Hello all, this is an abnormal situation so i decided to ask it here. If its long winded, please bear with me.
I am slated to fly aboard BA272 to LHR in 8 days (03/27/15). I am flying with my school, San Diego High, through the studet tour agency EF, some of you may be familiar with them. They have booked 11 of my friends and I aboard this flight in a block of seats. Even though I have obtained the booking code through my teacher, I am not allowed to Check in, or even pay for a seat due to the booking being for a large group. My teacher says the only way to garuntee a window is to show up early to the airport and check in. (approx 4-5 hours before my flight). Is it possible to go to the check in counter a few days in advance and pay for a seat there, but not check in? (I cant check in without the rest of my group).
Does anyone have any suggestions?
On a side note, is there an easy way to find a seat map showing which seats are taken on ba.com?
Thanks,
29er
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- dumbell2424
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RE: Selecting Seat On BA (Strange Situation)
Perhaps try contacting BA's group reservation line? Have not dealt with BA group but with other airlines, the group desk was fine with fulfilling a seat request
BAs group number for the Americas: 1-844-209-1281
BAs group number for the Americas: 1-844-209-1281
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- 29erUSA187
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RE: Selecting Seat On BA (Strange Situation)
| Quoting dumbell2424 (Reply 1): |
Thanks for the number. I assume I will still have to pay the $42 for each seat?
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- SpeedbirdABZ
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RE: Selecting Seat On BA (Strange Situation)
I can check Expert Flyer if you want me to? They show actual seats available for most airlines
RE: Selecting Seat On BA (Strange Situation)
Can you check in online 24h before departure? Then at least you won't have to pay.
signol
signol
Flights booked: NWI-AMS-JNB-DUR, JNB-AMS-NWI
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- 29erUSA187
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- NorthstarBoy
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RE: Selecting Seat On BA (Strange Situation)
| Quoting 29erUSA187 (Thread starter): I am slated to fly aboard BA272 to LHR in 8 days (03/27/15). I am flying with my school, San Diego High, through the studet tour agency EF, some of you may be familiar with them. They have booked 11 of my friends and I aboard this flight in a block of seats. Even though I have obtained the booking code through my teacher, I am not allowed to Check in, or even pay for a seat due to the booking being for a large group. My teacher says the only way to garuntee a window is to show up early to the airport and check in. (approx 4-5 hours before my flight). Is it possible to go to the check in counter a few days in advance and pay for a seat there, but not check in? (I cant check in without the rest of my group). |
That's assuming you'll be allowed to check yourself in. On my first trip to Europe at age 17, the chaperones collected everyone's passports when we arrived at the airport, checked all of us in, then held onto our passports and boarding passes until it was time to board, it which time they called us up by name and handed us boarding passes. We held onto our Denver-Minneapolis Boarding pass for approximately 30 seconds, or the amount of time it took to walk up to the jetway door and hand it over to the flight attendant. I was lucky enough to get window seats for both the Denver-Minneapolis and Minneapolis to Gatwick flights, but, had I not, I'd have had to trade with someone.
I do hope you get the seat you want and enjoy the trip!
Yes, I'd like to see airbus go under so Boeing can have their customers!
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- SpeedbirdABZ
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RE: Selecting Seat On BA (Strange Situation)
Looking at Expert Flyer the flight is completely full - probably overbooked actually.
There are a lot of seats already reserved - most of the front economy cabin - but still a lot left to choose in the rear cabin.
It's impossible to say if this is blocked for your group, but there is a group of 11 random seats reserved nowhere near any other reserved seat - rows 33 D,E,F,H,J and 34 D,E,F,H,J,K. Looks like your group is 12 so probably not, but it looks strange because they are all together so definitely looks like a group. If it is, then that's not great news for you - there's only one window seat in that lot.
Good luck! I hope you get a good seat anyway and enjoy your trip.
There are a lot of seats already reserved - most of the front economy cabin - but still a lot left to choose in the rear cabin.
