As only a 'blue' member I no longer have any advanced booking benefits (once upon a time I registered preferences and they were always met!). On Sunday evening my family and I flew back from Larnaca to UK, and I was warned a couple of days earlier to check in early as the flight was full (and overbooked). On Friday I was able to choose seats - and pay the exorbitant charges - almost anyhere in cattle class, but on going to check in exactly 24 hours before flight all those options had gone, except for four seats by the overwing exits - again at £18 a throw - and we were allocated the worst seats in the ac, row 28 with backs to the toilets and galley. I'm not complaining (too much) about the seat allocation as someone has to sit there, but chatting to other pax who checked in later or on arrival at the airport they had all been allocated seats almost on request. So are BA penalising pax who look at but do not pay to book seats? And do not get me started on the appalling 'in flight catering'.