Ackislander

On April 2, I flew BA from BOS to LHR. Like a good doobee, I checked in 24 hours in advance and was assigned a seat automatically. Yes, automatically. I was unable to get to the seat selection screen (and I have a witness -- this wasn't just incompetence!) Growling, I printed my boarding card, planning to change it at the airport since it was a really lousy seat.

Guess what? No seat changes for people who have preprinted their boarding cards! Told so at the desk and by the chief purser on boarding. Not much of an incentive for being a good passenger, is it?

Fortunately, it was a 747, there were lots of open seats, and I was actually able to move after the doors closed.

BUT on the return flight (CDG-LHR-BOS) we were able to select seats and confirm them 24 hours in advance, but we did NOT print the boarding cards! Well, duh!

Aside: as always, food was much better between the UK and US than vice versa.

aggiegirl

This happened to me when I last flew BA from Houston to LGW. Checked in online and it automatically gave me a middle seat and wouldn't let me change. However, I was able to change when I got to the airport. On the return, I didn't have any trouble choosing my seat.

wally34949

Glad the food was better returning to the states.

It appears that some airlines are bringing the "bad stuff" from the states to Europe, so they can give it to you on flights from Europe to the United States.

dfr4848

Ack and Aggie - thanks for info. To make sure I understand, you can check in online and pick seats, but just don't print boarding pass ahead of time? Or just don't check in online, period?

Ackislander

Just don't print the boarding pass if there is ANY question about where you are seated.

fnn

That seems odd, I checked-in for a flight on BA (LAX-LHR-FCO)on 4/12 for myself and a friend. As we were on two different reservations - I wanted to make sure we sat together - I had no problem changing our seats so that we were able to sit next to each other.

FainaAgain

I would never think this may happen! Thanks for the heads up!

dfr4848

fnn - this may be a fine point, but I think what Ack is saying is that you can checkin, pick seats or even change them, but don't go the last step and print the boarding pass because it may ignore your choices and randomly assign you seats. Did you print your passes after you checked in and got the seats you had selected? [I'm not trying to beat this to death, but we're planning to fly BA this fall for the first time, and this info is very useful].

fnn

dfr4848,

Yes, I printed the boarding passes and had the seats that I chose on the outbound. On the return, I flew out of CDG and took the seat I had already been assigned by BA, printed the boarding pass and had no problem.

Personally, I'd print my boarding pass again with BA. At LAX it is much easier to check-in with the pre-printed boarding pass.

Francesca

Ackislander

Again, to clarify:

Outbound I was unable to access the seat selection screen at all. When I entered my number on the BA site, the computer bypassed seat selection, I was taken directly to my name and a pre-assigned seat (horrible) and was given no option to change. I could not back up or go forward to a seat selection screen. I cancelled the transaction, then did it again with the same result. Foolishly, I printed my boarding pass (good citizen me) and was not allowed to change it at the airport.

Homeward bound, I was taken directly to the seat selection screen, selected a better seat, had the new assignment confirmed but did not print the boarding pass but picked it up at the airport kiosk when checking bags without problems.

dfr4848

Thanks

Kate_W

I fly BA a lot (at least a dozen flights since they changed the seat selection policy).

It's not printing your boarding pass that locks you into a particular seat. By then, it's too late (so printing your boarding pass or not printing it is not going to make a difference).

There is a step before printing your boarding pass that locks you into a particular seat. Yes, BA will have provisionally and automatically allocated you a seat in the system. (This is what happened to Ackislander.) You are supposed to be able at that point to "View and change seat" and then "Confirm". (I'm not sure why Ackislander didn't get that option. Something similar happened to me once when trying to check in online for an Air France flight.)

Then, you will reach the point where you will be asked to "Confirm seats and check in now". You have now almost reached the point of no return. If you don't like your seat and can't figure out how to change it, do not click on that button. Click on "Previous" and, with luck you'll be taken back a few steps in the check-in process.

While delaying check-in until you get to the airport is an option, there is a significantly increased risk that all the good seats will be gone by the time you get there.

BA has an online check-in demo on its website at: http://www.britishairways.com/travel...o/public/en_gb

It's worth trying out the demo before your flight.

PS - BA's new seating policy (which denies many passengers, except Gold and Silver Executive Club members and people flying Club World or with full fare economy tickets the option of choosing seats when they buy tickets) is maddening. If it weren't for the fact that I'm one of the lucky ones who gets to choose her seats in advance (as BAEC Gold), I would have sworn off BA by now.