly new seating policy, it doesn't help if you can't book the seats.

Best

Swanhunter

It really depends on the loads and the day. Since the new policy came in, at least 30%+ of my flights are downstairs as nothing is left on the UD 2-4 weeks out. (Filled up with Eurocheats on I fares and redemptions no doubt). Coming back from HKG last week, I was lucky to get 18K at T-72, having been in 17E up to that point (Gold, full J ticket).

Travelling midweek to a more 'leisure' destination like SFO I should imagine you might get 2 seats but not necessarily together.

ian001

I have seen plenty of seats available on the Upper Deck on LHR-SFO at T-24. However, that was in January which is traditionally very quiet for business travel.

Do not be too disappointed if you do not get UD seats, you can have a very good CW experience downstairs, and LHR-SFO is certainly a great route for CW.

You have a good 10 hours of CW and you should get some great views during the flight and SFO is certainly one of the better US outstations to fly out of, with boarding directly from the lounge.

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

When my parents ( Blue Card holders) came back from PHX last year ,they could not get 2 seats together on the upper deck ( single seats 2 rows apart)and they could only get middle seats on the mian deck. Their comments were that they probably should have chosen the single seats upstairs ( not particularly helped by very indifferent service on the main CW cabin on the main deck.

That said they were able to get 2 seats together on the upper deck outbound LHR-SFO ( mid week) albeit the seat decided to throw a wobbly AVOD IFE at them!

Regards

TBS

wombat185

Hi, hope you don't mind me tagging on to this thread. We are flying LHR-SFO and back SEA-LHR in May, out on a Wednesday and back on a Tuesday, so from reading above we should get on UD on way out, back is on a 777 so N/A.
We are both blue and are flying on MFU, when we flew last year, SFO return in WTP, we OLCI 25 hours ahead, has this changed?
Also, if I am right, anybody with higher status will get asked what they want to eat before us. So I probobly won't get to sit where I want and may not get the food I want if everybody gets asked before me and chooses steak.
I fully understand frequent customers should get preference, and I will still enjoy the flight, but takes a little bit of shine off flight.
I know if I want all the preferences I can pay more before anybody says that, lol.
Mick

The Saint

Just ring up GGL and have the "seatshifters" go to work. They'll move any non-BA status pax (like AA TurboPlats for example) down the stairs.

jhm

IIRC, this has now been fixed and it's 24 hours.

I'm not sure this is correct (certainly not on the flights I've been on). However, the crew may prioritise preferences in the galley. (In any event, apart from a very nice wagu steak I had on SQ, there are better things to eat than steak on a plane which usually turns out tough and dry!)

arpiuk

Whilst I don't fully agree with the new seating policy, I don't see how Eurocheats and redemptions take away the best seats, ie: upper deck. Only full J fares can pre-assign, I-fares and redemptions cannot do this, unless they are Silver or Gold. Now, if you are either of them, it certainly helps, as there are now less people competing to pre-assign.

Bottom line, if you are a status Pax, then it's better than before. If you are not a status pax, then I-fares and redemptions does not affect you.

People on redemption have paid for their seat in someway, it's not entirely free.

Swanhunter

By Eurocheats, I mean those than have earned their status by 'taking advantage of' reduced European TP targets. So, Silver for 400 TP on a redemption gets 64K, leaving the 4000TP Gold on a J fare in 17E. Where's the love there?

Bottom line, the policy is much worse for this status pax on long haul (and some others I work with too). Remember, a reasonable proportion of seats used to be held back for OLCI under the old policy giving you a good to excellent chance of getting some acceptable - now it is free for all except for 2/3 bassinet seats. Short haul does work much better though.

GGL does help though.

phreegreens

Non-status pairs travelling in CW are IMHO the worst affected by the seating policy. CW is mainly business pax who have got status, or they work for a huge corp that has seat assignment as part of their deal.

Single travellers when they seat allocate will on most occasions take a seat in an empty pair, so when as a non-status pax you get to OLCI, there are lots of single seats, no pairs.

prh

Has there been any talk lately about changing the seating policy for Club passengers. I fly BA across the pond at least once a year, but remain a lowly Blue. Each time I book the flight, I am tempted to use UA or Virgin simply because of the seating policy. Heck, I'd even pay a small surcharge to get the seat assignment angst out of the way.

wombat185

Hi, jhm, yes reports on the steak are mixed to say the least.
May I also ask, looking on seatexpert, there is a 747 with 70 CW and a 747 with 52 CW, does anybody know which one normally flys to SFO. Also, is the 22:00 SEA to LHR a 3 or 4 class 777.
On the seating policy, a recent radio campaign by BA, on the radio, telling of the virtues of booking a CW seat for your holiday, possibly should go to the advertising watchdog. It had a couple saying how good the lobster, steak, wine etc was on their flight, which I am sure it was. It did not have the actors shouting to each though, surely if this was there first time in CW there is no way they could be sat close enough to have a normal conversation, lol!
Mick