It may be too late, but I need help.

[con-pilot]

When comes to traveling to Europe on the airlines, my wife and I are basically virgins. Since 1982 I have not used the airlines to go to London or farther, unless some one else paid for the trip. The last was on Air France in 2004, paid for by Dassault. So when comes to arranging for seats and things like that, we've not a clue as what to do.

We are going to Ireland, Dublin to be precise, on May 15. We booked tickets on BA, coach, which magically turned into a American Airlines flight (still haven't figured that out), from Chicago to Dublin. When we bought our tickets, what we were lead to understand, was that we could not select our seats until 48 hours prior to departure. Okay, seemed fair enough, we are on a 777 and neither of us have ridden on a 777 and have no knowledge of the coach seating arrangement. But I was hoping to get an exit row for the extra leg room, me being 6' 5" and my wife is six feet tall.

So last night we received a e-mail from BA telling us to select our seats and to our shock, nearly all seats showed blocked, this with the flight still a month away. There was only one aisle, center, that had two seats together, which we reserved at once, for an additional $236.00 USDs!, $118.00 each. No exit row seat available. As for us sitting in an exit row, we know how to operate an exit door, myself being a retired pilot and my wife having attended Flight Attendant's school. So there are no issues in that area.

Therefore, are we screwed as far as seats go, or is there some way we can change from the center row to, at the least, an outer row that only has two seats? Is it normal for a flight such as this to be so filled this far ahead of the departure date?

We have many more questions than we have answers, so at this point, anything will help.

Thank you in advance.

[Hokulea]

Con - what's the flight number? I see only one direct AA flight to Dublin from Chicago but it's a 767 (and quite full). Incidentally, BA and AA are codeshare these days, so it's not unusual to book through one of those airlines but fly on the other - happens to me a lot although it's the reverse for me, I book through AA.

I suspect you're screwed but at least I might be able to confirm what seats might be available. Just to add to your woes, AA does have economy seats with extra legroom but you have to pay extra for them and many are only available to passengers with elite status on their air miles scheme.

[DaveReidUK]

We booked tickets on BA, coach, which magically turned into a American Airlines flight (still haven't figured that out), from Chicago to Dublin.You will normally find on the airline's booking website details of who the flight is operated by, in fact the airline is obliged to publish that information.

So, for example, on the BA website BA1564 ORD-DUB is shown as being operated by American (as are all BA15nn flight numbers).

[flynverted]

Con, go to SeatGuru Seat Map American Airlines Boeing 767-300 (http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/American_Airlines/American_Airlines_Boeing_767-300_B.php) and check out the seats along with reviews. Check in early and request the better seats. SWMBO and I fly QANTAS and when stuck on the 76 we always ask for seats in rows 17, 20, or21 in that order because of the extra legroom.

Most times we get the seats in 17. Only once we couldn't our choice of seats and were stuck in row 43 or 44 KHNL - YSYD next to the ****ters. :{ :ugh: The seat was about half as wide as my ass, my knees were wedged against the back of the seat in front of me, and my seat was about as comfotable as sitting on the boulder. When the guy in font of me put his seat back, that's when the flight really went to ****. :ugh: At one point I actually hoped the plane would crash just to put me out of my misery. Same with DL's 76's. Avoid 76's at all cost. I'll never fly in another one.

Good luck. :ok:

[Hartington]

Are you sure it is a non-stop flight? You say it's a 777 which could imply flying into London, changing plane and then out again.

As others have said do you have flight number(s)?

[con-pilot]

Thank you for your comments so far.

The flight number is BA1564, May 15, Chicago to Dublin and my wife told me it was a 777. Should have known better, it is a 767-300.

Are the exit rows held empty until check-in? Someone told me that, but he was not sure. We have a five hour layover in Chicago, so would that be early enough to have a chance for a seat change?

Reason for that long of a layover, is that all the other connecting flights had just an hour or so between flights and I didn't want to be rushed to make the connection or miss the outbound flight. We can have a lot of weather delays this time of year due to thunderstorms.

Coming back home, we don't care about being delayed.

Also one more question, when we check in at OKC, can we request a seat assignment change on the BA1564 flight? As it is really going to be an American Airlines flight on both legs. We will not actually fly on a BA aircraft until we do the London-Chicago segment on our way back home.

