British Airways

I gather they make no effort to seat family members together.

It would be a nightmare for the airline to be keeping track of groups who choose not to choose a seat while denying choices to those who are choosing to choose.

That puts "make no effort" into proper context.

We have traveled with BA before and will travel with them again in June, 2016.

In both cases our air was booked through the cruise line (Regent) We were able to select our business class seats as soon as Regent made the reservation for us. We always deviate and choose our flights as soon as possible (9 months out) and have been able to enter our reservation code and select our seats on every airline to date with no extra charge.

I sure hope that this doesn't change in the future.

I just checked my booking for next May and my seats say confirmed. I logged onto ba web site after making my flexible airfare reservation with Princess and was able to pick my seats right away.

First time flying with British airways and I am regretting it already. 24 hour check in for my flight and they pre assign all the seats so you can't change your seat on a full flight. I called them and tried to get my seat changed but they won't let me. I told them they really should indicate that on their website. Not a happy camper that I have a window seat for nearly 9 hours. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get an aisle seat? I have a bad back and get up at least once per hour. Thanks

As a final option get on aircraft slightly later and say politely to the person blocking your route to your window seat in a slightly louder modulated voice;"Would you like to sit next to the window?" They can at worst only say no, and a nearby other passenger might say "Can I have that window seat? Might get you out of a fix. Window seats are more popular in my experience even though you are not a fan.

Regards John

I always fly with BA, when you are allocated a seat there is an option for selecting your own seat. If I don't like the seat they have given me I just choose another one . once you leave that page you have automatically acknowledged the seat they have given you is acceptable. There is no need to pay extra for a seat, unless you absolutely have to have one particular seat or you know you will check in at the very last minute. I was on flight back from Miami only a couple of weeks ago and I forgot to check in until 4 hours before flight I was still able to change my seat, though there wasn't much choice left ☺

I had the same experience EAGLESLOVER had. Months prior to the cruise (embarking June 2016) I contacted Regent and requested the deviation in which I named the specific BA flights we wanted (business air is included with our cruise booking). Regent booked our flights and 24 hours later I logged in to BA's "Manage My Booking" and changed our Club World seats from the preselected seats to the ones I wanted (which were based on my Seat Guru research). The BA website accepted the change without a hitch or requirement of payment.

Interestingly enough, a few weeks later I was in "Manage My Booking" completing some passenger info when I noticed our seats had been changed. Upon closer examination I noticed this had happened because BA had switched the aircraft type from the A-380 to the B-747. I promptly returned to Seat Guru and researched the 747 seating plans, and then headed back to the BA website where I selected our preferred seats on the 747 -- again, without a hitch.

Just thought I'd share my experience, though YMMV.

Bob

Sky Sailor makes a good point. If your flights are booked a long way ahead, it pays to check every couple of weeks or so, as the plane type can often be switched around.

I booked a BA flight in April from the American Airlines website using air miles. AA and BA are One World partners. I wasn't immediately assigned a seat, but when I went to the BA website and entered the confirmation number I was able to pick our seats on the BA site, which now show up on both the BA and AA sites.

We flew coach several years ago coming home from Heathrow and found the leg room even more scrunched than on AA and other US carriers. We upgraded this time. Didn't cost that many more airmiles and the first class check in and lounge at Heathrow are added bonuses.

Thanks for the suggestion to check back to see if the aircraft has been switched out, leaving us "'seatless."