BA to start charging for seat selection

[mitchja]

BA are to allow seat selection at the time of booking, but there will be a charge.

Link

Doesn't apply to BA Premier, Gold, Silver Exec Club members.

I just hope VS dont read this!!

Regards

[Neil]

[n]

Bad move, it just makes them appear like a LCC or charter airline. I can't believe they are charging their premium CW pax more than econ pax, so it would be 120 to select your seats on a round trip in CW, WTF? [V]

I really hope VS do not follow this idea, although it really wouldn't surprise me if they did, it seems anything is possible in the need to create more revenue.

I do like the idea of being able to secure the exit row seats in advance though.

If VS is smart, it'll advertise the difference.

But there's every reason to suspect VS being dumbass and therefore copycat ...

If you can select an exit row seat and then are considered not be be fit enough to have that seat, will they then refund you??

[Nottingham Nick]

quote:Originally posted by carter
If you can select an exit row seat and then are considered not be be fit enough to have that seat, will they then refund you??


Provided that there are clear warnings about the duties and the physical / age requirements of sitting at exit rows, I wouldn't think they will. [?]

Nick

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by carter
If you can select an exit row seat and then are considered not be be fit enough to have that seat, will they then refund you??


I imagine the answer will be yes, but I also imagine there will be plenty of warning and boxes for you to tick stating that you are fully fit etc before you confirm to 'buy' one anyway, so it shouldn't really be an issue if people are honest in the first place.

quote:Originally posted by mitchja
BA are to allow seat selection at the time of booking, but there will be a charge.

Link

Doesn't apply to BA Premier, Gold, Silver Exec Club members.

I just hope VS dont read this!!

Regards


Silvers will also be charged 50 for exit row seats in WT/WT+

quote:Originally posted by Neil
[n]

Bad move, it just makes them appear like a LCC or charter airline. I can't believe they are charging their premium CW pax more than econ pax, so it would be 120 to select your seats on a round trip in CW, WTF? [V]


I agree this is just b0^&cks. Premium class PAX already pay more for this unjust blO6dy green tax.

Just as well I have preselected our seats for MRU next year as if this is the case I will not be flying BA or I will let them sort out the problem of a family flying together at check in. CAA rules et all.

Iain

VS don't need to start charging to make money out of this.

Just look at the responses to the article!

[buns]

Scandalous[:(!]

Just imagine the reaction when the mainstream press pick this up[}:)]

buns

PS

If VS have any sense, they should gauge reaction first

BA = BryanAir ....

So, let me just see if I can get my head round this. Instead of a seat request, will this mean that BA seat 'selection' will be cast in stone [?]

This could a great marketing campaign for VS if they jump on this quick enough! [y]

Just hope VS don't follow suit, as I could imagine up roar.

quote:Originally posted by Treelo
So, let me just see if I can get my head round this. Instead of a seat request, will this mean that BA seat 'selection' will be cast in stone [?]


This is what I was wondering, say there is an aircraft change or you are moved for 'operational reasons' as VS would put it how easy is it going to be to get your refund?

Also 60 per sector for Club[?] that's sheer madness.

-Steve

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by Treelo
So, let me just see if I can get my head round this. Instead of a seat request, will this mean that BA seat 'selection' will be cast in stone [?]


Surely they have to, you are paying them to select a specific seat, if they move you, then they are breaking the contract of what you bought and you should get a refund.

quote:Originally posted by Neil
quote:Originally posted by Treelo
So, let me just see if I can get my head round this. Instead of a seat request, will this mean that BA seat 'selection' will be cast in stone [?]


Surely they have to, you are paying them to select a specific seat, if they move you, then they are breaking the contract of what you bought and you should get a refund.


Depends on exactly what they are offering for your payment; could still be couched as a request,or a specific seat subject to ..... normal operational exigencies. But whatever the exact contractual position, I can't imagine they would take your money and not refund if you didn't get your chosen seat (although my friend's recent experience with a charter flight suggests otherwise)

[Scrooge]

I don't think so, US law is pretty specific on this, you pay for a service with a credit card, if you don't get it you don't pay.

Let's be realistic though, how many times have you not got the seat you requested ? yes it does happen, but it is rare.

The big thing for me is, are the UK/UK airlines trying to nickle and dime and tax themselves out of the picture, seriously, I know the airlines are trying to generate revenue, but this type of thing isn't the way to do it.

Now over on flyertalk this seems to be being hailed as a great idea.

now I haven't looked into how BA might do this, but if they plan on just leaving seat maps wide open online or whatever for every man and his dog to choose seats it's going to cause absolute chaos!

quote:Originally posted by Scrooge

The big thing for me is, are the UK/UK airlines trying to nickle and dime and tax themselves out of the picture, seriously, I know the airlines are trying to generate revenue, but this type of thing isn't the way to do it.

Now over on flyertalk this seems to be being hailed as a great idea.