It's impossible to say if this is blocked for your group, but there is a group of 11 random seats reserved nowhere near any other reserved seat - rows 33 D,E,F,H,J and 34 D,E,F,H,J,K. Looks like your group is 12 so probably not, but it looks strange because they are all together so definitely looks like a group. If it is, then that's not great news for you - there's only one window seat in that lot.
Good luck! I hope you get a good seat anyway and enjoy your trip.
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- 29erUSA187
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RE: Selecting Seat On BA (Strange Situation)
| Quoting SpeedbirdABZ (Reply 7): |
Which flight are you looking at? BA272 on March 27, or BA273 on April 5?
EDIT: At check in, could they move my seat out of the currently reserved block into a new seat if one is availiable?
[Edited 2015-03-23 14:10:33]
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- Ytraveller
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RE: Selecting Seat On BA (Strange Situation)
| Quoting 29erUSA187 (Thread starter): Is it possible to go to the check in counter a few days in advance and pay for a seat there, but not check in? (I cant check in without the rest of my group). |
Well you'd never want to pay the $45 to reserve your seat in advance.
| Quoting 29erUSA187 (Thread starter): On a side note, is there an easy way to find a seat map showing which seats are taken on ba.com? |
Well, I'm flying BA 274 (LAS - LHR, on the 744) on the same day as you. The front section of Y is filling up, but the back section is practically entirely open. That might give you a good idea about your flight...
The key is to check-in right when it opens, 24h before departure... You said you can't check in without the rest of your group, so does that mean the chaperones will be at the airport 4-5 hrs prior?
You could try calling BA the night before, telling them about how you're in a group and see if they can do anything.
Either way, I hope you enjoy your trip to Europe! I remember my first trip there; we flew BA the entire journey, each leg on a 777... But I loved it, everything from the safety video to the entertainment system.
- Ytraveller
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- gabrielchew
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RE: Selecting Seat On BA (Strange Situation)
| Quoting 29erUSA187 (Reply 8): EDIT: At check in, could they move my seat out of the currently reserved block into a new seat if one is availiable? |
They can if there are seats available. However, most people will probably have snapped up the better seats at OLCI at T-24.
You could try calling BA and see if your group has seat reserved or not. Otherwise i'd say just go with the flow. Whilst it seems desperately important right now that you get a window, you'll have plenty of chances to fly as you grow up, so will be able to get windows on them. Don't pester too many people to get one!
I remember my first school trip to Spain (LHR-BCN on IB). I must have annoyed everyone so much trying to get my window seat! All these years later, I'm not that bothered about the window, especially on longhual flights.
http://my.flightmemory.com/shefgab Upcoming flights: AMS-RIX-BUD-VDA,ETH-TLV-FCO-LHR,STN-TXL-LCY,LTN-CPH-LTN,LGW-SZG,MUC-LHR
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- SpeedbirdABZ
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RE: Selecting Seat On BA (Strange Situation)
Which flight are you looking at? BA272 on March 27, or BA273 on April 5?
That's 27th March, but interestingly I've just checked BA273 on 05th April and there is a group of 11 blocked off in 33 and 34 again. This must be you guys. That flight is not as busy looking at the loads - the window seat is 33k on that flight - I think it was 34k on the way over?
Too much of a coincidence I think - or would there be another group of 11 travelling on the same flights as you? I doubt it.
I think you should chat up your chaperones and request seat 34k outbound and 33k on the way home! They will be in charge of who gets which seat I reckon more than anyone else.
That's 27th March, but interestingly I've just checked BA273 on 05th April and there is a group of 11 blocked off in 33 and 34 again. This must be you guys. That flight is not as busy looking at the loads - the window seat is 33k on that flight - I think it was 34k on the way over?
Too much of a coincidence I think - or would there be another group of 11 travelling on the same flights as you? I doubt it.
I think you should chat up your chaperones and request seat 34k outbound and 33k on the way home! They will be in charge of who gets which seat I reckon more than anyone else.
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