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BA to charge for seat selection
So, another shot in his own foot by Willy Walsh. From October 7 BA are to charge for seat selection. £60 per passenger per sector in Club World, according to reports in the travel trade press today; £40 , down to £10 in economy. Makes it difficult for BA to attack the Government for makinmg air travel more expensive with increased taxes, doesn't it? And what about all that BA advertising dissing the budget airlines for charging extra?
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At face value, a very bad move by BA, closing further the gap that differentiates them from the low-cost airlines.
But presumably this charge would be levied only for seat selection ahead of normal on-line check in? A kind of queue-jump charge? If so, it may be worth paying £60 to get the coveted 62K on that next LHR-SYD trip. (And almost certainly worth an additional £10 to get an exit row seat at the back of the plane.) |
New service to give BA customers more control over seating options British Airways is launching a new service to give customers more control over their seating options. From October 7, customers will be able to select their seats when booking and secure exit row seats. The move is in line with the airline’s response to surviving the economic downturn. Teams from across the sales & marketing and customer directorate have been reviewing the airline’s entire customer proposition, looking at ways to reduce costs and bring in additional revenue. Mark Hassell, head of customer experience, said: “There are various seats within the aircraft that we frequently receive requests for from customers. In the past, we’ve only been able to confirm them on the day but we know people want to secure them in advance and have real control over their flying experience. These seats are at a premium and like other airlines, we can create a positive revenue stream in return for a new service for customers.” Customers will now have the option to pay to select their seats when they book their tickets. The fees are £10 per person per sector in Euro Traveller and domestics, £20 per person per sector in Club Europe, World Traveller, and World Traveller Plus and £60 in Club World. In addition to selecting seats on the aircraft, from 10 days prior to the flight, customers travelling in World Traveller and World Traveller Plus can now pay £50 to secure the exit row seats. All transactions will be handled through contactBA. Premier and Gold Executive Club members will be able to pre-book their seats for free in all cabins as they can today. Silver card holders, customers with fully flexible tickets and customers on corporate deals can pre-assign their seats for free and will have the options to buy exit row seats in World Traveller and World Traveller Plus. Mark continued: “The team have developed this new proposition in record time, and is a great example of customer experience, marketing, ba.com, IM, ContactBA, cabin crew and the airport teams working together to create new revenue streams for the business.” Customers who do not wish to take advantage of this new functionality will be able to select the remaining seats for free from 24 hours before departure. |
Madness.
When you book with a legacy carrier, you expect a certain level of service, both in the air and on the ground prior to and post flight. That's precisley why you accept the implicit bargain that it will cost you somewhat more than you otherwise would flying on a low cost carrier, irrespective of whether a LCC flies the route or not. This seems to be a move of desperation to soak some extra cash rather than cut down on any hassle factor of folks picking & swapping seats ahead of time. I doubt that this comment will make any difference to BA, but if BA are serious about raising their profit margin, they would be more effective if they looked at the people and positions in their organisation that add value to the business and look at those people & positions that add costs to the business and find ways to eliminate the cost positions and move the folk across to value add positions and re-focus on getting back the levels of custoer service that they used to be so widely admired, respected & were well paid for. |
If I were flying economy LHR-SYD, I would gladly fork out 50 pounds to be up the back with my partner on the two seats by themselves than wedged in the middle of four.
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Donkey 497
I agree with you. As a silver card holder, this is what BA has done in the past two years - sacked the very good franchise holder on my route (MLA) - brought in LGW 737s that were olds as the hills and uncomfortable - decide to pull off the route - decide to drop food in Y on routes under 2 hours Although I will still be able to pre-select as a silver card holder, it will be difficult to maintain that card now. So I see me booking even fewer fights. Looking back at my records (needed for tax purposes) I notice that I took 60 flights with BA in 2003. I would be surprised if it hits 6 next year, then why should I pay to preselect a seat, when that comes as part of the deal with other airlines in premium cabins? I do not think this company understands what business it is in. |
I have no problem with BA adopting this sort of budget airline policy if they charge budget airline fares.
Instead, customers (or their employers) are being asked to pay the same sort of prices for a lower level of service. In the current economic climate, if BA want to take something away they need to give something back. TP Cashing in his BA miles asap |
F3G - I agree with you [I think I may need to have a sit down having said that!!]
