BA seat selection fee irrespective of status on hand baggage fares

[dajop]

Not a scam


Info is also available on BA website: http://www.britishairways.com/travel/flightops/public/en_sg?p_faqid=5238

 

[Ansett]

Not a scam


Info is also available on BA website: British Airways News - Latest BA News

WOW that is damned ordinary is the most polite way I can put it.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Have to say this is not very impressive at all especially for other OW Passengers. Checked on the website and it makes no mention of this. Could it be a Scam?

View attachment 43035

it's effective for bookings made from 26 March, so they'll prolly update the table as of that date. Until then... reserve your seats!

 

[JohnK]

Disgusting.

Not a fan of component pricing. Why is it so difficult to have all these surcharges included in base airfares?

 

[exceladdict]

Disgusting.

Not a fan of component pricing. Why is it so difficult to have all these surcharges included in base airfares?

There's a huge debate in marketing about whether people prefer all in one or component pricing.

A lot of people think they win when they are able to deselect components they don't want (ie a gross meal, baggage, alcohol) because they save $25. Others prefer all in one / "packages".

I'm sure qantas had this debate recently about fuel surcharges.

But when it comes down to it, seat location in identical seats within a cabin has no real value, it's all perceived (arguably all value is subjective but let's not go there). So this will just be seen as penny pinching of BA creating their own two teir system (jetstar anyone?).

 

[anat0l]

There's a huge debate in marketing about whether people prefer all in one or component pricing.

A lot of people think they win when they are able to deselect components they don't want (ie a gross meal, baggage, alcohol) because they save $25. Others prefer all in one / "packages".

It's funny how you hear a lot of airlines say (or "justify") by saying that they had "listened to customers" and they said they wanted this.

In fact, much of the complainants on the FT BA thread say that they hardly check in a bag and having the hand baggage only fare was a great advantage for them. Now of course they are pretty annoyed because being able to select a seat (at some point in time, free of charge, even at OLCI) seems like an intrinsic ability, and now it is gone.

I'm sure qantas had this debate recently about fuel surcharges.

Fuel surcharges are a different debate on their own (and - may I add now - not one for this thread!)

But when it comes down to it, seat location in identical seats within a cabin has no real value, it's all perceived (arguably all value is subjective but let's not go there). So this will just be seen as penny pinching of BA creating their own two teir system (jetstar anyone?).

Taking a mechanical view of it, you are correct. In fact, many of the seats on many BA aircraft on short haul are nearly exactly the same (i.e. the pitch doesn't differ about the aircraft, unlike, say the Australian airlines).

The only main reasons for people to really select seats in such situations are:

• Exit row or around exit rows (e.g. all bags up or no space to be reclined into - quite a few short haul -BA aircraft do not have extra pitch in exit rows)
• Aisle or window, since it is rare that anyone wants a middle seat for various reasons
• Proximity to front, purely a case for faster embarkation / disembarkation (or farthest point from the toilets).

Overall, I'm still confused why BA made this kind of modification to the fare.

 

[exceladdict]

Overall, I'm still confused why BA made this kind of modification to the fare.

BA must think that any revenue they are getting will outweigh the dissent from their EC members...

(unless they're enhancing because they think it's cool. Catch up BA, that was sooooooo 2014)

 

[Princess Fiona]

Have to say this is not very impressive at all especially for other OW Passengers. Checked on the website and it makes no mention of this. Could it be a Scam?

View attachment 43035

It's definitely not a scam. I received it in an email with my BAEC monthly account statement.

 

[clifford]

Why would anyone think it's a scam?

One assumes it doesn't apply to award redemptions using avios...?

 

[anat0l]

One assumes it doesn't apply to award redemptions using avios...?

My assumption is that an Economy redemption with Avios is not in any way the special hand baggage only fare (and you can't redeem a BA hand baggage only fare with Avios, excluding Pay with Avios), so you get hand baggage and seat selection follows standard rules.