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BA Bronze – no seat selection available for Iberia flight next Monday
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I can’t book my seat for flight to Madrid next Monday. Was first told by BA chat can only select seats 6 days in advance (not true I think). Tried again today and still doesn’t work and although flight was booked on BA.com after calling BA they said I needed to speak to Iberia. So I called Iberia and they said they can see my membership number on the booking but it still charges when they try so at airport on day I can have free seats, unreal. What’s the point in status if it doesn’t work as it should? Any tips?
BA Bronze status holders can choose seats free of charge in most cases 7 days in advance and BA’s rules on Bronze seat selection:
Bronze/oneworld Ruby
Free seat selection for you and everyone on your booking from seven days before the time of departure on British Airways flights, excluding group rate bookings and exit row seats. You must be travelling on the booking for the benefit to apply.Exit row seats can be selected for free from 24 hours before departure.
However even as BA Silver, I found that some seats were chargeable, and this is highlighted at the bottom of the web page before BA transfers the data to Iberia for seat choice
“Some seats may require an additional fee. Seat reservation will take place on Iberia website”
Is it a busy flight? Could it be that all the free seats are gone and you are simply left with the paid ones?
BA Bronze status holders can choose seats free of charge in most cases 7 days in advance and BA’s rules on Bronze seat selection:
Bronze/oneworld Ruby
Free seat selection for you and everyone on your booking from seven days before the time of departure on British Airways flights, excluding group rate bookings and exit row seats. You must be travelling on the booking for the benefit to apply.
Exit row seats can be selected for free from 24 hours before departure.However even as BA Silver, I found that some seats were chargeable, and this is highlighted at the bottom of the web page before BA transfers the data to Iberia for seat choice
“Some seats may require an additional fee. Seat reservation will take place on Iberia website”
Is it a busy flight? Could it be that all the free seats are gone and you are simply left with the paid ones?
Lots of seats left. Even seats in the back rows carry a charge if I wish to book
Not sure that Iberia gives free seats for Ruby?
Iberia Singular, Iberia Plus Platino (oneworld emerald) and Iberia Plus Oro (oneworld sapphire) cardholders get free seat selection.
In the case of Oro (oneworld sapphire) cardholders, this does not include XL seats.https://www.oneworld.com/travel-benefits
There is a notation for all 3 status levels re seating as follows
* In accordance with the individual policy of the oneworld airline operating the flight.
So it’s IBs policies that apply. Even for Emeralds.
@SamG, that’s interesting, because as Sapphire/Silver, I’ve been able to select XL seats for free recently. (Not clear whether it’s the seat which is XL, or the amount of legroom though!)
But my experience with IB so far has been very “all or nothing” 😂
Thanks for the intel. Annoying. Could have selected a BA flight, will do next time
Honestly, I find for most OneWorld bookings, using either the Royal Jordanian or Royal Air Maroc websites far easier to use and you should be able to use the same booking reference as you were originally provided by BA.
Honestly, I find for most OneWorld bookings, using either the Royal Jordanian or Royal Air Maroc websites far easier to use and you should be able to use the same booking reference as you were originally provided by BA.
That won’t override an individual airlines seat (and other) policy!
I’ve previously managed to select seats as bronze through the Iberia app. It did show charges, but closing down the app before payment made the selection “stick”.
I’ve previously managed to select seats as bronze through the Iberia app. It did show charges, but closing down the app before payment made the selection “stick”.
Thanks for this tip @MrWhite. Have done this and seats show as selected when I go back to app with payment amount at bottom. Maybe it will hold, fingers crossed.
Separately my return flight is with BA and less than a week out and I can’t select my seats for free. This is so odd. Complaint time.
BA and IB are two shared ownership airlines that have IT woes and idiosyncrasies of their own and are potentially the worst combination going. You’d think they would work together but the opposite is true. I have learned the hard way not to book IB via BA.com or BA via Iberia’s website. The answer to any question involving both is no.
The most straightforward experience I’ve had with selecting seats on IB was on a recent avios booking, on ba.com! IB seems to recognise my status when I book via BA, but not when I book direct with them, even if I input my BAEC number.
Update – although I had booked flight, I saw my Exec number wasn’t associated with the booking but my partner’s was. How bizarre. Added it and now can select seats for free.
I’ve previously managed to select seats as bronze through the Iberia app. It did show charges, but closing down the app before payment made the selection “stick”.
Just wanted to confirm this worked. Great tip @mrwhite
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