In the past, in business mode, and now in leisure mode, my first preference has always to book with BA. If they are going to start extorting an extra £50 or £60 from me for every sector I fly I will start looking elsewhere. To be fair, it is not so much the cost, but the principle that I am against.I pay a decent price and expect a decent seat with no 'faffing about'. I've just paid a significant supplement to fly to Florida with BA this winter because I prefer the BA service to our US cousins - but there is a limit to this preference. Willy Walsh did not exactly do much to excite in his previous job - perhaps by driving BA into the ground -sorry for the phrase - he will write his name in the history of British aviation for all the wrong reasons. He alone will be responsible for the destruction of both Aer Lingus and BA. - Never in the field of human conflict has one man done so little for so many! Hopefully he will realise that by chasing the last dollar he may well alienate many full fare paying pax. |
:mad:
On my last 4 flights, none of my pre-selected seats have been honoured however they have managed to get my bags onto the correct flight which is a step in the right direction. How long will it be before they charge for collecting the trash left over from my in flight meal.... which is now bought in Waitrose ? |
Erosion of Service levels
Yep - Da man is looking after his future career prospects as chief ex of "Take it or leave it its a long bus journey to "East of the Thames/Rhine/Vistula" Air transport Cattle Co." - Yep thanks for the LHR/SFO upgrade Eco/to row 12 - on the basis of this, I would have reccomended your great airline to anyone - What is going on in your Business mind ? - please come on to this thread and explain your decision to your client base.
CAT III (BA287 Sort of Reg user) |
So I see me booking even fewer fights. Next move, charge you for the seat belt, magazine, seat etc etc :eek: |
If you meant fights then you should book 0 flights next year with BA. |
Seems Willie Walsh and Michael O'Leary have more in common than just the passport. On the other hand O'Leary's airline is making money hand over fist, something one has to admire, however despiccable his business practices might be. Judging by what I've heard recently about BA, their customer service is heading the same way as Ryanair's.
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As BA used to say "Remember you have a choice"
Great pity really as BA are without doubt one of the worlds finest carriers in terms of quality of flight crews and maintenance. Pity they totally lost the plot with Customer service. |
Is this really such a big issue?? I won't be paying to book my seats in advance, 24 hours is more then enough time to choose the seats that I want. If the airline want to try and make cash out of people who need to know where they are sitting 6 months in advance then good luck to them. If the seat(s) that I want are not available, then I'll go for the next best ones in my eyes.
The simple answer, if you don't like it, don't use it. |
I'm a gold card holder with BA, and do a lot of long haul sectors each year with them. I always pre-select a seat,wasn't one of the benefits of being a "valued" frequent flyer first choice on the seat selection? Does this mean that now in addition to paying a premium for flying BA I have to stump up additional cash to get the seat I want?
In my opinion this is just another way to upset the frequent fliers with BA, I've had my gold card now solidly for 9 years, I already have enough points to qualify for my 10th year. To be honest, I very much doubt I will bother making it 11 years. I just booked my next trip to Australia with Cathay Pacific, it is costing me just over £1000 pounds less than BA, I have flown with Cathay many times before and always been more than pleased with the service. If WW wants to make BA a value carrier then so be it, but you cant have your "premium fare" passenger cake and eat it! |
I won't be paying to book my seats in advance, 24 hours is more then enough time to choose the seats that I want. Here's an example. The seats available are indicated with a . those taken have a + Tomorrow's JNB LHR A B C D E F G H J K M 28 E + + + + + + + + E 28 M 29 E + + . + + + + + + + E 29 30 < + + + + + + + + . + > 30 31 < + + + + + + + + + + > 31 32 + + + + + + + . + + 32 33 + + . + + + + + + + 33 34 + + + + + + + + + . 34 35 + + + + + + + . + + 35 36 + + + . + + + + + + 36 37 + + + . . . + + + + 37 39 + + + 39 40 + + + + + + + + + + 40 41 + + + + . . + + + + 41 42 + + + + . . + + + + 42 43 + + . + + . . . + + 43 44 + + + + + + + + + + 44 45 + + . + + + + . + + 45 46 + + + + + + + + + + 46 47 + + + + + + + . + + 47 48 + + + + + + + + + + 48 49 + + + + . + + . + + 49 50 + + . + + + + . + + 50 51 + + . . . . + + 51 52 + + . . . . + + 52 53 + + - - - - + + 53 A B C D E F G H J K |
£60 to pre-select a seat thats cost thousands is taking the P***
What sort of company goes out of its way to aggravate its best customers. Whilst BASSA and its dispute is none of my business, they sure get it right that the management is a complete and utter joke. |
The simple answer, if you don't like it, don't use it. |
I wonder if the booking engine will allow you to select your seats before committing to the purchase, i.e. to cancel the booking if your preferred seats are not available? If I were booking a business trip a few days in advance and found that there were no aisle seats available towards the front of the cabin then I would cancel the transaction and choose another carrier.
