Paying for BA Seat Selection on HBO Fares

[funnymummy]

We have just heard that BA will charge for passengers to sit together. Apparently they will not charge for an under 12 to sit with one older traveller but over that you will be allocated random seats. Apparently usually middle! Has anyone else heard this

 

[ajw373]

We have just heard that BA will charge for passengers to sit together. Apparently they will not charge for an under 12 to sit with one older traveller but over that you will be allocated random seats. Apparently usually middle! Has anyone else heard this

Its been like that for a while now, unless you hold BA/OW status. Not sure if Ruby, but Sapphire and above are free.

Rather criminal if you ask me. I can understand, maybe, that you cannot choose seats unless you pay (though even thing I think that is wrong for business class), but really if booked together by rights you should be seated together. I think the EU is looking at making that some random law, though maybe won't apply to BA post Brexit except maybe on flights to/from the EU.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

We have just heard that BA will charge for passengers to sit together. Apparently they will not charge for an under 12 to sit with one older traveller but over that you will be allocated random seats. Apparently usually middle! Has anyone else heard this

This is probably a story reported in the last few days, basically it's a non-story. The examples cited were people on BA's hand baggage only (HBO) fare being split up in the cabin and not seated together. One reason why the HBO fare is cheaper is because it doesn't include seat selection so it is implicit in buying that fare that you may not sit together. If I was BA I'd definitely split HBO passengers and put them in the middle seat to optimise the capacity; the alternative is to start moving passengers who have paid for and selected their seats.

 

[ajw373]

This is probably a story reported in the last few days, basically it's a non-story. The examples cited were people on BA's hand baggage only (HBO) fare being split up in the cabin and not seated together. One reason why the HBO fare is cheaper is because it doesn't include seat selection so it is implicit in buying that fare that you may not sit together. If I was BA I'd definitely split HBO passengers and put them in the middle seat to optimise the capacity; the alternative is to start moving passengers who have paid for and selected their seats.

No this issue has been around for a while now and even applies to Club World which unless I am mistaken doesn’t come in a HBO fare.

Basically without the right status you need to pay. And if you don’t pay regardless of what fare you are on people on the same booking could end up scattered around the 4 corners of the plane.

As I said above my personal opinion if on the same PNR everyone on that booking should be seated next to other regardless of if they pay the ransom money or not.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

No this issue has been around for a while now and even applies to Club World which unless I am mistaken doesn’t come in a HBO fare.

Basically without the right status you need to pay. And if you don’t pay regardless of what fare you are on people on the same booking could end up scattered around the 4 corners of the plane.

As I said above my personal opinion if on the same PNR everyone on that booking should be seated next to other regardless of if they pay the ransom money or not.

No, I'm aware the J cabin situation has been around for a while. In fact it has been around for years. There was a story in the Telegraph over the weekend (I think) about pax on HBO fares being split and some ending up in the middle seat, to which I was referring.

 

[Flashback]

No, I'm aware the J cabin situation has been around for a while. In fact it has been around for years. There was a story in the Telegraph over the weekend (I think) about pax on HBO fares being split and some ending up in the middle seat, to which I was referring.

It's very uncommon for that to happen (and would normally only be the case if the flight was very full, but it would normally allocate them together anyway albeit up the back), the only airline over here that deliberately splits people on a single booking up to force paying for seats is Ryanair.

Have a further read of Airline Seating.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

It's very uncommon for that to happen (and would normally only be the case if the flight was very full, but it would normally allocate them together anyway albeit up the back), the only airline over here that deliberately splits people on a single booking up to force paying for seats is Ryanair.

Have a further read of Airline Seating.

Probably is uncommon but that doesn't stop the good old UK press from hyping something almost non-existent

 

[Flashback]

Its been like that for a while now, unless you hold BA/OW status. Not sure if Ruby, but Sapphire and above are free.

Rather criminal if you ask me. I can understand, maybe, that you cannot choose seats unless you pay (though even thing I think that is wrong for business class), but really if booked together by rights you should be seated together. I think the EU is looking at making that some random law, though maybe won't apply to BA post Brexit except maybe on flights to/from the EU.

Ruby can select 7 days out, Sapphire and Emerald can select any time (Emerald has a better selection).

 

[opusman]

Emerald can even pick exit rows for free, which is more than you can say for QF.

 

[Flashback]

Emerald can even pick exit rows for free, which is more than you can say for QF.

Sapphire can, too.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Emerald can even pick exit rows for free, which is more than you can say for QF.

And row 1 for Club Europe which is a great perk for OWE. Rows 2+ in Club Europe are described by a word not suitable for a family forum.

 

[Flashback]

And row 1 for Club Europe which is a great perk for OWE. Rows 2+ in Club Europe are described by a word not suitable for a family forum.

Agree on that one. If I can't get row 1, I don't bother and will go for an exit row in Euro Traveller.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Agree on that one. If I can't get row 1, I don't bother and will go for an exit row in Euro Traveller.

Yes me too generally unless part of an ex-EU fare. I've been seated in exit rows on HBO fares - BA does look after OWEs.

 

[Flashback]

You can pre-select seats on HBO fares now anyway, so moot point these days!