Clinic Thread: Paid seat selection discussion
Sep 24, 2009, 11:02 am
#181
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: New York
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I never heard of this. Is it everywhere?
Sunrisegirl: I feel for you and everyones else on here. Its hard for me to see your views because like I said AA doesnt have the exec policy of BA so I guess I'm just not used to it.
The paid for lounge access is only a trial at JFK for now. It should be extended elsewhere next year. It is only a trial for now. In the current market you can't blame BA for reassessing everything.
On the point made earlier about Virgin, do not be surprised if they quietly follow suit and change their policy, just as they did with the recent baggage allowance changes.
Originally Posted by Man_Utd_Fan
Sunrisegirl: I feel for you and everyones else on here. Its hard for me to see your views because like I said AA doesnt have the exec policy of BA so I guess I'm just not used to it.
On the point made earlier about Virgin, do not be surprised if they quietly follow suit and change their policy, just as they did with the recent baggage allowance changes.
Sep 24, 2009, 11:02 am
#182
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: BAEC Silver, AA Platinum, Amex Platinum, SPG Amex
Posts: 174
For those non-status customers who have trips already booked under the old policy, I wonder if, post Oct. 7, they will be able to go in and pay to select seats through MMB prior to OLCI?
Sep 24, 2009, 11:02 am
#183
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: LON, ACK, BOS..... (Not necessarily in that order)
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Don't know, but I'd hope that BA would:
a) re-assign that traveller's seat to a non-bassinet position,
b) then refund their 50 quid
c) and not charge me (or the infant!) 50quid for the seat.
Will be interesting to see how this pans out in practice though. I can't imagine they'd say "Sorry sir / madam, someone has paid for more legroom so you can't put your baby in the cot on your 9 hour night flight", but you never know. Race to the bottom and all that
a) re-assign that traveller's seat to a non-bassinet position,
b) then refund their 50 quid
c) and not charge me (or the infant!) 50quid for the seat.
Will be interesting to see how this pans out in practice though. I can't imagine they'd say "Sorry sir / madam, someone has paid for more legroom so you can't put your baby in the cot on your 9 hour night flight", but you never know. Race to the bottom and all that
Another thing that bugs me is what if no one pays the £50 for an exit row? Do the pax eventually assigned those seats get to sit there for free, and what if only one is paid for?
I flew to the UK, and on departing Johannesburg found that all aisle and window seats were taken. I was offered an exit seat for an additional sum of R800,00 which I duly paid. Sitting next to me was a young man who did not pay the extra - but obtained the seat anyway! Returning to Johannesburg I was again offered an exit seat for the additional sum of GBP75. Just before take-off, a lady came and sat next to me - she had just moved from another seat and not paid extra! I do not resent paying the extra, providing the same criteria is used for all passengers using the exit seats.
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Last edited by Jimmie76; Sep 24, 2009 at 11:14 am
Sep 24, 2009, 11:06 am
#184
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ireland
Programs: No longer bothered chasing FF status.
Posts: 2,345
Originally Posted by sunrisegirl
If you spent thousands each year to be able to pre-assign yourself a decent seat then you'd be well and truly pi$$ed off.
Originally Posted by sunrisegirl
The only thing that matters to me as silver is seating assignment and yes I'll still get it in premium cabins. But so will every other Tom, Dick & Harry for a price. That means less chance of getting favoured seats, more kids running around creating havoc on the upper deck……….
Originally Posted by sunrisegirl
The only people who this policy is going to please are the once a year (or less) passengers who couldn't give a toss whether they go with BA, VS, FR, EZ or whoever.
But for me, as a more than “once a year traveller” it means the world to me, that I can pre-assign our seats in advance. For this reason I am indeed very happy to learn of this new arrangement.
Originally Posted by sunrisegirl
I don't earn my miles through Tesco, Amex or any myriad of other means. I earn my miles from predominantly one way only .... and that's loyalty to flying in premium cabins with BA as a paying passenger.
Originally Posted by sunrisegirl
By making this change they may as well tell me "tough, we don't want you any more nor do we care how you feel".
Originally Posted by sunrisegirl
And as for being just a newspaper article, unfortunately it's not. The policy comes into effect on 7th October.
Sep 24, 2009, 11:07 am
#185
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,026
It's not entirely clear whether non-status pax will be able to continue to choose their seat (for free) T-24. Anyone know?
Sep 24, 2009, 11:09 am
#186
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As stated, with KL/AF the 'premium' seats in the Y cabin stay mostly empty since nobody pays for them. Until after the 'fasten seatbelt' sign is turned off that is. Then pax move themselves into the paid seats for free. I have never seen the crew interfering...