British Airways would have gained invaluable customer goodwill, publicity and, ultimately, additional revenue if they had introduced free seat selection at time of booking. That would have put a great deal of clear blue water between them and the locos. But then, what do I know... I work in finance and marketing, not aviation. |
I'm a gold card holder with BA, and do a lot of long haul sectors each year with them. I always pre-select a seat,wasn't one of the benefits of being a "valued" frequent flyer first choice on the seat selection? Does this mean that now in addition to paying a premium for flying BA I have to stump up additional cash to get the seat I want? |
It is always worrying when the criteria for getting the exit row seat is simply whether you are willing to pay extra for it.
Surely the criteria should be: You can sit in the exit row if you are prepared to pay the £50 surcharge AND are willing and able to operate the emergency door and follow the directions of crew members should you be required to do so in an emergency. I have been flying with BA for more than 20 years and have experienced their service levels in all cabins and up until recently I had never considered switching loyalties to another carrier. They still have some of the best ground and on-board staff in the business but in recent years I have noticed that they also seem to have some of the worst. On a recent flight to HKG I approached the empty business class check in for my WTP flight - one of the supposed benefits of being a silver executive club member. At this point the check in agent usually smiles, says hello, and processes the information in a friendly manner. This particular agent just pointed in vaguely in front of her and said: "Why don't you use the machine?" As a loyal customer this is irritating to say the least. Sadly this is just another example of BA trying to make money in the short term and not realising (or caring) that it will irritate many of its loyal and high spending customers. Charging £120 quid to reserve your round trip business class seat at time of booking is downright insulting. Expect more of these no-frills like, add-on stealth charges to follow in the months ahead. If you offer great service then many people will happily pay a premium to enjoy that service. However if you charge a premium to begin with and then expect your customers to pay lo-co like add-ons then many people will begin to question just what they are actully paying the premium on in the first place. BA want high spending passengers to join their executive club to gain customer loyalty, but charges like this will surely have the opposite effect. This is a very bad move indeed. P. |
I rarely contribute to these forums but I've got to say I'm disgusted with this change.
BA are a premuim alirline and although i don't fly that often, I choose BA as they offer a no hassle exeprience. I don't want the easy jet style of service, I pay for booking a ticket, knowing I'll get a good service, decent meals etc etc. I feel compelled to write to the executive club and voice by annoyance at this. BA should not go the easy jet / Ryanair business model, the way they operate now is how things should be (always was in the past). I know times are tough for the airline, noone is going to deny that, but this will I'm sure drive away customers. I'm sure people will consider others instead now whereas in the past they might not have. Example might be LHR to HKG where Cathay (which I do find to be an excellent airline) would now be considered an option. |
Pedant Mode ON:
ZFT - Wasn't it BCAL whose saying was, "We always remember you have a choice"? Pedant Mode OFF. I seem to remember BA were too busy telling everyone that they were "The World's Favourite Airline"...................... yeah, right! |
Originally Posted by parabellum
I seem to remember BA were too busy telling everyone that they were "The World's Favourite Airline"...................... yeah, right!
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Funny how when Irish men take over the running of airlines, the service levels drop off totally! I'll give it 2 months untill Buy on Board is introduced on Short haul......BA Connect is back!
"Upgrade to BA" ???? More like pay to get ripped off by a paddy! |
Going to Florida with the kids in December and just wanted to congratulate BA on upsetting me so far in advance with these new charges. Add the fact that they do not automatically seat parents with their children and it's looking like a fun trip already.:mad:
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OK then enough knee jeck reactions.
As far as I can see this is an extra. If you are a gold or silver you have always been able to reserve your seat at the time of booking, one of the perks. Normal people could only reserve 24 hours in advance when checking in on line. So no change there then. Mrs J still flys BA back and forth across the pond despite AA being the prefered choice by the company she works for. She has flown with other airlines but believes that BA still have the best CC but they seem to have lots of delays on the Boston route (not unusual to be well over an hour late!!). |
but they seem to have lots of delays on the Boston route (not unusual to be well over an hour late!!). As for knee jerk, WW is testing the water bit by bit before bringing in more LOCO practices. As I said earlier, buy on board is only round the corner! Aer Lingus and Iberia, both Oneworld members went that way a while ago! BA used to stand for service and was something Britain could be proud of. Something that was a treat when you travelled with them. Now?? Well just queue up, suffer a cabin crew strike, and be given no food......that you paid for in you fare! Be delayed when flying from LGW, because they are trying to compete with Easy and can't keep up! and be shafted by Aviance when flying on domestic, because they are underpaid and trained and have 'nt got a clue what they are doing. I once witnessed a captain, tear up the 3rd loadsheet she was given by the young dispatcher at MAN, and did a manual one herself. It always seems to be the same these days. Knackered APU's and groundstaff that can't hook an aircraft up to Ground power even if it was their only function in life. It boils down to this.......BA pay less and get less service as a result. The Passengers get delayed, annoyed and go elsewhere if there is a competitor on the route. Have fares gone down?? No, up infact in the last few years. LHR to JFK in the sale was £199 in 05. This year it was i believe £299. I can't quite remember but significantly upward. But since then, customer service levels have been chipped away at slowly. BA's CC are the real reason I fly them on my hols. They seem to be the only ones left who know what service means! I do hope BA survive and sort their act out! |
OK then enough knee jeck reactions. As far as I can see this is an extra. If you are a gold or silver you have always been able to reserve your seat at the time of booking, one of the perks. Normal people could only reserve 24 hours in advance when checking in on line. |
Well, here's one customer who has just voted with his wallet.
