-
Hi,
Going to Orlando today (last two days the 2pm flight was cancelled so fingers crossed).
We used the RJ status match a while back, changed the FF number on Royal Air Maroc 7 days out and chose some seats. Couple of days later, I changed my FF number back to BA.
24 hours before the flight I checked in for our group, and it assigned completely different seats and wouldn’t let me change (17 rows back!)
Has anyone ever had this happen, and if so, what was the outcome? We’re all still together, just wondering what happened. Don’t want to arrive to seats that are already booked, or have a double booking situation.
Boarding passes say new seats. Flying from Gatwick.
PS Do they have staffed checkin desks at LGW now if I want to chat with a staff member about it?
@heartburn – while one can’t be certain without knowing all the details, it appears you removed your higher status card too early so that when the flight was being prepared for OLCI, the system or a human spotted that you had booked seats without either paying or having the relevant status. It doesn’t help or offer protection that you may have done at the moment of seat selection seven days before the flight. You were therefore correctly treated in the same way as any other non status passenger. This peril has been highlighted since the RJ status match was launched.
It may be that BA are starting to crack down on the usage of RJ status as described. While technically legitimate, related issues elsewhere have also been flagged.
I don’t see any reason for concern regarding the seats you have, i.e. there is no reason why anything should have been double booked, you’ve been moved. Of course there are staff at LGW, but not much point talking to them as you have no status currently associated with the booking so nothing to discuss in terms of what you may have had previously.
Could equally be any number of other reasons completely unlinked to RJ status. Last minute seat moves are not uncommon, even with BA status valid at point of flight.
Thanks for the replies all! I hadn’t been keeping up with issues from the status match but will do some reading.
Cheers!
Could equally be any number of other reasons completely unlinked to RJ status. Last minute seat moves are not uncommon, even with BA status valid at point of flight.
Indeed, and many status holders including myself have had seats changed for no obvious reason (which does not necessarily mean no reason). The big difference though with trying to temporarily use RJ status in this way is that once you’ve switched the FF number over again you have no comeback, or as described above little or no option to address things.
Could equally be any number of other reasons completely unlinked to RJ status. Last minute seat moves are not uncommon, even with BA status valid at point of flight.
Indeed, and many status holders including myself have had seats changed for no obvious reason (which does not necessarily mean no reason). The big difference though with trying to temporarily use RJ status in this way is that once you’ve switched the FF number over again you have no comeback, or as described above little or no option to address things.
That’s a very good point and I hadn’t considered it! I should be bronze after this trip anyway so it won’t be a future issue.
I guess it would’ve made more sense to get my partner the status match and just had both numbers on the booking.
They can’t crack down on using RJ status otherwise they are going against oneworld policy
The reality is you shouldn’t have changed your FF number until after OLCI as equipment swaps can lead to seats being reassigned tbh can happen even if you have your FF status still in.
@TGLoyalty – there wouldn’t be any breach of oneworld policy as the free pre-reservation of seating is only : “in accordance with the individual policy of the oneworld airline operating the flight”.
That applies to Emerald and Sapphire as well as Ruby. BA can do as it wishes with seating for RJ status passengers.
It’s going on a LHR club suite bird so suspect that’s why
Could equally be any number of other reasons completely unlinked to RJ status. Last minute seat moves are not uncommon, even with BA status valid at point of flight.
Indeed, and many status holders including myself have had seats changed for no obvious reason (which does not necessarily mean no reason). The big difference though with trying to temporarily use RJ status in this way is that once you’ve switched the FF number over again you have no comeback, or as described above little or no option to address things.
genuine question, you have Ba silver, you pre-book seats, seats changed, what recourse / comeback do you have?
Previous reply did not post for some reason @ed_fly
https://www.britishairways.com/content/information/seating/seating-changes-and-refunds
ed_fly, basically, none. T&Cs state seats may be changed for operational reasons, so in reality, just because. This has happened twice to us, complained both times after the flight, one ‘tough’ and one 10,000 Avios apology.
Just an update, I’m on the flight now. The attendant said this is a new plane, hence the changed seats.
Lots of people complaining; but it’s no one’s fault. I think they’re trying to fit people from the recent cancellations on the plane.
Could equally be any number of other reasons completely unlinked to RJ status. Last minute seat moves are not uncommon, even with BA status valid at point of flight.
Indeed, and many status holders including myself have had seats changed for no obvious reason (which does not necessarily mean no reason). The big difference though with trying to temporarily use RJ status in this way is that once you’ve switched the FF number over again you have no comeback, or as described above little or no option to address things.
genuine question, you have Ba silver, you pre-book seats, seats changed, what recourse / comeback do you have?
https://www.britishairways.com/content/information/seating/seating-changes-and-refunds
My seat was changed about 36 hours before travel. We were on a BA holiday to Barbados , both long term silver card holders, and the seats were booked months previously. At checkin I was told it was a crew seat. We suggested moving the crew, but this was met with indignation. After a very long argument with an obnoxious individual, they finally moved the crew member – to First!
We both got 10,000 Avios and an apology from BA for the rudeness. But BA were totally deaf to our suggestion that crew seats shouldn’t be available for reservation, meaning that this situation could be avoided. The seats can always be released at the last minute if not needed. We were also not impressed to be told that the crew seat had to be a window seat in the middle of the cabin. If the other seats in Club are good enough for fare paying passengers, they should be good enough for crew.@TGLoyalty – there wouldn’t be any breach of oneworld policy as the free pre-reservation of seating is only : “in accordance with the individual policy of the oneworld airline operating the flight”.
That applies to Emerald and Sapphire as well as Ruby. BA can do as it wishes with seating for RJ status passengers.
