British Airways - Seat Selection Rip Off!
desi1_2
Posts: 3 Newbie
Hey Guys,
I usually never fly British Airways as I've always found them to be quite outdated and very expensive...I much prefer Virgin Atlantic.
A few months ago I wanted to book a holiday and unfortunately British Airways was the only airline that offered a direct route between the destinations and the UK.
I went ahead and booked the BA Flights through a travel agent as they were significantly cheaper than booking direct with British Airways which I thought was weird...
I am flying from Heathrow to San Francisco this week and then returning from Cancun to Gatwick. I have purchased an internal flight between San Francisco and Cancun.
Anyway when making the booking I wrongly assumed Seat Selection would either be free or a modest fee would have to be paid, how wrong I was!
I've just checked and to reserve two seats together one way is £144!
These are not special seats or extra leg room these are just "Twin Seats". For the return flight for 2 seats together I am looking at £110.
This is really disappointing as Virgin Atlantic do give you free seat selection.
I've just called up British airways to firstly inquire why they charge so much and secondly to see if it would be worthwhile just upgrading to Premium Economy (which has free seat selection). Unfortunately the prices are seat and I can't be given any information about an upgrade as I did not book direct.
Hopefully the flight goes well and during the online check in I can find a seat even though according to BA...(Your seat is automatically selected at online check-in and if you want to change you must pay!)
I just want to clarify I don't mind paying for seat selection but I also don't want to feel ripped off. Personally a charge of £25 - £30 per seat per way is the max I would pay.
I usually never fly British Airways as I've always found them to be quite outdated and very expensive...I much prefer Virgin Atlantic.
A few months ago I wanted to book a holiday and unfortunately British Airways was the only airline that offered a direct route between the destinations and the UK.
I went ahead and booked the BA Flights through a travel agent as they were significantly cheaper than booking direct with British Airways which I thought was weird...
I am flying from Heathrow to San Francisco this week and then returning from Cancun to Gatwick. I have purchased an internal flight between San Francisco and Cancun.
Anyway when making the booking I wrongly assumed Seat Selection would either be free or a modest fee would have to be paid, how wrong I was!
I've just checked and to reserve two seats together one way is £144!
These are not special seats or extra leg room these are just "Twin Seats". For the return flight for 2 seats together I am looking at £110.
This is really disappointing as Virgin Atlantic do give you free seat selection.
I've just called up British airways to firstly inquire why they charge so much and secondly to see if it would be worthwhile just upgrading to Premium Economy (which has free seat selection). Unfortunately the prices are seat and I can't be given any information about an upgrade as I did not book direct.
Hopefully the flight goes well and during the online check in I can find a seat even though according to BA...(Your seat is automatically selected at online check-in and if you want to change you must pay!)
I just want to clarify I don't mind paying for seat selection but I also don't want to feel ripped off. Personally a charge of £25 - £30 per seat per way is the max I would pay.
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Comments
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Sorry for my language but airline companies take the p!ss. The fact that they charge a ticket fee then a fee on top for your seats, what is it exactly that you're paying for? To sit on the floor? Sorry for the rant, it miffs me off! Hopefully all goes well and you enjoy your holiday non the less.0
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That sounds more like the fee for seats in business class. I flew BC to Costa Rica last year and it was £70+ each way, not that I paid it.
I have never had a problem getting seats together on BA when traveling with my wife, as far as I know they do not deliberately split people up, and you only risk a split if you leave check in to the last minute on a busy flight. Check in on line 24 hours in advance and you should be fine.0 -
2 lessons to learn:
- Never assume anything. Lots of airlines charge a fee to pre-book seats - even scheduled airlines.We paid to select our seats with Singapore Airlines.
- Think twice about booking with a 3rd party flight seller. Any changes you might want/need to make will be more difficult and possibly more expensive than direct with the airline.
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This is really disappointing as Virgin Atlantic do give you free seat selection.
I've just called up British airways to firstly inquire why they charge so much and secondly to see if it would be worthwhile just upgrading to Premium Economy (which has free seat selection). Unfortunately the prices are seat and I can't be given any information about an upgrade as I did not book direct.
