Beware of Seat Selection Charge for Business on BA
#21
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,790
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We booked seats in business on BA for later in the year. When we looked at the seats they had assigned us, which were in the middle, we would rather sit at the side. We just called up customer service and asked if our seats could be moved, no problem, and no extra charge. We last flew on BA at Christmas 2021, and they didn't charge for business seats then as far as I can remember.
Last edited by joto; Apr 4th, 2023 at 05:24 PM.
#23
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,790
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
#25
Join Date: Apr 2023
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It hasn't changed -- been the same for ages. Anyone can select seats for free 24 hours before the flight. But if you are talking earlier than that, you need to be One World Sapphire (AA Platinum) or above to select seats for free at time of booking. Also I think if you book full fare fully flexible tix (normally very expensive).
#26
Join Date: May 2023
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This seems to be the way that even erstwhile respectable airlines are going. It probably explains why there is a rise in the number spats involving passengers refusing to swap their assigned seats. My upcoming flight with Qatar has a seat selection fee of $98 per leg in business class which I declined. As long as I don't have to share a honeymoon suite with a stranger, it should be ok.
#28
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I just stumbled across this thread while in the process of booking with BA, I was made aware I would need to pay to choose my seat, even one in a less desirable location that would've normally been included as a free option in the past. I last booked a BA flight in November of 2018 and I do not remember paying except for the transatlantic leg in order to upgrade that seat a bit. When I surfed over to purchase it on AA instead, I see that I will have to contact BA for seat selection although the message said nothing of payment.
The cheapest seat is $50, adding a cool $100 to my cost. I mean, they are charging $50 for a seat in the very last row of the plane where the seats don't even recline! Imagine actually paying extra for 10+ hours of that torture.
My question now is, are there any choose-able free seats internationally on Delta or United and their partners?
The cheapest seat is $50, adding a cool $100 to my cost. I mean, they are charging $50 for a seat in the very last row of the plane where the seats don't even recline! Imagine actually paying extra for 10+ hours of that torture.
My question now is, are there any choose-able free seats internationally on Delta or United and their partners?
#29
Book BA through AARP to get a discount and then apply promo code CHASEBA10 and pay with a Chase card to get a 10% discount.
(you can join aarp at any age for $12)
(you can join aarp at any age for $12)
Last edited by mrwunrfl; Sep 5th, 2023 at 02:03 PM.
#31
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ok, put it all in, went thru the AARP link, but I don't see the AARP discount. Where and when does that show up? Other forums I checked say these two discounts are stackable; It deducted the Chase 10% before I even get to payment.
#32
It used to be under the travel tab.
I did a site search for British and got here:
British Airways Discount, an AARP Member Benefit
You get to the BA site for AARP and do your flight search.
To get the Chase discount you need to select BA flights and log into your Executive Club account. Then click on Apply an E-Voucher. Toggle to promo code and enter it.
It you choose an itnerary that is not all-BA then the Chase discount won't apply. You could try it, though. I tried and failed. Also, instead of 10 in the promo code I tried 50 then 30 then 20, because why not. Those failed. The 10% discount worked out for me because the BA flights were best price. Use a Chase card to pay.
I did a site search for British and got here:
British Airways Discount, an AARP Member Benefit
You get to the BA site for AARP and do your flight search.
To get the Chase discount you need to select BA flights and log into your Executive Club account. Then click on Apply an E-Voucher. Toggle to promo code and enter it.
It you choose an itnerary that is not all-BA then the Chase discount won't apply. You could try it, though. I tried and failed. Also, instead of 10 in the promo code I tried 50 then 30 then 20, because why not. Those failed. The 10% discount worked out for me because the BA flights were best price. Use a Chase card to pay.
Last edited by mrwunrfl; Sep 5th, 2023 at 08:20 PM.
#33
When you click on Learn More on the aarp page it talkes you to a BA flight search page that says
"Members save $65 off World Traveller (economy) and World Traveller Plus (premium economy) or $200 off Club World (business class) fares when they purchase round-trip transatlantic tickets online to over 130 destinations, including Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Restrictions apply. Online only."
AARP member discounts on BA
You can compare the fare results with what is offered by going to the ba site directly. From the wording on the uses ba terms for economy, PE, business class, so ticket probably has to be all-BA. Maybe."Members save $65 off World Traveller (economy) and World Traveller Plus (premium economy) or $200 off Club World (business class) fares when they purchase round-trip transatlantic tickets online to over 130 destinations, including Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Restrictions apply. Online only."
Last edited by mrwunrfl; Sep 5th, 2023 at 08:46 PM.
#35
I just did a test booking via aarp on BA that included a TATL flight on AA and the $200 aarp discount was applied when compared with the price shown at Google Flights.
It happens now that I get the aarp search page at the BA website whether or not I go via aarp. If I go to their website directly or via GF the search result gives the price with the discount (e.g. GF showed $4412 but when I followed the link it showed $4212 on the BA site). When I opened another browser (firefox), where I had never gone to aarp before, the search result showed the price without the discount.
So it looks like you can get the aarp discount even when the itinerary is not all-BA.
It happens now that I get the aarp search page at the BA website whether or not I go via aarp. If I go to their website directly or via GF the search result gives the price with the discount (e.g. GF showed $4412 but when I followed the link it showed $4212 on the BA site). When I opened another browser (firefox), where I had never gone to aarp before, the search result showed the price without the discount.
So it looks like you can get the aarp discount even when the itinerary is not all-BA.
#36
I assume that I would not have to pay that charge when booking with BA and flying on a codeshare op by AA. I can just go to aa dot com to select seats in advance for free, if I couldn't do that with BA..
I booked LAX-AMS rt with BA for $2440 - 244 chase discount - 200 aarp discount = $1996. The charges for ADVANCE seat selection on the TATL flights ranges from $129 to $186 each way. That would be a minimum of $258 for both which is more than the 10% chase discount that required flying on BA. I will probably pay up for the overnight flight to LHR.
Am thinking now that if I could have paid the same fare with neither discount and flown on AA then I should have done so, as I just noticed that BA switched both long hauls to A380s (no direct aisle access from a window seat, which sucks).
#37
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 25,322
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've done many ÀA/BA code shares and on the AA website you can only book seats on the AA flights. When we traveled in May, we had to book our BA seats on BAs website. I have oneworld status so there was no charge for advanced booking on BA. Back when I didn't have status, the seats could be booked free 24 hours ahead of the flight.
#38
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,933
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I just stumbled across this thread while in the process of booking with BA, I was made aware I would need to pay to choose my seat, even one in a less desirable location that would've normally been included as a free option in the past. I last booked a BA flight in November of 2018 and I do not remember paying except for the transatlantic leg in order to upgrade that seat a bit. When I surfed over to purchase it on AA instead, I see that I will have to contact BA for seat selection although the message said nothing of payment.
The cheapest seat is $50, adding a cool $100 to my cost. I mean, they are charging $50 for a seat in the very last row of the plane where the seats don't even recline! Imagine actually paying extra for 10+ hours of that torture.
My question now is, are there any choose-able free seats internationally on Delta or United and their partners?
The cheapest seat is $50, adding a cool $100 to my cost. I mean, they are charging $50 for a seat in the very last row of the plane where the seats don't even recline! Imagine actually paying extra for 10+ hours of that torture.
My question now is, are there any choose-able free seats internationally on Delta or United and their partners?
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
JLHopkins
Africa & the Middle East
8
Mar 17th, 2014 02:02 PM
plambers
Europe
23
Jun 2nd, 2008 02:04 PM
jerrylee
Europe
5
Feb 5th, 2001 05:06 PM