Even though we've flown to London dozens of times, we're clueless about going over on the airlines, so all and any help is greatly appreciated. :ok:

I used to have to work my way over, so to speak. :p

[bedsted]

Con.
In my experience, seats taken so early is all for commercial gain on scheduled flights. I book AF to ATL every year and the return leg is normally booked 10 months in advance and guess what? The best seats are full. I think they are deliberately kept back for the more preferential pax and/or possible overbooking in the business/premier seating so the best alternative can be offered. Being ex f/d, can you not find an old colleague in ops at your departure/arrival airport? They could tell you.

[Hokulea]

Con - thanks for the additional information. First things first, I'm looking at your flight on the AA website and there are two exit row seats together that are available, but only to AAdvantage elite passengers or those paying full fare. American don't hold these seats until the day of departure, they make them available to elite members and those paying full fare economy to reserve in advance. On the other hand, one thing that might work to your advantage is that it's a 767 which has "main cabin extra" which is a few rows with extra legroom. The 777s don't have this yet. If you're in rows 11, 12 or 13 then you already have extra legroom (I mention this because you've already paid for a change, and am wondering if this is where you've been put). At the moment, they only have 5 seats in those rows available, and 3 of them are for elite customers. None of them are together.

Rows 17, 20 and 21 may have extra legroom (17 is bulkhead, 20 and 21 exit rows). Some seats are available but I don't know for how much longer. The rest of the flight is pretty full. If you're in any of the rows I've mentioned then you're set, you're unlikely to get better seats unless you get upgraded, which is not easy to do on an international flight.

You can select seats when checking-in for both the OKC-ORD and the ORD-DUB flights. You can check-in online on the AA site 24 hours in advance so that might give you a bit of extra time. If you check-in at the airport you can select seats using self service check-in or at the counter. I'm wondering if it might be worth checking-in at the counter at OKC, mentioning that you worked in the industry (do you have relevant ID?) and inquiring about extra legroom then. I think you'd stand a much better chance of success doing that at OKC rather than at ORD where they are always very busy.

Hope this helps a little. I fly internationally with AA a lot, but have never done it by buying the ticket at BA, so some things may be a little different.

[con-pilot]

Hokulea.

Looks like we are in luck, we are in row 12, E & G. Now my wife tells me that the seats are wider as well, so I'd say that confirms what you posted. So I'm feeling better now.

I'm not retired airline, but a retired corporate chief-pilot and my wife served as a flight attendant for my last boss in a Falcon 900EX and a Falcon 50EX. So that is why we are so ignorant about international airline travel.

Funniest thing is, despite all the times my wife has flown into London, she has never been in Heathrow. Where we will leave to go back home from.

Thank you for your input, it has been very helpful. :ok:

[Hokulea]

Excellent, Con, you have 4-6 inches of extra legroom with those seats, so hopefully you'll be OK. Unfortunately, those seats are no wider than standard economy seats, so don't expect anything good there. Possibly other good news for you is that they've modernized this type of 767, so you should have a personal TV/video/entertainment system. AA's other 767s only have shared TVs for the whole cabin.

[Hokulea]

Con - just a couple of other things while I'm thinking of them. Since you're in main cabin extra you should get priority boarding. This may or may not interest you, but it means you can board the flight before most of the other passengers (since you'll be checking in with AA, priority boarding should be stamped on your boarding card for the ORD-DUB flight). The one big advantage of this is that the 767s have relatively small overhead baggage bins and they get filled quickly, so if you're in early you can usually find a good spot for your carry-ons before the crush. I know many people prefer to board late, but it's worth considering. Sometimes the people-watching can be quite entertaining once you've settled into your seat!

The seats are definitely no wider than standard economy but since you're with your wife I'm sure you won't mind raising the arm rest between you, you'll get another couple of inches between the two of you.

Lastly, I think you and your wife should be grateful that her experience of Heathrow will be terminal 5 on the way back and not the refugee sorting station of terminal 3. If you haven't been through T5 it's not wonderful but a much less stressful experience than T3. Unless you're looking for exercise that is...

[Ancient Observer]

What a pleasant and helpful exchange of postings, and with a happy ending too!

[radeng]

Con,

Is the BA flight from Heathrow in the BA15XX series? If so, it's actually an American flight and will leave from T3. If it's a BA290 series, it will be from T5.

[Hokulea]

Thank you, Ancient Observer, for your kind comment. I see this as paying back. I got some really good advice and reassurance in a thread I started here a few months ago (http://www.pprune.org/passengers-slf-self-loading-freight/488091-us-uk-citizen-travelling-together-uk-passport-control.html) that also had a very happy ending, so am more than happy to help out if I can. There are so many experts here in their own fields, but it's nice to help if there's something you have a little experience in.

