No, 62K so I can see the Palace on final. Helloo, Mrs. Q.

Poor wifey is condemned to 1J on AA ORD-LHR a couple of days later. Such hardship.

"I just assumed that any J or F ticket allows you to preselect seats."

F gets to choose, but only status and full fare will let you choose seats in J or Y or Y+

Hopefully you'll have one of their new BC planes. From Orlando they are still flying the older models.

At night when everyone is reclined it is almost impossible to get out of your seat and into the aisle. You have to climb over the person's lrgs in front of you or else wake them up. Even the window seats have that problem. Try to get an aisle seat or the last seats in the rear of the cabin, then at least you are disturbing your travel companion, not some stranger.

I'm very familiar with the "Manage my Booking" function, and I went right away to try for seat selection...it is a no-go.

Just for reference, here is BA's seat assignment policy:
Those that can choose at time of booking:
-Gold and Silver Executive Club members, oneworld™ Emerald and Sapphire equivalents, and other passengers on the same booking
-First passengers
-Customers holding fully flexible tickets booked in J/C/W/Y booking classes

Ditto to USCMolly. We are booked on BA First Class LHR - NBO and return. AA assigned the seats. We cannot choose or change for the upper level until we check in. We were informed by AA that BA might even re-assign our seats.

SD

I'm little confused by your post <b>SDtravelers</b>,

You are in first class so that on it's own should allow you to pick the seats on BA.com with your AA record locator,

and also, BA F class is in the nose of the 747, not on the upper deck. That's business class.

AAFF - I didn't explain it very well. AA assigned seats for the BA flights letting us know they most likely will be changed by BA. Yes I have logged into BA with my record locator. I also understood the the upper level was first as well. I was referring to IB not allowing us to pick our seats - which is a totaly different sugject!

My bad!
SD

You can request IB seats through AA. Just give them a call.

BA F is in the nose(only). Upstairs is business class, so that's why you won't be able to change to seats there, unless you want to downgrade.

Sounds like a great trip!

I'm leaving next week flying AA to Madrid and IB to Cairo. AA picked the seat for me and so far so good. <b>Gardyloo</b>, one of the trusted regulars here, warned me and others to a possible surprise at the airport but since I will be checking in in Sarasota-(MIA-MAD-CAI) all the way to Cairo, I hope that IB does not pull a seat change on me. I picked the seat very carefully, so I hope I will still have it. It is about 4.5 hour flight. I will report the following Wed or Thur.

My BA experience has been very good about assigned seats. Out of about 10 business or first long haul flights - zero last minute changes.

AA's going to Cairo, uh? I'm going at the end of the March. I'm doing the JFK to Cairo flight with Air Egypt. Does anyone know if they have a &quot;Duty-Free&quot; store at JFK after going through security?

<b>wally</b>,

no BA this time?

Flying on a dry airline?

I'm surprised, no I'm more than that, I'm shocked.....

AAFF - so what's it like being upstairs in a 747???

SD

If I <b>have to</b> fly BA J I do prefer the upper cabin.

All kidding aside, BA J product is one of the best in the business.

It has a feel of a private club. IMHO,the cabin environment is more condusive to better service when compared to the J cabin on the main deck.

But don't despair. BA F is better than their J product.
But if <b>I have a choice</b> between

AA and BA F, I'll take AA.

AA and BA J, I'll take BA.

BA F or J, I'll take F.

Often airlines put babies in the first row of economy, which is just one toilet away from the last row of business class. Although I've heard a few babies cry so loud, I thought they were trying to wake up the upstairs and Heaven's.

Usually there are no babies or kids upstairs. There is only 20 people upstairs, compared to 69 on Air Pacific and 56 on Air France. (Same plane, too.)

My favorite part about the upper deck is the extra room at the window seats. The little boxes are handy, too. 62A and 62K on a BA 747 are my favorites.

However when there <i>are</i> noisy children or crying babies upstairs (and I've had it happen) it's a pretty miserable closed-space environment.