MSE News: British Airways to charge for seat selection

malkie76

Pretty good move from BA to allow passengers prepared to pay an extra few quid for exit row seats ahead of time. Virgin have been doing it for years now, but only at the airport (I believe), and at a greater cost than BA are offering.

The losers are silver card holders and corporate ticket holders (ie me) who could previously select anywhere but cannot now. Doesn't make a massive difference in clubworld though, unless you are addicted to the upper deck.

I do detest the sensationalist reporting by MSE on this new service offer by BA, but I'm not entirely surprised.

whatusername

Too many are quick to knock BA and all they need is another excuse. Like many have said it's a service they didn't offer before so if it aint for you don't use it.

I've used them a couple of times now and never once had a problem, they are a decent airline IMO.

thefenman

dmg24 wrote: »

You booked an economy class seat. If you were to get an exit row seat upon checking in, that would be a bonus. However, as you did not specifically book an exit row seat, this measure does not automatically cause you a detriment.

You could look at it that this measure is a benefit to you. Yes, you will have to pay, but now you can be guaranteed an exit row seat, whereas previously there was a (pretty high) chance you would not get one. Bonus!

I have taken some time to come back to this because BA didn't update the booking pages until last week.

You have a point but I hardly need to remind you that this forum is dedicated to SAVING, not spending. To get the seat I would like (given availability) I will have to spend £100 on the return flight. That's a lot of flights on Ryanair!

I have the money, yes, but is it a sensible extra expenditure - the jury is out on that one - mind you, if Blair gets to be President of Europe, unelected, I might stay in the Philippines!

Brian_Steele

Don't really see how introducing charges will help passengers with their seat selection. What will happen is that a previously free service where you were encouraged to check-in on-line and select your seat 24 hours before the flight will become chargeable, so that those who can afford it will continue as before and those who cannot will lose the service.

Not that the service was that wonderful before. Previously, if you were travelling with special needs, they pre-allocated your seats before the free-for-all, but when we did that, they split my family (including young children and one with special needs) up into separate rows so that the two parents could not share the responsibility of looking after the "difficult" one. When we called up, they said the system had locked down and would absolutely not allow reallocation until 24 hours before the flight, yet a friend of a friend managed to do it without any trouble. It's not what you know, it's whom you know!