Given some of the posts in jet blast over the last day or so it was nice to take part in a UK/US thread that didn't end up with people insulting each other. Having read some of those threads I think you can forget about North Korea, Iran, the Middle East or wherever, it's clear war is about to break out between the US and the UK, but before that happens I hope citizens from both places get to enjoy each country and if I can help make the journey a little more pleasant, then I'm happy!

[con-pilot]

radeng

It is BA295, a 777, a real British Airways flight.

As of now we are in seats 28 A&B. Are they good, okay or expect leg cramps type seats?

Also, anybody know when I can request an exit row for that flight, just at check in or earlier?

Thanks again every one for all the help.

[radeng]

Con,

Can't tell you about the seats. One difference you will notice is that the booze is free on BA flight - but no champagne except in Business or first.

[Hokulea]

Con - your current seat assignments on the return flight are standard economy, so yes, leg cramp is a possibility. I think your options for this flight are more limited. What you should do is go to Book Flights, Hotels, Holidays, Car Rental with British Airways - BA.com (http://www.ba.com). At the top of the page you'll see a "manage my booking" link. Put your cursor over that and then you should be given an option to check-in (which clearly is not an option right now) or to "find my booking". Go to the latter and enter your booking reference and last name. Depending on your browser you may have a hard time doing this or not, but it'll work eventually.

You then will have to click on yet another continue link but you will then have the opportunity to select seating (it'll probably tell you that you can't until 24-hrs before the flight) and I believe there's an upgrade link as well for that flight. If that's available to you then you can possibly upgrade to better seats but it will cost money. If you click on the upgrade link and it says you can't, then look forward to some cramps.

Sorry, that's about all I can do to help I think. I'm in a similar situation with a flight to London and back in May/June. I can get good seats on AA but not BA, although I am able to choose the bad seat I want on the BA flight I'm taking, probably because of my AAdvantage status.

radeng - beer and wine is supposedly complimentary on AA flghts between the US and Europe in economy although the harder stuff isn't. Can't confirm that since I tend not to drink alcohol on flights (due to an experience many years ago!) but that's what they say on their website.

[radeng]

Then they kept very quiet about it! Announced prices etc on the PA.....

[Hokulea]

radeng - interesting. This is what's on AA's website currently (it takes a little digging to get there):

"Enjoy complimentary beer and wine when you travel in the main cabin onboard American's international flights. Customers traveling on American-operated flights between the U.S. and Europe, the U.S. and Asia and / or onboard flights between the U.S. and Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Peru can choose from a variety of complimentary beer and wine options, in addition to the full selection of nonalcoholic beverages."

American Airlines Complimentary Beer And Wine In Main Cabin On Select Flights (http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/intl_beer-wine.jsp)

I'm flying US-UK in May/June so will try and remember to listen to the cabin service announcements. I'm on a BA flight over to the UK first but am flying back on an AA flight LHR-ORD right at the end of May, so don't expect anything until then!

[Edited to add the URL]

[radeng]

They may well have changed policy as a matter of competitiveness. Once upon a time on AA, all drinks were free in economy (except champagne), and the service on American was far better than on BA. But that was 20 years ago......

I avoid ORD these days - the line at immigration is so big, partly due to insufficient officers and partly due to too many flights arriving at the same time.

Flying out isn't so bad, except T5 is a bit sparse. When I flew out last year, the lady at the BA lounge informed me 'You can go into the First Class lounge if you like, but I wouldn't advise it - it's full of lowlife politicians on their way back from the NATO summit!'

How right!

[Hokulea]

Apologies for replying to an old thread now, but just a couple of things:

1) I actually did remind myself before the flight from LHR to ORD on AA to listen out for service announcements about beer etc but of course forgot once I was on the flight. I don't remember any announcements about the service but did see a couple of people given a can of beer and don't think they were charged for it, but I was so tired at the time I might have missed it.

2) I went through ORD immigration like a knife through butter. Couldn't believe it. I had 3 hours between flights and was in terminal 3 a half hour after getting off the international flight. Maybe it was the arrival time but that was a new experience for me.

Lastly, it'd be nice to hear from Con if he did get the leg room he needed on his flight. AA swapped planes on my US domestic part of the trip which meant my reserved seat was no longer valid, but they upgraded me on that flight so no complaints here! On the other hand, on the LHR-ORD flight, I did notice the flight attendants disappear soon after breakfast was served. On the BA flight I took to LHR a couple of weeks earlier the cabin crew were really good at bringing round water and juice every hour or two. Not a big deal but something I noticed.