Seat allocation on flights booked through Az in UK

[nordski]

Strange, but our experience with BA here in the US has been very different.

 

We're just back from Quest's British Isles cruise where we booked BA flights from Boston to London and Edinburgh to Boston via London using ChoiceAir. Got World Traveler Plus seats for the trans-Atlantic flights, chose our specific seats on the BA web site, and were upgraded at the gate to business class for our London to Boston flight.

 

Also, we booked BA World Traveler Plus through ChoiceAir for our upcoming two Quest cruises from Nice to Athens to Dubai and chose specific seats on all flights at the time of booking on the BA web site.

 

 

Although the rules on this seem to change randomly, this was our experience in Canada this spring. We were able to choose our seats upon booking with BA at no cost.

[uktog]

Strange, but our experience with BA here in the US has been very different.

 

We're just back from Quest's British Isles cruise where we booked BA flights from Boston to London and Edinburgh to Boston via London using ChoiceAir. Got World Traveler Plus seats for the trans-Atlantic flights, chose our specific seats on the BA web site, and were upgraded at the gate to business class for our London to Boston flight.

 

Also, we booked BA World Traveler Plus through ChoiceAir for our upcoming two Quest cruises from Nice to Athens to Dubai and chose specific seats on all flights at the time of booking on the BA web site.

 

Not strange really, BA like other airlines offers a wide range of ticket classes within each type, so one economy ticket is not the same as another. Choice Air must have booked you one of the higher tickets within the WTP range given that you can upgrade at the gate. Many classes do not allow that on BA even if space is available.

 

Phil and Bobal's issue is that their BA tickets are the cheapest, base class. They did not know that when booking, they not unreadably assumed they were in a higher class that could manage their booking at a given point in time. As BA golds my husband and I can manage most types direct from booking including free seat choice but had we been on Phil and Bobal's flight booking, because of the cheapest ticketing method being used, we would not have been able to do any seat choice. At the time of booking their cruise they no doubt assumed a slightly higher fare type had been applied by the cruise line or their travel agent depending on who packaged the deal. .

 

Bill did cover this so clearly - reading this old post reminds me of how wonderful he was at bringing clarity in the fog. Looking forward to reading the response Bonnie gives hopefully she can similarly detail the ticketing approaches now being used to help us on both sides of the pond so everyone knows for the future.

[malcliz]

When booking, we always ask our agent to get our locator number which means we can then access our booking. This means we have to pay for our flights at that time in order that the flight can be 'ticketed' which obviously carries its own risks of paying for flights sometimes 11 months out. It does mean though that we can then reserve our seats for which there is a charge on BA unless you are silver or gold members. We wouldn't book unless we know we can pay for our flights in advance and receive that locator number, having had the experience years ago with another cruise line when we were booked in a block and sat separately within that block.

[excitedofharpenden]

Not strange really, BA like other airlines offers a wide range of ticket classes within each type, so one economy ticket is not the same as another. Choice Air must have booked you one of the higher tickets within the WTP range given that you can upgrade at the gate. Many classes do not allow that on BA even if space is available.

 

Phil and Bobal's issue is that their BA tickets are the cheapest, base class. They did not know that when booking, they not unreadably assumed they were in a higher class that could manage their booking at a given point in time. As BA golds my husband and I can manage most types direct from booking including free seat choice but had we been on Phil and Bobal's flight booking, because of the cheapest ticketing method being used, we would not have been able to do any seat choice. At the time of booking their cruise they no doubt assumed a slightly higher fare type had been applied by the cruise line or their travel agent depending on who packaged the deal. .

 

Bill did cover this so clearly - reading this old post reminds me of how wonderful he was at bringing clarity in the fog. Looking forward to reading the response Bonnie gives hopefully she can similarly detail the ticketing approaches now being used to help us on both sides of the pond so everyone knows for the future.

 

Thank you uktog for bringing this thread back to relevancy. Whilst it is interesting to hear stories about paid upgrades, free upgrades and requesting travel agents to get a locator number at the outset it is not the point I'm trying to make. Azamara sold this cruise with flights included. I was given a locator number at the outset, but as I said when I enter it on my BA frequent flyer page it shows an error as it is a group booking and thus can't be managed online. The point is that Azamara are selling packaged cruises with cheap and inflexible flights attached and it's not what fits with a premium product. Advising guests to show up early at the airport so that they can get seats together for a flight that leaves Heathrow at 6.45am is not a premium experience.

 

I fly BA a lot and as an airline really like them. They have always been very helpful, including on this occasion when they bent the rules for me and reserved seats for our party, but the fact remains that Azamara are doing their flights for some of their travel packaged deals on the cheap and they do themselves a disservice by arranging it this way. A great cruise starts with well sorted transport. There needs to be some workaround like that Bill Leiber posted about previously.

 

Phil

Edited July 29, 2015 by excitedofharpenden

[Bobal]

This perfectly sums up the situations. Thanks Phil :)

[nordski]

This perfectly sums up the situations. Thanks Phil :)

 

I agree.

 

I had assumed that the change in my ability to select seats reflected changeable BA policies.

 

I had not considered that that selection may well have reflected different classes of tickets. I appreciate this information,

 

Azamara should address this issue.

[marinaro44]

Not strange really, BA like other airlines offers a wide range of ticket classes within each type, so one economy ticket is not the same as another. Choice Air must have booked you one of the higher tickets within the WTP range given that you can upgrade at the gate. Many classes do not allow that on BA even if space is available.

The upgrade to business was made because a different 747-400 configuration with more business class seats had to be used for the flight and in order to fit everyone on the flight upgrades from WTP to business had to be made. Most people in our section of business class had been upgraded at the gate from WTP.

[BBMacLaird]

In the past Bill Leiber [2012/13] arranged for Azamara to split the group bookings with British Airways 30 days before the flight and give everyone an individual group allocator. Is this no longer the case - perhaps Bonnie can advise?

 

As I understand from the posts here, the problem is only with BA flights ticketed through the UK Azamara office?

Let me start with that office, to see what they say. Will revert when I know more.

[marinaro44]

As I understand from the posts here, the problem is only with BA flights ticketed through the UK Azamara office?

Let me start with that office, to see what they say. Will revert when I know more.

That is probably true, but Phxazzcruisers in Arizona also expressed frustration with BA in the fourth or fifth posting on this thread, but it isn't clear if that was with Azamara bookings or group bookings for his friend's choir.

 

Thanks for getting involved. I'd be upset if I had to check-in in order to select seats. This is the 21st century and that shouldn't be the case.

[excitedofharpenden]

As I understand from the posts here, the problem is only with BA flights ticketed through the UK Azamara office?

Let me start with that office, to see what they say. Will revert when I know more.

 

Yes Bonnie, that is correct as far as this thread started by the OP and my input here is concerned. Talking to BA in the UK yesterday the group booking was in the name of Royal Caribbean, if this helps the trail. Thanks for running with it.

 

Phil

[little britain]

Goodness I remember this issue from years back. Well done Phil for finding Bill's original post detailing the steps Aza UK had taken to resolve the issue.

 

Perhaps this part of the booking process was over-looked in the Guatemala training plan?:rolleyes:

[uktog]

The upgrade to business was made because a different 747-400 configuration with more business class seats had to be used for the flight and in order to fit everyone on the flight upgrades from WTP to business had to be made. Most people in our section of business class had been upgraded at the gate from WTP.

 

In which case it's an upgrade for operational reasons and ticket type is irrelevant.

Thanks Bonnie for following up on this, it certainly would make me very wary of booking with flights included. I look forward to your response.

[welshfamily]

Thank you for offering to look into this matter Bonnie.

We have today be able to book our seats for next Wednesdays flight simply due to my husbands American Airline status and it's reciprocal arrangements with BA.

We are however having to pay £15 each for the return trip to Heathrow and a further £7 each for the shuttle back to Manchester as we are worried that we won't be able to do the same in 10 days as we will be at sea. However having read the comments on here please believe me when I say it is not the £84 which concerns me but the principle of matter. We simply do not wish to leave it until check in on the day of our return flight to know if we will be sat together.

When I believed it was BA's fault I,to coin a phrase used to today, told my husband to

'Suck it up'

However if it is down to the type of ticket Azamara has purchased for us I would rather you had simply charged me more in the first place.

[excitedofharpenden]

However if it is down to the type of ticket Azamara has purchased for us I would rather you had simply charged me more in the first place.

 

That is exactly how I feel. Glad it worked out for you too. The very nice lady at BA was also able to book our seats home so at this point I'm happy, albeit only thanks to extra work at this end.

 

Phil

[uktog]

There are two issues here

If you have no status (BA Gold Silver Bronze or an AA equivalent) there can be costs regardless of the fare bucket booked. That was a change BA brought in last year. The latest those with status can start to select seats is seven days before flying (golds are able to do so from booking). Non status people either pay or risk it at 24 hours before flying when all seats are opened up. But regardless it has to be a booking you can have control over and not a block, bucket price booking.

 

However, there was a second issue for Phil and Bobal. Even at takeoff minus24 hours often referred to as T-24 they still would not have been able to select seats or manage their bookings through BA Manage my Bookings because the cruiseline booked a group fare which means individuals can never control this booking in any way. It is the cheapest fare but for many these restrictions are too much. For example, if you have dietary needs and want to book a special meal, you cannot.

 

 

For me, I need transparency from the cruiseline on any flights they book for me so I can tell if I can select my seats get my BA points etc etc. effectively make an informed choice as to whether to book through the cruiseline or independently.

 

I am now wondering when BA policy changed last year, did the process outlined by dear Bill lapse but no one spotted that in Guatemala

Edited July 29, 2015 by uktog

[Nicho99]

Strange, but our experience with BA here in the US has been very different.

 

We're just back from Quest's British Isles cruise where we booked BA flights from Boston to London and Edinburgh to Boston via London using ChoiceAir. Got World Traveler Plus seats for the trans-Atlantic flights, chose our specific seats on the BA web site, and were upgraded at the gate to business class for our London to Boston flight.

 

Also, we booked BA World Traveler Plus through ChoiceAir for our upcoming two Quest cruises from Nice to Athens to Dubai and chose specific seats on all flights at the time of booking on the BA web site.

 

Well I just tried again on BA's website and here is what they posted:

 

BA0192, 18:00 Sat 12 Sep 2015, Club World

Passengers Seat booking information

Dennis XXXXX Seat choice available

Allison XXXXX Seat choice available

Flight duration: 9hrs 15minsFlight operated by: British Airways

Reserve seats now from $113.00 each

 

Reserve seats:

Alternatively, you can book your seat for free when online check-in opens, 24 hours before your flight departs.

[Grandma Gilly]

Well I just tried again on BA's website and here is what they posted:

 

BA0192, 18:00 Sat 12 Sep 2015, Club World

Passengers Seat booking information

Dennis XXXXX Seat choice available

Allison XXXXX Seat choice available

Flight duration: 9hrs 15minsFlight operated by: British Airways

Reserve seats now from $113.00 each

 

Reserve seats:

Alternatively, you can book your seat for free when online check-in opens, 24 hours before your flight departs.

 

 

That is absolutely normal for any BA booking. You can, if you wish, pay to book a specific seat (unless you are a BA gold card holder or equivalent).

You will be able to book your seat for free 24 hours prior to departure.

 

This has nothing to do with Azamara. This is BA.

[marinaro44]

Well I just tried again on BA's website and here is what they posted:

 

BA0192, 18:00 Sat 12 Sep 2015, Club World

Passengers Seat booking information

Dennis XXXXX Seat choice available

Allison XXXXX Seat choice available

Flight duration: 9hrs 15minsFlight operated by: British Airways

Reserve seats now from $113.00 each

 

Reserve seats:

Alternatively, you can book your seat for free when online check-in opens, 24 hours before your flight departs.

How did you book these flights? Did you pay separately for them when booking through ChoiceAir or was this part of some kind of package deal put together where flights were included in a cruise/air (and perhaps hotel) all-inclusive package?

[BBMacLaird]

I am learning that this situation only applies to the UK market, on select 2015 voyages, and with special fares.

There was a 2015 voyage promotion in the UK of free BA air which would allow Azamara UK guests to fly to their embarkation port on the same day as the cruise departs. This special promotion only applied to select voyages 2015, and as said was offered only in the UK market.

In order to provide this promotional fare, multiple groups were set up on British Airways for each voyage and each group does indeed have a group record locator number. It seems the promotion was quite a success and now, as we say, the chickens are coming home to roost. I want to thank you for calling it to our attention.

Management is inquiring about obtaining individual record locator numbers, probably on an as requested basis, but nothing is for sure. We will know more during regular business hours tomorrow.

 

Under the heading 'Good News', the procedures as allocated by Bill Leiber (included in post #24) still pertain to all other voyages not part of this promotion, and all bookings without inclusive air, which is the rest of the world and 2016/2017 (to the best of my knowledge, by which I mean to say I am unaware of another air-inclusive offer but as I've said on other threads, our international offices are empowered to offer what works best in their markets. I simply don't know of other such offers.)

[welshfamily]

Thank you Bonnie for your update.

The promotion we booked under offered free flights on any Azamara cruise.

We were given our locator number on request months ago.

We are not in a group booking.

We have full control over the booking as long as we give a number under which Azamara made the booking. As this is available under contact details on our booking we have had no problems supplying this to BA.

As you know from my earlier post we were able to book our seats today for free 7 days in advance, due to my husbands status with AA. Our problem is with the return flight.

After our enquire today BA have informed us this evening that the cruise company needs to ask for individual seat reservations for the return journey. They have supplied us with a telephone number for their 'Trade' department to pass on to our TA to enable him to make the request of Azamara.

I will of course supply this number to my TA and keep you informed of his progress as this may be a way to solve everyone's problems.

However if this doesn't work I fully intend to pay for the seats before we leave the UK next week as once on the Journey I want to enjoy the cruise without worrying about seating for the return flight.

I do hope that doesn't make me seem mean as it will solve my problem but not others peoples.

However it does illustrate the problem is not just with group bookings.

 

 

Thank you once again for trying to help.

[welshfamily]

Sorry Bonnie, I have just read your post to my husband who pointed out to me that We are flying out the day before the cruise departs therefore we may have booked under a different promotion than the one you are referring to.

Thank you.

[Nicho99]

How did you book these flights? Did you pay separately for them when booking through ChoiceAir or was this part of some kind of package deal put together where flights were included in a cruise/air (and perhaps hotel) all-inclusive package?

 

I booked this totally on my own. Azamara was not involved at all. My only point here is to not blame Azamara.

[Grandma Gilly]

I booked this totally on my own. Azamara was not involved at all. My only point here is to not blame Azamara.

 

My apologies. I too misunderstood.

[marinaro44]

I booked this totally on my own. Azamara was not involved at all. My only point here is to not blame Azamara.

 

Thanks for the response.. Helpful to have the situation made clear.

[BBMacLaird]

I'm hearing from the UK office that they are 'in discussion' with BA over the possibility of getting individual record locator numbers for the group airfare tickets.

In the meantime, Richard Twynam, our UK Managing Director, reiterates that you are welcome to email him at: rtwynam@azamaraclubcruises.com