Family seating for business class + blue

[ionionascu]

Hi,

Does somebody know how does British Airways do free seats allocation one day before departure for an European flight in Business class for a familiy of four (2 adults + 2 children age 3) where everybody is only Blue?

I ask because in my experience with flying in business class without children, I have noticed that most Silver/Gold passangers choose the window seats as early as possibe.

Thank you

[Thegasman]

They will seat each child next to an adult & will move other passengers to accommodate this.

Next to includes across an aisle & the seat in front or behind so could be 3C & 3D or 3C & 2C. Aisle separation is quite common, in front/behind is rare.

They don’t have to keep you together as a 4.

If those options really don’t appeal then you need to pay for seats I’m afraid.

[NorthernLass]

You’re not guaranteed anything, but BA usually seats families with young children together a few days prior to departure. As soon as online check in opens you can see if this is the case via MMB and move seats if there’s availability and you want to do so.
If the flight looks like it’s going to be busy and you really want to be seated in adjoining rows, you should consider paying for seat selection.

[NorthernLass]

Thegasman and I were obviously thinking alike!

[ionionascu]

Thank you for your answers. I know that the rules for young children are that they must seat next to an adult and I simply didn’t know how British Airways does this. For us, being seated across the aisle does not work given that the children are 3 years old.

[NorthernLass]

What seats are currently available? I’m being quoted £12 for seat selection in CE later this week (admittedly it’s only MAN-LHR!)

[ChrisC]

CAA regulations say “adjacent” not “next to” so across the aisle is compliant. As would being sat in the row in front.

And the BA website says the same

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/family-travel/seating

[AJA]

You may find that one child + one parent are in seats A & C and the other parent and 2nd child are in seats D & F respectively. Would that not work? Or one child and one parent in one row and the same in the row behind.

[NorthernLass]

I think OP is concerned that window seats tend to get booked up first which would scupper this, leaving only aisle seats left by T-24.

[AJA]

Hence my use of the words “you may find that”. I have no idea of the actual route or what will actually happen but I think that BA would either reserve an entire row or two rows one behind the other for 4 pax on one reservation. That assumes of course, that they are on one reservation. I think it highly unlikely that they would be allocated four random seats but we are talking BA so any thing is possible.

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[NorthernLass]

But as Blue they’ won’t find out until T-24, which is too late. I agree that it’s ridiculous to sit a 3 year old anywhere but directly next to a parent or other adult in the party. There should be an enforceable rule for airlines that families with children under 12 should have to be seated together, they shouldn’t be allowed to profiteer from this.

[dougzz99]

If I’m in A or F and you and your kid are in C and D I’d be more than happy to move, and I typically won’t move for adults*. I can’t believe anyone wants to sit next to someone else’s child in this situation. I know the world is full of p***ks, but it’s hard to believe someone would not move in these circumstances.

*Largely because people often try to manipulate seating rather than genuinely just desire to sit together.

[dougzz99]

NorthernLass wrote:

But as Blue they’ won’t find out until T-24, which is too late. I agree that it’s ridiculous to sit a 3 year old anywhere but directly next to a parent or other adult in the party. There should be an enforceable rule for airlines that families with children under 12 should have to be seated together, they shouldn’t be allowed to profiteer from this.

5 and under maybe. But by choosing to fly short haul in Business you’re not really sitting next to them anyway. Flying is a choice, and I’d say that if you choose to gamble on not paying for seats than there’s no automatic right to to expect more than CAA requirements. I don’t think profiteering is fair, it’s an emotive word, when the purpose of a company if to make profit.

[NorthernLass]

@dougzz – I’ve seen a few “sad face” type articles recently about people who won’t move on planes; their justification is usually that the other person should have paid for their seat! Agree I would generally move to accommodate a young family, but I rarely pay for my seat anyway. But if they wanted my exit row seat from MIA to LHR next January, which I’ve paid about £70 for (x 3), they might not find me so accommodating!

And it is indeed blatant profiteering, as families are more likely to pay for seats rather than risk being split up. It’s also discrimination, as it affects some groups more than others. Just because it’s emotive doesn’t mean it’s not true, and I say this as someone not affected by it any more. It’s a basic safety issue in the event of needing to evacuate the plane in an emergency – no way would most 6 – 12 year olds be able to cope with this.

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[ionionascu]

Thank you all for your replies. I prefer not rely on luck so I will just go for economy tickets. I have seen people who just don’t want to move from their seat.

I find it strange that one can choose a seat from booking if the child is under two (so does not require a separate seat), but can’t do it once the child is 2 years + 1 day and requires a separate seat.

[ChrisC]

With a lap child aged <2 the seat choice can be restricted as not every row has an extra O2 mask.