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Forums Frequent flyer programs The British Airways Club Can’t choose seat – only available at check in?

  • 27 posts

    Companion voucher booking to US, GLA – LHR – DEN out, LAS – LHR – GLA back. MMB – choose seats – shows “Seat choices are only available at check-in”.

    New one on me – anyone have any insight on this?

    EDIT – I should add, there is no option to purchase a seat as normal, or (lowly bronze here) choose 7 days prior to flight.

    1,125 posts

    Is it tomorrow? They reduce the number of available seats the closer it gets to check in, they do it so they have flexibility to move people around. It might be something more sinister but it’s probably not.

    EDIT: I’ve had it at the 7-day point too on very busy flights.

    27 posts

    No – not until October – just booked today – so seems a tad odd. Itinerary has 4 flights and all say same.

    1,125 posts

    Has it been ticketed?

    27 posts

    Good question, I haven’t received a confirmation email and points are still on my account, however I can see everything in MMB. Will check in morning, thanks.

    2,466 posts

    could be an equipment change pending on one or more of the flights. Some airlines’ IT might operate a sledgehammer solution and block you from sorting seats on all flights on the ticket till the equipment change comes through.

    ISTR some people also had problems in the past if they tried to do things with bookings to the US before their passport and visa info had been attached to the booking.

    428 posts

    Almost certainly not ticketed is my guess.

    27 posts

    Still the same earlier, but I’ve still not received a confirmation and the points have yet to be deducted. Assuming they will go through today at which point I’ll check again.

    428 posts

    Wouldn’t bet on it. Mine took 2.5 weeks to get ticketed and that’s for early September. Avios usually deducted immediately though so a bit odd yours haven’t.

    357 posts

    My avios companion voucher email ,comes through in under an hour. I can choose seats straight away.

    I personally would chase this.

    357 posts

    To be precise , Meant to say companion voucher booking confirmation email comes through in under an hour

    1,964 posts

    The fact your Avios haven’t been deducted suggests something has gone wrong. Call in and ask them to check on this and that it is queued for ticketing correctly with your CVV saved

    27 posts

    Yeah thats normal, but this was done via call centre not online so wondering if that makes a difference (?).

    To be precise , Meant to say companion voucher booking confirmation email comes through in under an hour

    27 posts

    The payment is pending on my Amex which suggests that will go through ok.

    The fact your Avios haven’t been deducted suggests something has gone wrong. Call in and ask them to check on this and that it is queued for ticketing correctly with your CVV saved

    1,964 posts

    When are you flying?

    It doesn’t always mean it’ll go through. They take the pending transaction and then they have a week to actually issue the ticket before the CVV drops out and they need you to supply it again to actually debit the money (yes, their systems are that bad!)

    If you look at the booking in the app do you see a ticket number 125-xxx , you need that to fly

    27 posts

    Flight is October, I’ll be giving them a call later if it deosn’t come through. Looking at the booking on the App as suggested – ticket number is blank.

    6,880 posts

    When are you flying?

    It doesn’t always mean it’ll go through. They take the pending transaction and then they have a week to actually issue the ticket before the CVV drops out and they need you to supply it again to actually debit the money (yes, their systems are that bad!)

    If you look at the booking in the app do you see a ticket number 125-xxx , you need that to fly


    @SamG
    the CVV dropping out is not a BA systems issue, it’s a PCI-DSS requirement and it cannot be overridden by eg the customer’s consent. It is deemed by the credit card standards people that there is no acceptable cryptographic solution.

    1,964 posts

    Worth a call to check all in order and it’s queued correctly but I have seen a few people mention on here that it’s taking a while at the moment and they do not have a way for it to happen faster as they’re processed in order of date of departure

    27 posts

    Update – called them this afternoon, they didn’t really explain what the issue was, but it appears the agent I dealt with didn’t fully complete the booking – had to provide some info again including payment details again – and now have a confirmation email and ticket numbers, and can choose seats.

    Thanks to everyone for their input.

    1,964 posts

    When are you flying?

    It doesn’t always mean it’ll go through. They take the pending transaction and then they have a week to actually issue the ticket before the CVV drops out and they need you to supply it again to actually debit the money (yes, their systems are that bad!)

    If you look at the booking in the app do you see a ticket number 125-xxx , you need that to fly



    @SamG
    the CVV dropping out is not a BA systems issue, it’s a PCI-DSS requirement and it cannot be overridden by eg the customer’s consent. It is deemed by the credit card standards people that there is no acceptable cryptographic solution.

    indeed. BA not processing the payment within 7 days is their issue though!

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