Clinic Thread: Paid seat selection discussion
Sep 24, 2009, 6:34 am
#76
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ireland
Programs: No longer bothered chasing FF status.
Posts: 2,345
In my book, it's better than paying all those thousands & not getting the chocie to pre-assign seats.
If you fly enough to have Silver or above or are paying full fare, then there's no charge.
Sep 24, 2009, 6:36 am
#77
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
I can’t help but think that perhaps after all, BA realised that their current seating policy was flawed & did indeed send passengers off in another direction.
So this is a way of going back to a more open policy, without actually abolishing the current policy & earning a few bob for the airline on the way.
As G-BOAC said "seeing if passengers will put their money where their mouth is ^"
So this is a way of going back to a more open policy, without actually abolishing the current policy & earning a few bob for the airline on the way.
As G-BOAC said "seeing if passengers will put their money where their mouth is ^"
I see trouble ahead for those Status pax who enjoy the Upper Deck and esp the prized seats up there, who will now find them taken, by 'the once a year', book miles in advance during a sale, passengers who will be willing to pay for the prime seats but not the lesser ones.
From my point of view the move is not a good one (for me personally), as a Blue who has taken advantage of many Y sectors on a 777 on row 26 for the cost of OLCIing at T-24.
Is it a good move for BA? As I have said in other threads, if it increases revenues overall, then its a good idea. I suspect I may well find myself paying the premium for good seats in the future (if they're not already gone). In my eyes it does lower the value of the product and to a certain extent the brand as a whole, its another step close to the LCC model and the closer they get, the more willing I will be to look at the likes of EZ as opposed to automatically booking BA
Sep 24, 2009, 6:38 am
#78
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Mostly London
Programs: BAEC Gold, Amex and some hotels
Posts: 1,318
This shouldn't affect me personally too much as I'm silver and mostly fly CW. I do also fly a few short haul, sometimes in CE, but often on cheapo Y tickets, so I guess I may have to worst case it out and end up with a middle seat for 2 hours or so.
However, I can remember the days when I used to fly SIN-LHR in Y 3 or 4 times a year, had no status, and couldn't pre-book a seat. I used to get really hacked off that pax boarding in SYD would always snaffle the best seats and I'd often end up in a middle Y seat
(and I did consider myself a "good" BA customer, just most of my flights were in Y which didn't used to earn (m)any TPs)
So this would have been a welcome enhancement at that time - except that my boss would have never allowed the extra charge on my expenses. I guess this will be a problem for many pax - especially during these "trying" times. How many don't get generous expense accounts that will allow them extras such as seat selection??
However, I can remember the days when I used to fly SIN-LHR in Y 3 or 4 times a year, had no status, and couldn't pre-book a seat. I used to get really hacked off that pax boarding in SYD would always snaffle the best seats and I'd often end up in a middle Y seat
(and I did consider myself a "good" BA customer, just most of my flights were in Y which didn't used to earn (m)any TPs)So this would have been a welcome enhancement at that time - except that my boss would have never allowed the extra charge on my expenses. I guess this will be a problem for many pax - especially during these "trying" times. How many don't get generous expense accounts that will allow them extras such as seat selection??
Sep 24, 2009, 6:42 am
#79
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ireland
Programs: No longer bothered chasing FF status.
Posts: 2,345
....I see trouble ahead for those Status pax who enjoy the Upper Deck and esp the prized seats up there, who will now find them taken, by 'the once a year', book miles in advance during a sale, passengers who will be willing to pay for the prime seats but not the lesser ones........
As has been said so many times in past debates over the seating policy, the average leisure traveller cares not a jot about where they sit & are more concerned about the fare being paid.
So they won’t be paying the extra charge. But for those of us who do care about where we sit, BA have now given us back the “choice to choose” ^
Sep 24, 2009, 6:42 am
#80
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Cardiff, UK
Programs: BA GGL, Concorde Room card, KLM Silver, PC Platinum Ambassador, Marriott Platinum, UA Premier Silver
Posts: 5,278
I see this as more important for those in WT/WT+ where there are seats with more legroom etc, something which isn't really the case in Club or First.
Sep 24, 2009, 6:48 am
#81
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Texas
Programs: American Airlines British Airways
Posts: 1,752
Gee after reading both pages of comments on this I am really scared to say - I think this new policy is great. This will go a long way to keeping me with BA.
Sep 24, 2009, 6:49 am
#82
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ireland
Programs: No longer bothered chasing FF status.
Posts: 2,345
+1 Paint Horse ^
From the article....
Originally Posted by Jenbel
......Explaining why I need to spend a further £120 on top of the published fare to chose a seat is going to be tricky in many companies....
....and customers on corporate deals can pre-assign their seats for free ....
Sep 24, 2009, 6:50 am
#83
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
I don't think that the "once a year" passenger would even know what or where the prime seats are.
As has been said so many times in past debates over the seating policy, the average leisure traveller cares not a jot about where they sit & are more concerned about the fare being paid.
So they won’t be paying the extra charge. But for those of us who do care about where we sit, BA have now given us back the “choice to choose” ^
As has been said so many times in past debates over the seating policy, the average leisure traveller cares not a jot about where they sit & are more concerned about the fare being paid.
So they won’t be paying the extra charge. But for those of us who do care about where we sit, BA have now given us back the “choice to choose” ^
I do know loads of people who use Seat Guru etc now who are irregular pax and care not for loyalty programs etc, I don't know if they would be willing to pay the premium however.
Has it been cleared up as yet if it will still be a 'free' for all at t-24 OLCI, or will pax only be able to change seats, if they are willing to pay the charge?
Sep 24, 2009, 6:54 am
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
Location: TLV/LHR
Programs: BA GGL, IHG Diamond Elite Amb, HH Diamond, Avis PC, Hertz PC, Sixt Platinum
Posts: 12,948
Sep 24, 2009, 6:54 am
#85
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ireland
Programs: No longer bothered chasing FF status.
Posts: 2,345
I suspect that will be the way it will be done.
Sep 24, 2009, 7:00 am
#86
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA LTG + GGL, SPG LTP, HHonors Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador
Posts: 12,695
Check your account settings...
Sep 24, 2009, 7:02 am
#87
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Texas
Programs: American Airlines British Airways
Posts: 1,752
Sep 24, 2009, 7:02 am
#88
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Unless you only get the option on booking and not at any point up to OLCI
Sep 24, 2009, 7:03 am
#89
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: BA - Blue > Bronze > Silver > Bronze > Blue
Posts: 6,812
Sep 24, 2009, 7:05 am
#90
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Ireland
Programs: No longer bothered chasing FF status.
Posts: 2,345
Neither did I until now 
"Every day is a school day"
"Every day is a school day"