Great Service Experience with EZ-Air Early Ticketing

[Steelers36]

There have been some threads in recent past concerning that fact that Princess has been delaying paying the airlines and not ticketing at the 45 day mark - sometimes waiting until less than a month to go. 

 

I had suggested I was going to request early ticketing after FP Date.  For our outbound flights on AF, either I missed they were already just ticketed just prior to 60 day mark, or they were done within a day of my request.  Earlier this week, I requested ticketing (at just under 90 days) for the return flights BA+AA codeshare on BA and our file was ticketed in 24 - 36 hrs I would say.  So, that is pretty fast considering Princess seemed to be dragging out the ticketing.  At least they still react promptly to specific requests.  I did both requests on the EZ-Air page within Cruise Personalizer. 

 

We are flying in Business both ways on all segments.  However, as many know, you don't get to select seats all the time on BA.  Our flight from FCO to LHR is BA-operated and ticketed and for that Eurozone flight, I had been able to select seats at booking time (and each time I re-fared).  However, the BA-operated/AA-codeshare flight from LHR to YYZ has never allowed seat selection.  From reading other accounts, it appeared needed to be ticketed first.  Also, some folks have run into having to pay BA for a seat, so I went with the AA codeshare on the Transatlantic leg (it was cheaper as well).

 

Now that we are ticketed, nothing has changed on EZ-Air page - still cannot select a seat.  I hope I have better luck with AA or BA.  Will be trying that next and can report back my experience.  Hoping I do not have to wait until check-in time.

 

I have seats selected on AF from the get-go thru EZ-Air.  The pricing for both directions was never going to improve, so I decided to get ticketed and not be waiting on Princess.

 

[PacnGoNow]

10 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

There have been some threads in recent past concerning that fact that Princess has been delaying paying the airlines and not ticketing at the 45 day mark - sometimes waiting until less than a month to go. 

 

I had suggested I was going to request early ticketing after FP Date.  For our outbound flights on AF, either I missed they were already just ticketed just prior to 60 day mark, or they were done within a day of my request.  Earlier this week, I requested ticketing (at just under 90 days) for the return flights BA+AA codeshare on BA and our file was ticketed in 24 - 36 hrs I would say.  So, that is pretty fast considering Princess seemed to be dragging out the ticketing.  At least they still react promptly to specific requests.  I did both requests on the EZ-Air page within Cruise Personalizer. 

 

We are flying in Business both ways on all segments.  However, as many know, you don't get to select seats all the time on BA.  Our flight from FCO to LHR is BA-operated and ticketed and for that Eurozone flight, I had been able to select seats at booking time (and each time I re-fared).  However, the BA-operated/AA-codeshare flight from LHR to YYZ has never allowed seat selection.  From reading other accounts, it appeared needed to be ticketed first.  Also, some folks have run into having to pay BA for a seat, so I went with the AA codeshare on the Transatlantic leg (it was cheaper as well).

 

Now that we are ticketed, nothing has changed on EZ-Air page - still cannot select a seat.  I hope I have better luck with AA or BA.  Will be trying that next and can report back my experience.  Hoping I do not have to wait until check-in time.

 

I have seats selected on AF from the get-go thru EZ-Air.  The pricing for both directions was never going to improve, so I decided to get ticketed and not be waiting on Princess.

 

And once the BA operated flight is ticketed, could you call BA directly and ask for seat assignments?  They should be able to pull it up by the BA flight number.  So, you’ll need the actual BA flight number, date etc for them.

I’m sure you’ve already tried this? 

[Steelers36]

18 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

And once the BA operated flight is ticketed, could you call BA directly and ask for seat assignments?  They should be able to pull it up by the BA flight number.  So, you’ll need the actual BA flight number, date etc for them.

I’m sure you’ve already tried this? 

 

Here is my experience this morning.  

 

First stop was AA.COM.  AA was offering me to select seats, but the link threw me over to BA website and seat selection page.  (I have seen this before).  If I then go to select any Business seat, there is a price from low $100's up thru $147.  I presume USD since AA-codeshare. 

 

Next, I logged in to BA website and accessed my flight.  Again (being ticketed now), I was allowed to select seats.  However, it was the same page AA.COM sent me to and when I accessed seat plan, same fees.  It is only free - apparently - to higher end Avios members and at check-in.  

 

Now, I can't sit here and complain much because I had certainly read about folks facing seat selection fees, even in Business Class.  That said, I thought booking BA as an AA-codeshare might be a workaround.  I will try calling and see what I am told, but I do not hold out much hope. 

 

This has to be a rarity - getting charged hefty seat selection fees when booking Business. 

 

So, do not need to be told to avoid BA.  I knew that and was avoiding them, but the airfare we have is incredible low and even if I fork out another $280 or so for seats, it is still a bargain.  IDK how many folks will be selecting seats ahead of time as it would be nice to get window seats.  One good thing is this flight has the brand new BA Club Suite seating which recently changed from the old Club World seats.  It still rubs me the wrong way, however, as BA seems an outlier.  So, yes, I knew the risk and went ahead with the flight since the price was just not to be beat by a mile.

 

Just sharing the experience and will report again if I have any success with phone reps at either AA or BA.

Edited August 5, 2022 by Steelers36

[PacnGoNow]

45 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

 

Here is my experience this morning.  

 

First stop was AA.COM.  AA was offering me to select seats, but the link threw me over to BA website and seat selection page.  (I have seen this before).  If I then go to select any Business seat, there is a price from low $100's up thru $147.  I presume USD since AA-codeshare. 

 

Next, I logged in to BA website and accessed my flight.  Again (being ticketed now), I was allowed to select seats.  However, it was the same page AA.COM sent me to and when I accessed seat plan, same fees.  It is only free - apparently - to higher end Avios members and at check-in.  

 

Now, I can't sit here and complain much because I had certainly read about folks facing seat selection fees, even in Business Class.  That said, I thought booking BA as an AA-codeshare might be a workaround.  I will try calling and see what I am told, but I do not hold out much hope. 

 

This has to be a rarity - getting charged hefty seat selection fees when booking Business. 

 

So, do not need to be told to avoid BA.  I knew that and was avoiding them, but the airfare we have is incredible low and even if I fork out another $280 or so for seats, it is still a bargain.  IDK how many folks will be selecting seats ahead of time as it would be nice to get window seats.  One good thing is this flight has the brand new BA Club Suite seating which recently changed from the old Club World seats.  It still rubs me the wrong way, however, as BA seems an outlier.  So, yes, I knew the risk and went ahead with the flight since the price was just not to be beat by a mile.

 

Just sharing the experience and will report again if I have any success with phone reps at either AA or BA.

Good luck with it.  My only suggestion is to call BA directly, since it’s their flight, they would be the one to assign.

[junglejane]

We used Princess EZ Air for our 7/20 British Isles cruise. We booked business class seats round trip PHX-LHR as an AA/BA codeshare, because DH is trying to move up a level on AA status. We requested early ticketing on the mistaken assumption that would allow us to pick seats. Then we discovered what you already know, that BA charges business class customers for seat selection. I have Bronze status on BA which entitled me to pick seats for free one week prior. So we waited and were able to get two window locations, one in front of the other.  All the middle pairs were taken. (Airbus A350.) We were able to do it on the BA website. All in all we had a satisfactory experience with Princess EZ Air. And despite the horror stories in the news about Heathrow, we didn't have any significant issues.

Edited August 5, 2022 by junglejane

[Alaskanb]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

 

Here is my experience this morning.  

 

First stop was AA.COM.  AA was offering me to select seats, but the link threw me over to BA website and seat selection page.  (I have seen this before).  If I then go to select any Business seat, there is a price from low $100's up thru $147.  I presume USD since AA-codeshare. 

 

Next, I logged in to BA website and accessed my flight.  Again (being ticketed now), I was allowed to select seats.  However, it was the same page AA.COM sent me to and when I accessed seat plan, same fees.  It is only free - apparently - to higher end Avios members and at check-in.  

 

Now, I can't sit here and complain much because I had certainly read about folks facing seat selection fees, even in Business Class.  That said, I thought booking BA as an AA-codeshare might be a workaround.  I will try calling and see what I am told, but I do not hold out much hope. 

 

This has to be a rarity - getting charged hefty seat selection fees when booking Business. 

 

So, do not need to be told to avoid BA.  I knew that and was avoiding them, but the airfare we have is incredible low and even if I fork out another $280 or so for seats, it is still a bargain.  IDK how many folks will be selecting seats ahead of time as it would be nice to get window seats.  One good thing is this flight has the brand new BA Club Suite seating which recently changed from the old Club World seats.  It still rubs me the wrong way, however, as BA seems an outlier.  So, yes, I knew the risk and went ahead with the flight since the price was just not to be beat by a mile.

 

Just sharing the experience and will report again if I have any success with phone reps at either AA or BA.

This has been my experience too and we sometimes pay for the transatlantic seats on BA. Works well !