Hmmm [:?] why UK airlines, isn't it the case that the supposedly fully serviced, mainline US airlines started the whole bag charging thing, paying for food and drinks, extra economy seats etc.?

Also, my reading of the FT thread on this is mixed between good and bad, the good seem generally to be AU BA EC members who don't care or the same who fear the plebs taking their preferred seats, the bad seem to be BA EC Silvers who loose their ability to reserve exit row seats for free.

Me, I think BA will simply get really bad publicity as a result of this move and the revenue isn't going to be worth that. I maintain, VS should look sharp and use this as an opportunity to differentiate.

quote:Originally posted by slinky09
Me, I think BA will simply get really bad publicity as a result of this move and the revenue isn't going to be worth that. I maintain, VS should look sharp and use this as an opportunity to differentiate.


If VS really wanted to turn the screw, they would not only do that, but would grasp the nettle and take this opportunity to actually add something back in to their product which has been depleted in the last few years which would attract even more dischanted BA flyers

David

Can I assume that all of the flight can be pre booked rather than say 70% in advance with the remaining 30% on the day?

The ability to secure an exit row seat in advance is good as I have only previously seen them on sale at check in once before.

However how would this work if say a young family of 4 booked late or forgot to pre-book. In the past we have been moved by the crew so a family can sit together, how would this work if I the majority of the flight had paid for their seats in advance? Could a young family be split up?

Likewise, we have previously pre-booked seats with BA and then been moved due to a large group booking. The check in staff commented they were sorry, but we would not want to be amongst that group. Again what would have happened if we had purchased our seats in advance?

I short; I think it will cause problems and added stress for crew/check in staff that will ultimately lead to delays. Will this out weigh the income earned?

Please don't do this VS!

As for families etc, don't think the likes of FR much to sit the together - they certainly don't pre-board them unless they've paid.

Worst thing is the high charge for Bisiness Pax! They've been taking lessons from Gordon Brown and his cronies.

[Neil]

quote:Originally posted by jpcox1
Can I assume that all of the flight can be pre booked rather than say 70% in advance with the remaining 30% on the day?


I imagine they will have to leave a certain % not available for pre-booking, like VS do now. Mainly, because of the reasons you state. They have an obligation by law to try and sit families together, if they offer the whole a/c open for pre-booking, it would discriminate against certain people who can't/don't want to pay to select there seats and cause major issues for them.

I agree with others, I do think this is going to give BA bad publicity, I have already had two of my colleagues come in this morning after hearing about it on the news and comment on how bad it is and that it it just another way to fleece customers!

[Scrooge]

quote:Originally posted by slinky09
quote:Originally posted by Scrooge

The big thing for me is, are the UK/UK airlines trying to nickle and dime and tax themselves out of the picture, seriously, I know the airlines are trying to generate revenue, but this type of thing isn't the way to do it.

Now over on flyertalk this seems to be being hailed as a great idea.


Hmmm [:?] why UK airlines, isn't it the case that the supposedly fully serviced, mainline US airlines started the whole bag charging thing, paying for food and drinks, extra economy seats etc.?




That's a typo, it should of been Uk/US airlines, though saying that BA and VS imho are worse, just for the simple fact that unlike US airlines they do not include the fuel surcharge in the ticket price, so when you get a reward ticket you have to pay that surcharge, with US airlines you don't, though again, the vast majority of the airlines are all as bad.

quote:Originally posted by David

If VS really wanted to turn the screw, they would not only do that, but would grasp the nettle and take this opportunity to actually add something back in to their product which has been depleted in the last few years which would attract even more dischanted BA flyers

David


You know I could of seen this a few years ago, right now I don't think VS can figure this out.

Southwest is running a great add right now over here regarding bag fee's LINK

Couldn't VS come up with something along those lines, or better yet really rip into BA by having a couple going on their honeymoon split up because they decided not to pay the fee and by the time they checked in all that was left was two seats 20 rows apart.

Well this story is number three on the Sky News Sunrise at the moment. The cynic in me has to wonder if this was announced deliberately in the middle of the G20/UN meetings to ensure it got lost!

Awful move really. I have always been attracted by BA due to the 'all in price' that one receives on their short haul services. Now it looks like we will see some sort of pseudo Ryanair page where it states 'click here to pay 10 to select your seat'. The price does seem to range from 10-60, one would presume that the short haul flights will be 10.

Of course we do all have the option of not paying and being happy with the seat we receive, as in the good old days. Maybe it is only the more seasoned travellers that will be really narked off by this especially as BA surely will have to keep a percentage of seats back like VS do currently.

I think it is the whole situation of making this an optional extra which makes it look very LCC. However I can understand why its been done, BA are under huge pressure to make more money etc.People have been asking for BA to have a proper seat request system in place, it seems there wish is granted however the been counters have had their way first at Waterside.