OLCI - essential?

Probably been asked before, but is it wise (or essential) to do online check-in as soon as it opens?

Got a flight next month with VA (and another with BA) with 11 people in each of the UC/CW cabins.

The VA flight has everyone but myself in the first few rows and I like my choice of seat.
The BA flight is filling up (hopefully no more) and I've a decent seat on that too.

Really want to keep my seat choices so should I do OLCI at T-24 or whatever to try and guarantee my choice or is it unlikely I would lose out?

[Darren Wheeler]

If you have requested a seat and want to keep it, the doing OLCI is essential as if you do it less that 13 hours before departure, your seat will be returned to the pool.

As always, seating is never guaranteed.

YES !

and if you are travelling from LHR you need to do OLCI by T-13 or you risk loosing your seat selections as per

*The exception are flights out of London Heathrow, when check in must be completed 13 hours prior to departure to retain preassigned seats. Whilst we always try our best to meet your requirements, please note that seat numbers are never guaranteed and are subject to operational changes

from this VS page

[honey lamb]

Definitely do OLCI. Just because there are only 11 people in the seats it does not mean that there are only 11 people travelling as not everyone pre-requests seats. I've frequently been on flights where the seat map would indicate that the flight was empty but the reality was far from different with perhaps one or two vacant seats. In addition if, for example, another aircraft from another airline goes tech passengers may be accommodated on your flight. I have been on 3 VS flights which have had BA passengers on board.

Thanks. I'll make sure I do it as soon as it opens.

[mitchja]

There's still no guarantee that you will get the seat you selected during OLCI even if you do it before the T-13 time.

I've found my seat changed once I got to the airport on more than one occasion even when using OLCI at T-23hr 59mins.