Betsy

Here's the scenario: Booked SFO to FCO using American FF miles. Flight was great--SFO to JFK to FCO. Then AA cancelled their JFK to FCO route for the winter (we're flying late in November) and rebooked us on British Air SFO to LHR to FCO, an AA flight on BA equipment. Apparently, we've become the stepchildren on this flight because there seems to be no way to select seats until we get to the airport. Passengers flying on a BA ticket or BA FF miles, can book seats ahead. There's an option to pay a small sum to book seats ahead, but that option is denied us as well.

I've gotten great information on the Air Travel site before, so I'm hoping some of you frequent fliers can let me know if there's a strategy for booking seats ahead of time so we don't end up in middle seats for the 10-hour SFO to LHR segment of the trip. I would love to be able to book two of the seats at the back of the 747-400 economy cabin that are two, instead of three, on each side. We were able to do that on a Qantas flight from SFO to SYD, and found those seats to be roomy and comfortable.

One more thing: I believe the baggage allowance is different. AA says to check with BA, the BA site re baggage routes me back to AA, but the links don't work. Aaargh. Does anyone know whose baggage allowance rules we need to follow?

TC

Hi Betsy, I would ask first if you have spoken with BA via phone? If not, that would be my first step. They are often sympathetic to "stepchildren" caught in these kinds of shuffles. They should be able to assign seats or give you the BA record locator so that you can book them on your own via the web. My standard advice also applies, if the first person you speak with can't/won't help, hang up and phone again until you find someone willing.

Good luck.

dutyfree

I have tried on several occasions to get seats as a "AA stepchild" using miles on BA metal and have ALWAYS been denied.
They always repeat the manta that "they will be assigned at departure time"?

qwovadis

have flown this route a bunch with ba.com FF

folks pay a lot more with their FF miles for me to FCO in May

60000 milesper person plus $30 or so per assigned seat

leg to get a seat and BIG several hundred dollar

fuel surcharges so as an AA stepchild

(kind of lucky u are going at a far cheaper rate)

on FF miles the bottom of the barrel for them.

Usually pay only to book on the long leg if possible

If not usually pretty easy to trade or pick an empty.

they will squeeze you anywhere they can.

But talk to a supervisor at BA they are always nice

if somewhat unhelpful as they are losing

money a lot but

u might get lucky.

JaneB

I am flying with AA FF miles in March that includes BA flights from LHR to AMS and from Vienna to LHR. I asked AA for the BB record locator that corresponds to my AA record locator. Then I went to the BA site and saw that booking a seat would be easy-peasy using the BA record locator. I just decided that my flights on BA were too short to pay for a seat.

Gardyloo

I don't know of any way to do advance seat selection on AA codeshares on BA metal.

Since it was AA's scheduling change that resulted in this, I'd just phone AA back and ask to be re-routed on AA equipment so that you can pre-select your seats. When they change your itinerary like this - even if it's using FF miles, they're supposed to provide you with an acceptable alternative. In your case I'd say not being able to pre-select your seats is not acceptable, so phone them and say so.

There are numerous alternatives available to you, particularly in November. You can go SFO > LAX > London > Rome, or SFO-JFK, or SFO-DFW, or SFO-ORD-LHR, etc., etc., and just use BA for the final hop to Rome.

I just looked at the last week of November, and there are umpteen seats available on AA, in both economy and business class, between JFK and/or Chicago to London, and that's not even looking at LAX, Boston, or Miami, all of which are possible alternatives. Phone them back.

Betsy

I have a BA locator, thanks to Jane. However, this is from the BA website.

You cannot pay to choose your seat if:

* you are travelling on a flight operated by BA CityFlyer, a British Airways franchisee, codeshare or alliance airline partner.
* your booking has not been ticketed, e.g. if you're travelling on a cruise or packaged holiday and have not yet received confirmation of your ticket numbers from your agent.
* your booking has been made through another airline.

Thanks Gardyloo. I was hoping you would check in. I'll check out the alternatives, but I think they require two plane changes, and much longer duration. I may have to decide which is the less painful option, a middle seat for 10 hours or two layovers.

Will report in when the dust has settled.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

For me it's a no-brainer: I'd take the second plane change if it got me out of a middle seat on such a long flight.

Good luck.

rkkwan

Because BA charges even most of their own ticket holders for seat assignments, a lot of passengers won't have seat assignments until check-in anyways, so it's not like you will be left with middle seats only when you check-in. So, I won't worry about and just check-in at the earliest time online.

Betsy

I understand from AA that we won't be able to check in online. My next step is to talk with either AA or BA or both. I checked several alternative routes yesterday, and they all involve three flight segments with long (three hours is common) layovers. I'd gladly pay their fee to book a seat if that opportunity were offered. Stay tuned.

Gardyloo

<i>I checked several alternative routes yesterday, and they all involve three flight segments with long (three hours is common) layovers.</i>

That's right. The only AA or AA partner nonstop flight from SFO to Europe is the BA flight you're currently on. All other possible routes involve a plane change in North America plus another in Europe.

(Actually that's technically not correct. You could fly on Cathay Pacific to Rome via Hong Kong, but AA won't approve transpacific routes on North America < > Europe redemptions.)

In November you don't want very short layovers. Weather happens.

esm

BA opens seat selection 24 hours before flight. I tried (and much to my surprise) was able to use my AA record locator and choose seats for our flight from Vienna to LHR in May.

Betsy

Thanks for that info, esm. On which website did you enter your AA record locator, AA or BA?

esm

I went to BA's website expecting to be rejected but didn't encounter any problems. In fact, my husband and I had separate tickets/record locators so I repeated the process for him and managed to get both of us aisle seats.

I don't know if you can call AA and request the BA record locator just in case it makes life easier.

soogies

Betsey - same exact thing happened to my daughter. She ended up calling BA 24 hr before flight and was able to get the seat she wanted. YES - it was irritating to pushed here, there, and then back and no one taking responsibility. She had tried online first and then called.

Have the locator ready when you call. Good luck!

Betsy

Update on our AA/BA seat assignments. At some point the seat reservation process has changed and it's now possible to reserve before the 24-hour pre-flight check in. I used our BA locator to book our seats for the long haul SFO to LHR flight. Cost was US 38 each. Well worth it, IMHO, to avoid the dreaded middle seat. I booked aisle and window and am holding my breath that the middle seat remains vacant.

Our itinerary was changed at least four times, three by AA and once by me when I realized we'd lost an entire precious day in Rome. We're flying SFO-->LHR-->FCO. Not bad!

Underhill

It's not possible to do an on-line check-in for an international flight.

julia1

Not correct, Underhill. I fly BA internationally frequently and have been able to check in online every time for a number of years now. Perhaps with your airline it's not possible?

Betsy

It's possible to check in 23 hours in advance with AA/BA.

Betsy

Oops! Should have proofed. Check-in is possible 24 hours in advance for an AA/BA international flight.