I normally hate Continental. After one flight in particular, I said "never again". I used to fly with BA mainly. However, on a forthcoming flight to TX next week they are both price competitive with BA and allow me to select my seat for free. I booked with the dreaded Continental this morning, having read BA's new rip-off policy. On a flight to Aus in Jan 2010, Virgin have already allowed me to select my seat for free. Bye-bye BA. (Unless the Continental flight is tooooooo awful) AO |
parabellum,
I thought it was BA but you may well be right as it was some time ago (mid 80s?). Grey cells not what they used to be these days! |
Whoever it was, does anyone else remember 'We'll take care of you' and the gorgeous Roz Hanby, the 'face' of BA?
As a frequent flyer at the time (young guy), I always hoped against hope to meet her on a flight. Never did, though her colleagues were lovely, too. |
BA to charge to reserve seat.
Being reported on the Gaurdian online that:
BA will charge people 'up to £60' to choose their seats - has WW been reading MOL's book about 'profitable practical flying' again! Would all Ryanair fans care to comment? MM |
Not sure I qualify as a Ryanair fan, but O'Leary and team understand their market and have a winning strategy.
Whether BA does, is another matter. |
"No, the charge is not applied to Gold Card holders. Given the understandable outrage by those affected, premium BA flyers might actually find request seats become more available."
Nothing suggests that it wont be applied to gold card customers. I can't see seat requests becoming more available, at the moment I believe they release preferred seats closer to the flight time, if the other passengers are paying for this, then I cant see them holding back seats. BA have already lost me on a flight that would have cost me a tad under £4k, I have another one to book to the USA, but since I am flying BA to Boston next week I think I will wait and see how that one goes before deciding. |
One of the outputs from the BOAC B707 "Whisky Echo" crash at Heathrow in 1968 was that children should be seated with parents. Best safety is not achieved by seating them on their own and it is not fair to adjacent non family adults that they should be expected to reduce their own chances of successful evacuation and survival by following most peoples' natural instincts to help any child in an emergency. As result all families were then pre-seated together as a matter of course. This is a safety issue and not just a commercial one around maximising revenue per flight.
For similar reasons an Easyjet Captain ex Bristol a few years ago, faced with an infant whose car seat did not fit the aircraft seat and whose mother was already holding a younger infant, refused to allow an adjacent passenger who had nothing to do with the family to agree to take the second infant on their knee even thought a seat belt extension was available. Right decision though not popular with the passenger or press at the time. |
Jethrobee
This is taken from the press release and also the thrird or fourth post in this thread : Premier and Gold Executive Club members will be able to pre-book their seats for free in all cabins as they can today. |
Jethrobee
This is taken from the press release and also the thrird or fourth post in this thread : Quote: Premier and Gold Executive Club members will be able to pre-book their seats for free in all cabins as they can today. Clearly this is an attempt by BA not to anger their most frequent fliers but it does nothing to win them a new generation of loyal customers, quite the opposite in fact. Assume I am a potential frequent flier in business class with a choice of carriers but not yet in any loyalty scheme. I fork out thousands of pounds with BA for my business class seat and have to pay another £60 for the privilege of choosing it there an then. It is only if I am prepared to pay the fully flexible fare (ie the most expensive) that I can reserve my seat at the time of booking without paying this fee. Thus the temptation is to seek out other carriers who don't have this charge and join their loyalty scheme. A previous poster here has already booked with a rival airline on the back of this charge even though he expects a worse service than he might expect with BA. Presumably BA will also soon be amending this section of their website booking page: "Book with British Airways and you can rest assured that there won't be any extra charges for selecting a seat, checking your bag or having a drink on board. And of course, you'll receive the quality of service you'd expect from our award-winning airline." Not a great move from BA at all. |
Not a great move from BA at all. Economy fares are however, a different matter. |
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