BA customer care
Discussion
Flying from Bangkok Business class with BA on Friday, extra paid several months ago for seats 64 in the upper level.
Logged on today to find they have now moved us into other seats in the lower deck, whilst no real hardship it seems pretty pointless paying £80 each to book seats up front when the probably know that Gold club members and staff will get priority seating at the last minute.
Now have to put a claim in to try and get the money back and this they say will take up to 28 days.
Also the seats allocated below are not where we would have chosen as most have been allocated ......
They have advised after contacting through travel agent that this is due to schedule changes, bullxxit this has probably been given to someone who is a more frequent flyer or is BA employee.
Feel like going up to seat 64 on the flight and nicely seeing who is sitting there.....
If I hadn't paid the full fare and said I will not be paying for 28 days I would not be flying. Feel like arguing the point at check in and saying hand over the money I paid for these seats (I know pretty pointless but that is the way I feel at the moment)
T & C cover there every move but still very annoying.
Have stuck by BA over the years but this is the last straw, will be limiting all flying with them in the future.
I just don't understand why they allow these seats to be pre booked when they are the most popular and have limited availability.
That's my rant over, no big deal but pretty poor service.
Logged on today to find they have now moved us into other seats in the lower deck, whilst no real hardship it seems pretty pointless paying £80 each to book seats up front when the probably know that Gold club members and staff will get priority seating at the last minute.
Now have to put a claim in to try and get the money back and this they say will take up to 28 days.
Also the seats allocated below are not where we would have chosen as most have been allocated ......
They have advised after contacting through travel agent that this is due to schedule changes, bullxxit this has probably been given to someone who is a more frequent flyer or is BA employee.
Feel like going up to seat 64 on the flight and nicely seeing who is sitting there.....
If I hadn't paid the full fare and said I will not be paying for 28 days I would not be flying. Feel like arguing the point at check in and saying hand over the money I paid for these seats (I know pretty pointless but that is the way I feel at the moment)
T & C cover there every move but still very annoying.
Have stuck by BA over the years but this is the last straw, will be limiting all flying with them in the future.
I just don't understand why they allow these seats to be pre booked when they are the most popular and have limited availability.
That's my rant over, no big deal but pretty poor service.
Edited by tighnamara on Wednesday 14th March 05:30
Edited by tighnamara on Wednesday 14th March 05:32
k BAThis won't be much consolation, but I've been a Gold Exec Club card holder for years and they do the same to me. BA's system seems to have a glitch that if there is an aircraft substitution (even for the same type) or a schedule change all seating requests including prepaid and Gold/Silver are cancelled and reassigned.
I have had lengthy correspondence with BA about this (I.e if the plane is the same and the seating layout identical why don't they just reassign everyone their original seats) and even as a regular customer, they couldn't care less.
I have had lengthy correspondence with BA about this (I.e if the plane is the same and the seating layout identical why don't they just reassign everyone their original seats) and even as a regular customer, they couldn't care less.
Funnily enough I think my parents were scheduled to take the same flight (BKK - LHR overnight arriving Friday morning).
Getting hold of anyone at BA was so monstrously difficult I ended up posting on here and someone kindly gave me a UK landline number that could be called from overseas - quite why an international airline doesn't publish such a number was never made clear.
Getting hold of anyone at BA was so monstrously difficult I ended up posting on here and someone kindly gave me a UK landline number that could be called from overseas - quite why an international airline doesn't publish such a number was never made clear.
MercScot said:
This won't be much consolation, but I've been a Gold Exec Club card holder for years and they do the same to me. BA's system seems to have a glitch that if there is an aircraft substitution (even for the same type) or a schedule change all seating requests including prepaid and Gold/Silver are cancelled and reassigned.
I have had lengthy correspondence with BA about this (I.e if the plane is the same and the seating layout identical why don't they just reassign everyone their original seats) and even as a regular customer, they couldn't care less.
Thanks MercScot.I have had lengthy correspondence with BA about this (I.e if the plane is the same and the seating layout identical why don't they just reassign everyone their original seats) and even as a regular customer, they couldn't care less.
Does make me feel a bit better, just doesn't make sense that they don't reassign everyone the same seats, would have thought hat would have been pretty easy. Oh well there you go sometimes the simple things are too difficult for some of these companies.
Have sent an e mail to BA but expect nothing from it, more annoyed that the other half is travelling with a broken arm and that was one of the reasons we requested a window seat as it was more comfartable for her, now we have inside seats.
At the least hey should let you know and give you the opportunity to re book.