Sep 24, 2009, 11:10 am
#187
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ireland
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Posts: 2,345
Sep 24, 2009, 11:10 am
#188
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Sep 24, 2009, 11:12 am
#189
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 2,774
Do you actually pay £2000 a year to get silver? Or is it incidental with the amount you travel? I certainly don't travel CW in order to get status, I travel CW in order to get sleep on a flat bed.
I'm obviously going to be a bit miffed if I book a month or two out and there are no J seats other than the middle seats on the lower deck of a 747. But I think this is unlikely. We don't know yet what effect this is going to have on seat selection, but as above I reckon that the majority of people won't choose their seats in advance because they'll see it as a waste of money. We'll have to wait and see, but other than for people with status who want exit rows in Y I don't expect there's going to be a massive impact. BA probably think these guys should be in CE anyway. BA's got to do something to raise revenue and cut costs - all airlines are - and I think this is probably one of the least painful things they could do (especially compared with charging for booze, checked luggage etc.)
I'm obviously going to be a bit miffed if I book a month or two out and there are no J seats other than the middle seats on the lower deck of a 747. But I think this is unlikely. We don't know yet what effect this is going to have on seat selection, but as above I reckon that the majority of people won't choose their seats in advance because they'll see it as a waste of money. We'll have to wait and see, but other than for people with status who want exit rows in Y I don't expect there's going to be a massive impact. BA probably think these guys should be in CE anyway. BA's got to do something to raise revenue and cut costs - all airlines are - and I think this is probably one of the least painful things they could do (especially compared with charging for booze, checked luggage etc.)
Frankly some of the over-reactions on here have surprised me.
Sep 24, 2009, 11:18 am
#190
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
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Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,662
Sep 24, 2009, 11:22 am
#191
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Earth
Programs: Proud owner of 3 Mucci's (yes, 3!) the latest being Chevaliere des Bains Chauds, BA Silver (6 yrs)
Posts: 10,985
I do understand how those unable to pre-assign feel as I was like that myself before I became silver. 'What a hypocrite' I hear you say. Well maybe, but the old policy did at least hold back some of the more favoured seats for premium card holders whereas this new policy doesn't appear to be doing that (though I've just heard something about UD not being for sale?)
If that same protection of seats for late booking silver or gold card holders was still in effect then I'd be much happier and comfortable with the policy.
And I'm certainly aware of the tough economic conditions we're currently facing and have no problem with the charging for seats. However I do think there's a compromise to be reached somewhere for silver card holders who certainly seem to be the ones being short changed by this.
Sep 24, 2009, 11:23 am
#192
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,662
Maybe so, but it's your *customers* who are 'over reacting'.
I did a TP run so I could get silver status, mainly for the benefit of booking an exit row seat. 6 months down the line, this benefit is being taken away.
"Compare us to Ryanair".... indeed.
Cheers,
Rick
I did a TP run so I could get silver status, mainly for the benefit of booking an exit row seat. 6 months down the line, this benefit is being taken away.
"Compare us to Ryanair".... indeed.
Cheers,
Rick
Sep 24, 2009, 11:24 am
#193
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I personally have no problem with the current system that rewards those who fly frequently with BA and therefore have status, with pre selection of seats. I don't have status and am therefore happy to be able to pick my CW seats from what's left after the Prems/Golds/Silvers have had their pick.
If WW thinks I'm going to fork out £120 to pick my seats in advance he can fork off I'll take my chances at OLCI. Martin Broughton will be getting a letter from me (at some point postal strike depending, and I know how to make sure he sees it rather than it just going into the normal mail bag for the customer service team to look at*) stating that this is a bad move and that I was going to try for Silver this year but I'm not sure I'll bother now.
*and no I'm not sharing that, sorry.
The problem is that this will cause untold trouble when people are shifted from their assigned seats and need refunds, which might cause them to avoid BA in the future, and as I said above what happens if one person in the Exit row has paid and the others haven't? Resentment, Envy etc.?
Last edited by Jimmie76; Sep 24, 2009 at 11:33 am
Sep 24, 2009, 11:25 am
#194
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 188
A silver writes ... Seat selection - specifically exit rows when travelling in Y - makes my company Y-only travel policy a little more bearable. And so to get and keep status I direct the money I spend on premium personal travel towards BA. No reason to keep my leisure spending in the OW family without it. A huge and a bit 
and a bit
Sep 24, 2009, 11:27 am
#195
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Seaford, East Sussex, UK
Posts: 192
I wonder in real terms how badly this will affect premium passengers. I'm a humble blue who with my lovely wife fly a couple of times a year to YYZ to see our son. We usually use miles to upgrade from WT+ to CW. So we have been forced to wait until -24 hours for seat selection. We nearly always have been surprised at how open the choice has been and usually bag upper deck on 747 or a window and aisle on 777. So if now not many CW passengers bother to pre select seats even before the day of travel, will they be forking out £120 return each for a desired seat?