BAs new seating policy
Apr 10, 2007 | 9:20 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: LINCS England
Programs: GHA Gold Priority Club Gold,Etihad Guest,EK Skywards,BA exec and QR privilege
Posts: 447
BAs new seating policy
Hi,
I've just fallen foul of BAs new policy and a VERY rude CSA for good measure.
My wife has severe arthritis and asthma (controlled epilepsy and others) and needs assistance to the aircraft and has great difficulty with stairs.We've booked a business class trip from UK to Singapore for christmas(curtesy of a miles for upgrade)
We've done this for the last 2 years(to Bangkok) with Thai then Emirates and in both previous cases I've telephoned the airline and got suitable seats pre-allocated!
For this coming year I did the same but got a VERY rude young man who put the shutters up and refused point blank to consider my request,at the end shouting "I will not preassign seats" and hanging up on me!
I've flown long haul on BA since the early 80's and we are both blue card holders of the BA executive club,I reached silver at one point before I retired in 2000 and am flabergasted at both the policy and treatment by the agent.
I've just fallen foul of BAs new policy and a VERY rude CSA for good measure.
My wife has severe arthritis and asthma (controlled epilepsy and others) and needs assistance to the aircraft and has great difficulty with stairs.We've booked a business class trip from UK to Singapore for christmas(curtesy of a miles for upgrade)
We've done this for the last 2 years(to Bangkok) with Thai then Emirates and in both previous cases I've telephoned the airline and got suitable seats pre-allocated!
For this coming year I did the same but got a VERY rude young man who put the shutters up and refused point blank to consider my request,at the end shouting "I will not preassign seats" and hanging up on me!
I've flown long haul on BA since the early 80's and we are both blue card holders of the BA executive club,I reached silver at one point before I retired in 2000 and am flabergasted at both the policy and treatment by the agent.
Apr 10, 2007 | 11:02 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 19,078
Further comment about this can be found on the BA forum here:
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=680982
This thread includes links to previously posted opinions and more information about the new policy.
Whatever the Customer Services Representative's brief was regarding this, I am sorry you and your wife received such short shrift and were not dealt with more sensitively. As I am able to walk myself (albeit painfully, and under strict instructions not to walk more than 50metres a day due to a slipped disc) I also would have found myself in the same situation.
Sounds to me that the only way around a decision like this is to exagerate a condition and lie about capacity for mobility. But it's sad and unfair that BA would force their passengers to lie like this, compounding what is already a stressful situation.
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=680982
This thread includes links to previously posted opinions and more information about the new policy.
Whatever the Customer Services Representative's brief was regarding this, I am sorry you and your wife received such short shrift and were not dealt with more sensitively. As I am able to walk myself (albeit painfully, and under strict instructions not to walk more than 50metres a day due to a slipped disc) I also would have found myself in the same situation.
Sounds to me that the only way around a decision like this is to exagerate a condition and lie about capacity for mobility. But it's sad and unfair that BA would force their passengers to lie like this, compounding what is already a stressful situation.