Virgin Atlantic sell different types of ticket, their Economy Lite fare does not have free seat selection and get an allocated seat on checking.
The only cabin BA offer free seat selection for passengers without OW status is First - you still have to pay for seats in WT+ and CW unless you have Gold or Silver status (Bronze can select seats for free 7 days before the flight)0 -
charlotte1994 wrote: »Sorry for my language but airline companies take the p!ss. The fact that they charge a ticket fee then a fee on top for your seats, what is it exactly that you're paying for? To sit on the floor? Sorry for the rant, it miffs me off! Hopefully all goes well and you enjoy your holiday non the less.
:rotfl: Did you not read the the OP's post?
Your not paying to have a seat (you obviously get a seat with the ticket on an aeroplane) they just charge an optional fee if you want to be guaranteed next to someone your flying with.0 -
So as usual? newbies shouting rip off when it isn't.The world is not ruined by the wickedness of the wicked, but by the weakness of the good. Napoleon0
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So as usual? newbies shouting rip off when it isn't.
Firstly this forum has Vent as part of it, so the OP is entitled to Vent about it.
You may not think it's a rip off, but £254 for 4 seat reservations, isn't exactly cheap.
I can see why guaranteeing seats together may cost, but I don't think they need to rip off people quite so much.
In the past we went with Virgin and the seats cost where free.
Two years ago, we looked at the cost of a holiday to the USA with BA and with Virgin and found BA was a lot cheaper.
We then found that BA charged what I too considered to be an over the top charge for seats together. None of us where particularly impressed to see the cost, but we took it on the chin as we had saved a lot on the cost of the overall holiday.
If the cost had been about the same, BA would not have got our business as Virgin's premium cabin/seat is better than BA's equivalent.0 -
2 lessons to learn:
- Never assume anything. Lots of airlines charge a fee to pre-book seats - even scheduled airlines.We paid to select our seats with Singapore Airlines.
- Think twice about booking with a 3rd party flight seller. Any changes you might want/need to make will be more difficult and possibly more expensive than direct with the airline.
YOU don't consider it a rip off, so of course that means it can't be, can it.
Oh wait, some people like the OP and myself do think it is. I've no doubt others do as well.
Who's right, who's wrong, well I guess it depends in this situation whether £254 for 4 seats, is a bargain/expected/high/rip off.0 -
Firstly this forum has Vent as part of it, so the OP is entitled to Vent about it.
You may not think it's a rip off, but £254 for 4 seat reservations, isn't exactly cheap.
I can see why guaranteeing seats together may cost, but I don't think they need to rip off people quite so much.
In the past we went with Virgin and the seats cost where free.
Two years ago, we looked at the cost of a holiday to the USA with BA and with Virgin and found BA was a lot cheaper.
We then found that BA charged what I too considered to be an over the top charge for seats together. None of us where particularly impressed to see the cost, but we took it on the chin as we had saved a lot on the cost of the overall holiday.
If the cost had been about the same, BA would not have got our business as Virgin's premium cabin/seat is better than BA's equivalent.
Its not a rip off. Its to build up revenue as businesses do. When I fly I get a choice pay or not. I do not pay. 99.9% of the time we are allocated seats together anyway.
If people have the money they will pay. Though Ops figures seem a bit expensive compared with Aug 2018.
https://londonairtravel.com/2018/08/11/british-airways-seating-policy/The world is not ruined by the wickedness of the wicked, but by the weakness of the good. Napoleon0 -
YOU don't consider it a rip off, so of course that means it can't be, can it.
Oh wait, some people like the OP and myself do think it is. I've no doubt others do as well.
Who's right, who's wrong, well I guess it depends in this situation whether £254 for 4 seats, is a bargain/expected/high/rip off.
Then don't pay this "rip-off" fee.
It's really very simple.
Or would you prefer that airlines reverse their business models and start to bundle all these charges back into the ticket price like they used to?
Happy to pay higher flight prices because you don't like the idea of paying to choose your seats?0
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