Clearly they can decided if it’s OW Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald that get a benefit they can’t just cut off one members FF’s! All Ruby get the same as Bronze, Sapphire same as Silver and Emerald same as Gold. Stop trying to make out that it’s going to be any different just for RJ members.
Hence why I said not cracking down on RJ members.
@TGLoyalty – Your two posts suggests you have fundamentally misunderstood how some OW benefits (including, but not limited to, free pre-reserved seating) are specific to certain airline policies and/or at their discretion. I’m not going to bother spelling it out as you can find this on the OW website if you were interested.
You will also discover this if you are rerouted on certain OW airlines and/or if you buy ‘lite’ fares that trump any status. Lounge access has similar limitations.
@JDB I DO understand it. The point is it’s a BA policy for how it treats ALL OW elites for that particular benefit.
There’s are differences for affliates but RJ are a full member so that doesn’t apply.
The only benefit that usually has very complex rules is lounge entry but even BA aren’t that restrictive to OW elites. There are lounges for those actually flying J or F or those with status but I’m unaware of any where a single OW airlines elites are completely excluded all the time regardless.
Theres simply no suggestion anywhere on the internet that they have or are going to make an exemption on seat reservation rules for RJ elites and there’s no precedent for it.
If you think they are show me a single example where they have before. Amex Platinum customers used to get elite status via CX was there any example of them stopping CX elites getting benefits?
We had this when you claimed OW sapphires don’t get fast track at LHR when BA clearly allow it for all OW Sapphires +1 guest. Regardless of which airline they earned their status with.
@TGLoyalty – I’m not sure if you haven’t read the rules or don’t understand them but repeating the same errors doesn’t make them correct. Your final para is just bizarre when fast track is an emerald benefit at certain airports but isn’t a OW sapphire benefit anywhere.
@JDB you’re wrong on fast track. It is available at LHR T5 to BA Silver and OW Sapphire, if not elsewhere, unless this page is wrong:
https://www.britishairways.com/content/information/airport-information/london-heathrow-airport/heathrow-t5Security
You must enter airport Security at least 35 minutes before your flight departs.Fast Track security lanes are available:
When travelling in First, Club World or Club Europe (plus one guest)
Executive Club Gold and Silver Members (plus one guest)
oneworld Emerald and Sapphire Members (plus one guest)
You can use a dedicated entrance to the left of North Security that offers a more seamless security process and leads directly into the North Fast Track security lanes.
@JDB what are you on about?
What rule says an airline can have different rules for different OW member elites ie CX are treated different from QR or RJ flying your airline?
Even if it does where does BA apply that today? Which OW member elite at the same level is excluded from any benefit?
Re fact track you’re the one that’s confused what BA choose to do and the OW minimum requirements. I posted the same info AJA posted back then too.
The point I’m trying to make is clear … BA has not decided to discriminate against RJ elites vs any other airline elite at the same level ie QR/CX/AA and RJ sapphires are all treated equal and there’s no precedent that they have ever not done that.
Yet you keep posting here that they may or might or have with no proof that’s the case.
I get it you don’t like people bought status, or get retention bonuses etc as it’s “unfair” but we need to keep to the facts these people have done nothing wrong and there’s no suggestion BA will stop them using the benefits as of right now.
@AJA – I’m quite aware of the position at LHR; it would be odd if I weren’t. The point is that it is not a OW Sapphire benefit per se [see OW rules/benefits table], but one specifically offered by BA at its home by arrangement with the airport. I’m quite sure you are intelligent enough to understand the difference.
@TGLoyalty – re the raft of further erroneous information, irrelevancies [did I mention unfairness etc etc.] and insults, it reminds me of Mrs Thatcher’s comment that she welcomed insults because once one people reached that point, it confirmed all the political arguments had been lost.It’s quite surprising, as revealed by the RJ status match, just how many people don’t understand what OW actually offers across airlines, the important distinction between having an FF number in a booking for points accrual and/or benefits, how it works generally and the original premise of this thread is just one example.
@JDB i was responding to your post where you incorrectly wrote “Your final para is just bizarre when fast track is an emerald benefit at certain airports but isn’t a OW sapphire benefit anywhere.”
Fast Track is clearly a benefit for OW Sapphire at LHR T5. The fact that it’s not mentioned on the OW website as a specific benefit doesn’t mean that it’s not offered anywhere.
You are arguing that OW policies are the standard. I agree with that. But individual airlines can and do do things differently. @TGLoyalty is saying the same thing but going one step further and saying BA treats all OW Sapphires consistently.
I have no evidence to offer to say BA will discriminate between OW Sapphires and treat OW Sapphire status acquired from RJ worse than an OW Sapphire from AA. Do you?
@AJA – I re-iterate the distinction made earlier. I haven’t said there is any RJ discrimination (although in fact others have reported this for various status aspects) – this is something @TGL has seemingly extrapolated from I don’t know where, but presumably trying to twist the correct assertion that with regards to free pre-reserved seating it is not universal but only “in accordance with the individual policy of the oneworld airline operating the flight”.
It’s not about RJ, it’s a general OW policy that individual airlines are able to determine for themselves whether the pre-allocation of seating on their own flights is free or chargeable, irrespective of status. So, for instance even if you have BA Gold that still doesn’t entitle you to book a seat for free on a QR business booking made in R even if not booked as a ‘lite’ fare but maybe as a rerouting.
There are other elements of what you and @TGL refer to as “discrimination” (but is in fact simply that not all benefits are universal) right across the OW system. QR won’t let you into its Al Mourjan lounge in Doha unless you are travelling in business (or first), irrespective of OW status etc. etc.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Popular articles this week:
