A User Guide to Select Seats of Your Choice on British Airways Flights
Do you always look for comfort while traveling by air? Air travel is always stressful, but if you fly British Airways (BA), they guarantee ultimate comfort. Their plush seats, refreshing drinks, and a range of in-flight amenities will make you feel relaxed and rejuvenated throughout your journey.
But don’t leave your comfort to chance – choose your preferred seat in advance with the British Airways Seat Selection option. Find a window seat for stunning views or get an aisle seat for easy access; the choice is yours. By paying a small fee, you can secure the perfect spot on the plane. But before you do, check the details on selecting your favorite seats on the British Airways Flights.
How do I Choose a Seat with British Airways?
You can choose your British Airways seat when booking a flight, through Manage My Booking, or at check-in. The seat selection process remains almost the same:
- you get a seat map.
- you look for empty and available seats.
- check the price set by British Airways.
- select the seat you want and pay to confirm seats.
However, if you choose your seat at the time of booking, the first step will be selecting all the necessary details of the flight, including your fare class. If, by any chance, the British Airways website is not working or seat selection is unavailable at the time of the booking, you can try your luck later through Manage Booking.
Selecting Seats via Manage Booking
You can choose your preferred seats through the British Airways Manage Booking tool after booking your flights with the airline. This tool allows you to find a seat to ensure you sit together with your family or friends. Follow the steps below to choose your seats:
- Open the British Airways (BA) official website (www.britishairways.com).
- Log in to the Manage Booking section.
- Choose the Flight number to log in.
- Below the seating option, select “View or Change Seats.”
- Follow the screen prompts to choose a seat.
- Pay for the selection and confirm seating.
British Airways will send you a seat selection confirmation to your registered email address, and you can look forward to a pleasant journey with your family or friends.
Choosing Seats at the Time of Check-in
You can also choose your seats at the check-in as it opens 24 hours before departure time. Simply follow the general check-in process and check for the BA seat selection option to select a seat. If the option is unavailable, you are ineligible for selection at this time, and the airline will allocate a seat for you at no extra cost.
Seat selection during check-in is free for most British Airways fares except for basic fare, which only includes hand baggage allowance. We recommend you choose a seat in advance to get maximum options, as your choice may be limited at the time of check-in, and a fee may still apply for exit-row seats of long-haul flight planes.
How Much Does it Cost to Choose Seats on British Airways?
Seat selection cost on British Airways Flights depends on:
- The ticket you purchased
- Your Travel Class
- Your Personal Situations
Seat selection costs you extra for any ticket with a “Hand Baggage Only” allowance. Here’s a general breakdown of the British Airways seat selection fee:
BA Economy Seat Selection Cost
- If you require extra legroom with exit row seats in BA World Traveler, the cost can be around £50/€60/$75. But the seat is only available if you meet the safety requirements.
- On some international flights, twin seats are available at £30/€36/$45 per seat.
- Seats on UK domestic and European flights in Euro Traveller start from £7/€8/$11 and on longer international flights in World Traveller from £20/€24/$30.
Premium Economy and Business Seat Selection
- World Traveller Plus offers exit row seats with extra legroom on international flights starting at £50/€60/$75
- Standard seats in World Traveller Plus start at £18/€22/$27
- Club Europe seats for European short-haul flights start at £20/€24/$30
- Seats in Club World on longer international flights start at £55/€66/$8.3.
Note that bulkhead seats are usually reserved for people with infants under 2 and may not be available for reservation otherwise.
Who is Eligible for British Airways Free Seat Selection?
If a passenger falls in one of the below groups, he or she can select a seat for free on British Airways flights:
- You are traveling in First Cabin.
- If you are a oneworld Executive Club Frequent Flyer Member, your seat is free based on your tier:
- Gold/ oneworld Emerald members can select free seats for everyone from the time of booking their flights.
- Silver/ oneworld Sapphire members can choose seats for free at the time of booking.
- Bronze/ oneworld Ruby members can choose free seats seven days before departure.
- Blue members can enjoy free seat selection from 24 hours before departure.
- This excludes exit row seats and is not available for travel on basic fares. Exit-row seats are available for selection 24 hours before departure on long-haul flights.
- Passengers with flexible tickets can choose seats for free starting at the time of the booking. However, semi flexible ticket passengers can make free selections starting 48 hours before departure.
To make sure you and your family sit together, choose a seat in advance. You may not be able to dodge the fee in some cases, but your travel companions can sit beside you with advance seat selection on British Airways.
What is British Airways Policy for Selecting Seats?
When you choose paid or free seats, review the British Airways rules for seat selection, changes, and requesting seat refunds. Here are the details:
- You can only book paid seats if they are available and you have a confirmed reservation with BA.
- Seat selection is only available on flights operated and marketed by British Airways. Seat changes are also available for such flights only.
- When you change a seat to a low-priced one, you can not request a refund of the price difference.
- You need to pay the difference in cost for a seat with a price higher than the initial seat.
- BA never guarantees a seat you paid for. The main reason for this is any operational, security, or safety issue.
- Only some eligible customers can book Exit Row Seats (check your eligibility under Exit Row seat requirements on the BA website).
- Executive Club Members can utilize Avios to pay for British Airways flight seats fully or partially.
There are additional rules when changing or refunding a seat. Also, exit row seats are limited due to some basic reasons. You can check with a BA customer service executive for more details on seats and selecting or changing a specific one.
What if I Do Not Select Any Seat on British Airways?
If you fail to choose a seat on time, the airline will automatically assign you a seat at check-in. Although the airline tries its best to seat the families together, the options can be limited by that time, and there are chances of you being split away into different rows. Apart from ensuring that a child under 12 years sits next to at least one adult from the booking, British Airways won’t be able to help you further in case of seat unavailability. So, deciding quickly and choosing a seat in advance is a wise decision.
Final Words
This is all about selecting a seat on British Airways and how they handle each ticket separately. You can confirm seat selection details through a customer service agent or check with our team at Tripohlz for more information. The airline will also allow you to get the best deals on some of their seats depending on your Oneworld status. So, make a wise choice.