[ALKID]

12 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

There have been some threads in recent past concerning that fact that Princess has been delaying paying the airlines and not ticketing at the 45 day mark - sometimes waiting until less than a month to go. 

 

I had suggested I was going to request early ticketing after FP Date.  For our outbound flights on AF, either I missed they were already just ticketed just prior to 60 day mark, or they were done within a day of my request.  Earlier this week, I requested ticketing (at just under 90 days) for the return flights BA+AA codeshare on BA and our file was ticketed in 24 - 36 hrs I would say.  So, that is pretty fast considering Princess seemed to be dragging out the ticketing.  At least they still react promptly to specific requests.  I did both requests on the EZ-Air page within Cruise Personalizer. 

 

We are flying in Business both ways on all segments.  However, as many know, you don't get to select seats all the time on BA.  Our flight from FCO to LHR is BA-operated and ticketed and for that Eurozone flight, I had been able to select seats at booking time (and each time I re-fared).  However, the BA-operated/AA-codeshare flight from LHR to YYZ has never allowed seat selection.  From reading other accounts, it appeared needed to be ticketed first.  Also, some folks have run into having to pay BA for a seat, so I went with the AA codeshare on the Transatlantic leg (it was cheaper as well).

 

Now that we are ticketed, nothing has changed on EZ-Air page - still cannot select a seat.  I hope I have better luck with AA or BA.  Will be trying that next and can report back my experience.  Hoping I do not have to wait until check-in time.

 

I have seats selected on AF from the get-go thru EZ-Air.  The pricing for both directions was never going to improve, so I decided to get ticketed and not be waiting on Princess.

 

Too many acronyms bad abbreviations to even try to decipher what is being said here.   Was the experience good?

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, ALKID said:

Too many acronyms bad abbreviations to even try to decipher what is being said here.   Was the experience good?

Yes.

 

AF = Air France

AA = American Airlines

BA = British Airways.

FP Date = Final Payment Date

FCO = Rome Fiumicino

LHR = London Heathrow

YYZ = Toronto Pearson

Edited August 5, 2022 by Steelers36

[AZjohn]

5 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

This has to be a rarity - getting charged hefty seat selection fees when booking Business. 

The one reason I will never look at BA business class flights. I don't care what the price difference out the door is, I just am never going to support that kind of business model for international business class.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences though and wish you the best outcome 🙂

Cheers,

John

[Steelers36]

3 minutes ago, AZjohn said:

The one reason I will never look at BA business class flights. I don't care what the price difference out the door is, I just am never going to support that kind of business model for international business class.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences though and wish you the best outcome 🙂

Cheers,

John

Thanks and it might be last time for us.  I am reading good things about their Club Suite, however.  I just don't want either of us to be stuck beside the lavatory.  The fare was so low and we have saved a ton on cruise fare drops and I knew this was a possibility, I may just pay up to secure seats.

[FlorenceItaly]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

Thanks and it might be last time for us.  I am reading good things about their Club Suite, however.  I just don't want either of us to be stuck beside the lavatory.  The fare was so low and we have saved a ton on cruise fare drops and I knew this was a possibility, I may just pay up to secure seats.

I think you are very smart to pay up to secure your seats.  DO IT, and thank me later, LOL.  As you say, you got a great deal and you have saved a ton.

[junglejane]

Do you have any status at all on BA? I had the lowest status (Bronze) due to having flown one round trip on BA in the spring. That was enough for me to be able to pick seats a week ahead. 

[Steelers36]

3 minutes ago, junglejane said:

Do you have any status at all on BA? I had the lowest status (Bronze) due to having flown one round trip on BA in the spring. That was enough for me to be able to pick seats a week ahead. 

No.  We have only flown once on BA - in 1985!!!

[Steelers36]

13 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Just sharing the experience and will report again if I have any success with phone reps at either AA or BA.

Well, I know you are waiting on edge of your seats to find out the final stage of my BA seat adventure. 

 

I called AA, and they had a long wait time and offered a call-back in 29-39 minutes, so I took it.  Even though I was calling them first (just to eliminate for certain they couldn't help me), I decided to try BA right away.

 

Almost zero wait with BA, and got a nice fellow from India on the line.  He informed me, no free seat selection for you (LOL).  I would need BA status of some level to do it now.  A lower level can do it 7 days ahead.  I have nothing with BA (or any other airline for that matter anymore), so we are left to check-in 24 hrs ahead.  We will be on a ship then and actually on a shore excursion - hopefully in the ocean along the Amalfi Coast area, so would I even have reliable internet to jump on at the zero hour? 