Puggit said:
If you want to kick up a fuss, you could also claim the missus is a nervous flyer and needs a window seat. Mrs Puggit has had a fair bit of mileage with this 
May try that at check in but we are now resigned to the fact that we won't get the previously allocated seats and that you are just another number to Mrs / Mr BA at the other end.They obviously don't care too much on customer satisfaction.
Don't know if there is any mileage in this or not.
I tried to assign seats for a flight coming up in 2 weeks. That was fine, but I couldn't get the ones I wanted for the return leg.
The airline told me to check in on line as soon as is possible and you might be able to shove the other person out of the seat.
No idea why this should be possible and it wasn't BA, but if all else has failed, worth a try?
I tried to assign seats for a flight coming up in 2 weeks. That was fine, but I couldn't get the ones I wanted for the return leg.
The airline told me to check in on line as soon as is possible and you might be able to shove the other person out of the seat.
No idea why this should be possible and it wasn't BA, but if all else has failed, worth a try?
tighnamara said:
Puggit said:
If you want to kick up a fuss, you could also claim the missus is a nervous flyer and needs a window seat. Mrs Puggit has had a fair bit of mileage with this
May try that at check in but we are now resigned to the fact that we won't get the previously allocated seats and that you are just another number to Mrs / Mr BA at the other end.They obviously don't care too much on customer satisfaction.
When I was moved out of an exit seat on a SAS flight (premium economy was expanded to cover my seat) and complained, they at least credited me with a few thousand points!
tighnamara said:
They have advised after contacting through travel agent that this is due to schedule changes, bullxxit this has probably been given to someone who is a more frequent flyer or is BA employee.
Most staff or partners travelling with staff get upgrades depending on availability on the day. With a staff ticket you might have anything from economy to club sometimes first, it's highly unlikely you'd be moved because of staff or their partners in advance like that though.
I once got myself and mate upgraded from economy (by knowing the handling agent in barbados) on a flight from Barbados once. The cabin crew were really pissed off as they wanted our seats for their partners but couldn't understand how we had got them before them. One very senior hostie (all bow down) was quite upset and kept coming and asking us how we managed to get an upgrade. She informed me she had top priority and nobody else should have been given the seats. They'd obviously seen two seats were available when she checked in and told their partners they'd get them but then couldn't understand how we'd jumped in like flynn in front of them. I think it was only the fact that she didn't understand what had happened and didn't know who we were that stopped her poisoning me or putting optrex in my drink.
So they'd be unlikely to get your seat in club in advance.
Edited by el stovey on Wednesday 14th March 10:04
Staff are onloaded last, they'll never get 'your' seat.
When editing flights, they will prioritise getting families together. Also combinations of infants who can only be in certain seats mess things up.
9 times out of 10 it's a family with kids, they're traveling separate tickets with miles / credit cards / green shield stamps, you name it. Mum and Dad have different surnames so there was no way to tell they were a family beforehand. They arrive at check in and insist to sit together, Gold cards are being waved at this point.
With other systems some passengers will have a higher priority than you. If you haven't checked in and they would go onto standby, then they're having your seat reservation. BA don't do this though.
In flight entertainment equipment isn't the most robust thing in the world, perhaps that was kaput on your seat.
Whatever the reason, you should have been offered an explanation.
As it happens my parents went through the same thing on BA009 to Bangkok.
When editing flights, they will prioritise getting families together. Also combinations of infants who can only be in certain seats mess things up.
9 times out of 10 it's a family with kids, they're traveling separate tickets with miles / credit cards / green shield stamps, you name it. Mum and Dad have different surnames so there was no way to tell they were a family beforehand. They arrive at check in and insist to sit together, Gold cards are being waved at this point.
With other systems some passengers will have a higher priority than you. If you haven't checked in and they would go onto standby, then they're having your seat reservation. BA don't do this though.
In flight entertainment equipment isn't the most robust thing in the world, perhaps that was kaput on your seat.
Whatever the reason, you should have been offered an explanation.
As it happens my parents went through the same thing on BA009 to Bangkok.
ViperDave said:
isn't 64k and maybe 64A (not sure with the stairs) a bassinet seat, so likely you got bumped for a kiddie. Should have gone for 62K.
64K is safe, only 64A is a cot seat. Usually, when the seat shifters are at play, it's for kids. You won't have been bumped for a higher status passenger in J.As said, 62K is the best seat on the plane, and the one I always go for!
tighnamara said:
BA have replied and added 10,000 avious points, didn't expect any response let alone some additional points
Take it and move on, they will wave terms and conditions for longer then you will have patience for. I had the same sort of situation once, after 6 months I gave up.Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff