Amex companion voucher seat selection

[Schafseckel]

Hi All

Looking to use the new Companion Voucher on a route with good Club World availability and Club Suite seats, however going through the booking process the BA site takes me straight to the payment page after putting in the passenger details. It didn’t offer me any option to pay for seats (we’re only lowly bronze) so just wondering if anyone else had this issue and if I can still pay for seats after making the booking?

Thanks!

[Alex G]

Do a dummy cash booking to see seat availability and prices of reservations.

Or use Expert Flyer to see just availability.

[aq.1988]

AFAIK, you can only select seats after you have paid for an avios booking. On cash bookings, you can see prior to the payment screen.

But, if the plane has club suites, there aren’t any “bad seats”, as such, and I’d think 7 days out, you should still be able to find something close together. I really wouldn’t want to pay c£300 to pay for seat selection for 2 people for a return flight.

I don’t have any status, and have always managed to find 3 seats together (family of 3), either on same row or same side of plane at T-24 hours. YMMV.

[Schafseckel]

@ Alex G.

I know the seat availability as I’ve done exactly that and it’s all good. Was just worried that BA had put some stupid extra rule in that prohibits voucher users from selecting seats even if they want to pay for them.

[Schafseckel]

@aq.1988

Thanks, for the return flight since it’s overnight I’m less worried about the seat selection, it’s only the daytime flight out where it’d be nice to sit close to the other person on the booking. Sure there’s no bad seats with Club Suite, but still might be at opposite ends of the CW cabin so hence considering. paying.

[Alex G]

IME, as a lowly Blue, BA will always try to seat you together. I used to pay to select good seats in the old CW, but I wouldn’t pay for CS. You can’t really talk to your travelling companion in CS wherever you are seated.

[Schafseckel]

@ Alex G

62A and 62K were always my favourite Jing Yang seats in the old CW. Upstairs window seats with direct aisle access, I was pretty much permanently silver back in the day so was always able to try and bag them early on 🙂

[NorthernLass]

Don’t forget BA is prone to making equipment changes so you’ll never be 100% guaranteed CS until all the aircraft have them.
Similar to the post above though, we were changed from CS to CW on the A380 last month and I absolutely loved 53K on the upper deck, probably the best business class seat I’ve ever flown in. Much more personal space than CS.

[Schafseckel]

Ok, so just to close this. Managed to book (despite ba.com hanging when I tired to book – back a screen and a it worked on the second attempt) and I can confirm that paid-for seat selection is available in Manage My Booking after the initial booking and payment is complete.

[NorthernLass]

That’s always been the case – however even if you pay for seats, BA can pull an equipment change (or cancel your flight, in which case the seating isn’t always carried over). Check your booking occasionally to make sure you’re still in your selected seat as they don’t always tell you about this!