Chargeable seating in BA business class......Really?

[Springthing]

Hi,

I've just booked an RTW business class trip using Qantas points, which includes flights on QF, MH, BA, CX and AA.

I was just looking into all the seating, and have just discovered BA is the only airline in this group that charges to choose seats.....in business class!!

I've never flown them before, so is this just a standard thing with BA?

I don't hold any status with QF or BA, and I'm guessing elite flyers most likely get free seat selection, but are there any tips or tricks for getting around having to pay for seating in advance?

 

[Aeryn]

Yes it is true BA charge for seating in Business Class unless you have status. I believe same applies on Iberia and Finnair depending on type of J ticket you hold.

I have included BA in my last few OWAs but never had to pay for seat selection with them due to having status.

 

[Springthing]

Yes it is true BA charge for seating in Business Class unless you have status. I believe same applies on Iberia and Finnair depending on type of J ticket you hold.

I have included BA in my last few OWAs but never had to pay for seat selection with them due to having status.

Yep, thanks for confirming. I understand BA can do whatever they want, but a bit of One World alliance consistency would be nice. You'd expect one of the basic benefits of flying in business class would be complimentary seat selection. I flew AY last year in business class (again on points) and they didn't charge for advanced seating.

 

[oz_mark]

Yep, thanks for confirming. I understand BA can do whatever they want, but a bit of One World alliance consistency would be nice. You'd expect one of the basic benefits of flying in business class would be complimentary seat selection. I flew AY last year in business class (again on points) and they didn't charge for advanced seating.

You'd think lounge access was as well, but airlines are going down the path of unbundling business class benefits.

 

[AuSammy]

Hi,

I've just booked an RTW business class trip using Qantas points, which includes flights on QF, MH, BA, CX and AA.

I was just looking into all the seating, and have just discovered BA is the only airline in this group that charges to choose seats.....in business class!!

I've never flown them before, so is this just a standard thing with BA?

I don't hold any status with QF or BA, and I'm guessing elite flyers most likely get free seat selection, but are there any tips or tricks for getting around having to pay for seating in advance?

FYI QR are doing this (seat selection on payment of an additional fee) as well on certain business ticket classes.

 

[WilsonM]

Yep, thanks for confirming. I understand BA can do whatever they want, but a bit of One World alliance consistency would be nice. You'd expect one of the basic benefits of flying in business class would be complimentary seat selection. I flew AY last year in business class (again on points) and they didn't charge for advanced seating.

You can select seats for free 24hrs before departure. The window increases with status, but only Oneworld Sapphire and above get free selection from time of booking (Ruby gets 7 days).

This isn't a new thing unfortunately, and many airlines are exploring this: These Business Class Fares Exclude Lounge Access & Other Perks

 

[OZDUCK]

FYI QR are doing this (seat selection on payment of an additional fee) as well on certain business ticket classes.

They wanted us to pay a lot (I can't remember exactly how much but I think it was around S$150 each) for J seats Singapore/Berlin return. We will be in Q Suites for 2 of the 4 flights and on a B787 with the older, but still perfectly fine, reverse herringbone seats for the other 2. I would rather spend the money on food during our trip. We did get lounge access with that fare. These fees are on their Australian website.

Business Classic Business Lite

Preferred Business Seat

$28-$143 $33-143

 

[AuSammy]

They wanted us to pay a lot (I can't remember exactly how much but I think it was around S$150 each) for J seats Singapore/Berlin return. We will be in Q Suites for 2 of the 4 flights and on a B787 with the older, but still perfectly fine, reverse herringbone seats for the other 2. I would rather spend the money on food during our trip. We did get lounge access with that fare. These fees are on their Australian website.

Business Classic Business Lite

Preferred Business Seat

$28-$143 $33-143

Yeah, can’t remember exactly but I think at the time of booking they wanted about THB3500pp each sector ex BKK for Booking class P. [which we declined]

At least the lounge was included in the fare

 

[luckypierre]

They wanted us to pay a lot (I can't remember exactly how much but I think it was around S$150 each) for J seats Singapore/Berlin return. We will be in Q Suites for 2 of the 4 flights and on a B787 with the older, but still perfectly fine, reverse herringbone seats for the other 2. I would rather spend the money on food during our trip. We did get lounge access with that fare. These fees are on their Australian website.

Business Classic Business Lite

Preferred Business Seat

$28-$143 $33-143

Recent $$ QR classic J bookings for 2026, fortunately able to select seats free of charge as VFF Plat. Else seat selection charge would have been about $150 per person per sector.

 

[luckypierre]

You can select seats for free 24hrs before departure. The window increases with status, but only Oneworld Sapphire and above get free selection from time of booking (Ruby gets 7 days).

Recent experience on a few BA Eurobiz flights , the reality when on line check opened, no selection choices available, our seats were allocated at the rear of J class and other seats greyed out. On one of the longer flights , I could see that row 2AC seats were free via EF. Contacted BA online chat and got allocated these seats . Worth the 45 min online chat time. ( to ensure all menu options were available to us)

 

[Springthing]

Recent experience on a few BA Eurobiz flights , the reality when on line check opened, no selection choices available, our seats were allocated at the rear of J class and other seats greyed out. On one of the longer flights , I could see that row 2AC seats were free via EF. Contacted BA online chat and got allocated these seats . Worth the 45 min online chat time. ( to ensure all menu options were available to us)

FWIW, I'll check inside 24hrs of flights to try checking in and see if seats can be assigned then. My BA flights are mostly internal Europe flights on A320s and A320Neos, so do BA even offer a proper business class cabins, or is it just economy seats where they keep a middle seat free in the first few rows? I experienced that on AY flights within Europe.

 

[luckypierre]

or is it just economy seats where they keep a middle seat free

Correct

 

[Aeryn]

If I didn't have status and was flying BA older style reverse herringbone long haul then Id absolutely pay for seat selection to avoid the dreaded middle seat in J.

If the newer seating where everyone has direct aisle access id gamble until free seat selection opened up.

For intra-Europe J flights where its just a economy seat with no one next to you, it would be short enough not to worry me.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

People don’t give much weight to Qantas silver… but over the years it’s saved me hundreds of pounds on seat selection fees!

And I’ve managed to snag bulkhead J seats on all but one of my long haul flights with them.

 

[SYD]

People don’t give much weight to Qantas silver… but over the years it’s saved me hundreds of pounds on seat selection fees!

OT, but QF PS/OWR also provides J checkin (if not already flying J) across OW carriers - not to be sniffed at.