Hi
Just posting this to demonstrate the value of persistence. I had posted a while back that BA wouldn't confirm in advance a seat assignment for my outbound to London flight, leaving tomorrow. I tried on line, I tried by telephone at least 6 times. Only a percentage of seats had been released for assignment, and those were all filled.

I was contemplating having to get to the airport extra hours early to ensure a decent seat. I called today again just as a matter of form, and some cancellations had come in, some seats were now again available for reassignment, and I got one. I might try to do even better at the airport, but at least I have one.

So, when the airline says "no", don't stop trying up until the last minute.

I'm glad to hear you got this one sorted eventually.

Enjoy your trip here in London. We've had a couple of rainy days now so I'll keep my fingers crossed that we can serve up some better weather for you while you are here.

i saw your original post and was completely surprised....i just returned from a german trip...i used B/A for the entire trip and had no problem with advance seat assignments on the long hauls...internal europe is a different story as they seldom assign them in advance...
i had not flown b/a for some years and was pleasantly surprised by their enhanced customer service in cattle class...and the leg room on the 777....

BA assigned the same seat to my husband and another traveller. When she refused to give up her "assignment" my husband was forced to sit somewhere else leaving me alone to deal with our two kids. (We had reserved a middle row - 4 seats). She was so aggresive and rude and insisted that she simply MUST have the aisle seat eventhough several kind people were offering to help not break up the family. One nice woman (really thinking on her feet) was especailly kind in offering her seat so that he could at least be across from us. When she was offered a seat in business for her trouble, Missy decided to suddenly want to allow my husband to have his seat back. I said NO WAY! " You stay right there in your precious little seat and guess what, I am getting up and you get to sit next to two cranky, puking kids. Enjoy your flight!" I heard a few passengers applaud! My threat put the fear of God in her, but my kids fell asleep and were perfect angles...except fot he fact that I gave them lots and lots to drink so they had to climb over her to go to the restroom every 10 min. She eventurally learned or pretended to sleep through the disturbances. So that has been my expericence with BA and their "seat assignments"/

Calamari, Good on you for standing up !
I hope that the business class seat went instead to the lady who gave her seat to your husband. However, I think the real villian here is BA. Since they screwed up, I wonder why they didn't offer the BC seat to the woman in the first place so sparing all of you the drama. She probably would've accepted it right away, and was probably holding out for the late-coming offer.

BA actually assigned the same seat to my wife and I and they moved us to "world traveler +" which is business class sized seats that don't lay flat. It was quite comfortable.

Bill

Calamari, I read your post and "woo hoo-ed" out loud for you! Well done for saying that to the little madame and kudos to BA for offering the person who did help an upgrade to business class (though a shame they cocked up in the first place).

It is all a matter of instant karma. Yes, the kind woman enjoyed a blissful flight in business and even THANKED me! What a doll! The other bossy britches suffered in silence with entire trip. Noticed she got pulled over to the "long line" at customs too. Gee, I wonder if tipped off a customs official???

That was suppose to be "if someone tipped a customs official off". Did you know that having Fig Newtons in your bag can send you to the long line? Speaking from past experience. LOL!

Calamari, my already good opinion of you has just soared about 200%. Not only are you smart, you're crafty as hell as well! Good for you, and especially about the fig newtons!!

Calamari, were you a nun in a previous incarnation?

Do the fig newtons look like bomb making materials? I love fig newtons but only the real ones. Figs and Newton. Not the fake cherry cheesecake vanilla latte ones.

Hi elaine,

Good for you.

Obxgirl,
Agreed. I also hate candy flavored bagles.

Why thank you for the strokes! As a matter of fact I did attend Catholic girls school (until I got "asked" to leave), but that is as close as I have ever gotten to being a "nun".

Obyxgirl - Here is the skinny of the Fig Newton story. I was coming thorough customs at LAX about 15 years ago with about five suitecases full of a sample line of a business I used to own in Italy. Realizing that my sample were not marked "samples" I was concerned that I would get my bags searched and have to pay duty. When I got to the passport control I was asked if I had anything to declair. A bit nervouse and ever the smart mouth, I said to a scary looking woman agent, "no mam, nothing to declair besides these Fig Newtons". I had two in my hand and she sent me straight to the long line at agricultural control. At 5'5'I was the tallest person in the line. Everyone else in the line had just arrived from Columbia! After standing there for almost an hour, with all my luggage, a rather handsome agent came over to me and half laughing asked me why I was in that line. I smiled and showed him my now empty Fig Newton wrapper. He gave the woman who had sent me over to agriculture a dirty, dirty look, smiled at me and told me I was free to go and to have a NICE DAY! I doubt the faux strawberry newtons will get you in any such trouble!

Calamari

I'm still laughing!!!

Thanks so much for both stories.