 

This fellow was also telling me no way to get free selection on this transatlantic flight.  Well, he is wrong because I was reviewing the seat plan status by doing a mock booking directly with BA website and I was able to select a seat for free.  It even said so.  I do think anyone booking directly with BA or AA is going to be able to select seats.  But do know that AA doesn't allow it directly and sends you over to BA website page to do it after buying a ticket. 

 

I believe, because this is an agency ticket from cruise line EZ-Air, they aren't letting it happen.  Considering what we paid, I get it.  Even with a seat reservation fee, the total paid is still below what I had seen all along the months for Business Class return home.  I don't like it because I believe virtually all other major carriers give you free seat selection in Business.  But sometimes money talks, right? 

 

So, I was ready to go away and end up  booking my own seat and the agent suggested I might want to do it on the phone after I asked if better in GBP versus USD (EZ-Air ticket currency).  No difference, but he was aware of incidents where customers were ordering self-service seats and payment either had issues, or BA got the payment, but the seats weren't confirmed, etc.  I just did it on the phone with him and didn't take long.  If flight is changed or cancelled by BA, of course I get money back.  If they change equipment, I would get new seating at no charge.  I can also change to another Business seat in the cabin if I decide later don't like our current choices. 

 

Later, I did get a call-back from AA.  More on that in next post.

[Steelers36]

When I got the call-back from AA, that agent looked around in the file and also found he could not select any seats on the transatlantic leg.  I had to go with BA.  I don't think he had heard of having to pay for seat selection, but again is thinking of direct bookings and not these consolidator bookings like EZ-Air.  So, nothing unexpected with AA. 

 

Note that I did another mock booking on AA.  When doing do, the BA flights are not opened up for seat selection and you are directed to BA in order to do that part. 

 

That's the end of that story.  Oh, I also had asked the BA agent if I associated my BA FF number with their flight, would that help.  Nope, he said - no difference.  

 

I do have BA FF number on the Eurozone leg, but will likely change it to AA as I doubt I will ever be accumulating any amount of BA points.  LOL.  I have AA FF numbers on the AA codeshare flight. 

 

[Steelers36]

SOME MORE ABOUT BA BUSINESS CLASS

 

Here is some more info, more likely suited to a FF forum, but could be of interest to Princess guests due to many cruises that originate in UK or our UK friends who sail Princess from other ports. 

 

BA is in the process of re-fitting their Business Class section from the old style Club World to the new Club Suite.  I gather the older Club World has become tired in terms of the better Business Class pods out there (this is about international flying with lie-flat pods).  Also, the config was not very popular in certain sections of the cabin due to lack of privacy, some rear facing seats looking right at a forward facing seat, having to climb over a seat to get in/out - depending on where seated.  The Club Suite has come with some very positive reception from FF bloggers.  

 

So, this results in a whole new configuration for the cabin - and affects cabins behind as well.  However, BA has not updated their seat maps page to reflect the new layout.  And the seat map presented when booked and looking to select a seat is incomplete and not sure of its accuracy.  No lavatories are shown and I do not want to be sitting next to one.  Nor a galley for that matter. 

 

Anyway, I called BA back and got an agent and started asking details, pointing out how the seat maps page is not updated and the seat map when booking is incomplete.  I wondered if the agents had more details.  Not much.  Through my comparisons and asking him questions, I finally got it figured out where the lavatories are - but I am still not 100%.  He also said their internal maps do not show where the wing is, but that seems odd. 

 

So, without going on for another six paragraphs, if you have booked BA Business and find you are on a plane with Club Suites, that is terrific, but good luck figuring out where you might prefer to be based on surroundings in the cabin.  Maybe someday it will be better, but it's a bit of a guessing game now.

 

BTW, this flight route had the old style when I first booked, and has now changed over to Club Suite.  They seemed to take the folks that had seat assignments and placed them in 1A, and so forth until filling up the first seats almost in order.  I was expecting this upgrade in seating for London-Toronto from my research and am VERY HAPPY is has been done as I think the Club Suite will be a real treat.  

 

In conclusion, I feel we have a good deal overall, but it would be nice to get free seat selection like most other carriers.  And it would be nice if BA had accurate, detailed seat map.

 

[Steelers36]

6 hours ago, FlorenceItaly said:

I think you are very smart to pay up to secure your seats.  DO IT, and thank me later, LOL.  As you say, you got a great deal and you have saved a ton.

There are 57 of these seats and not many filled.  Of course, I have NO IDEA how many other seats have been purchased in some manner that didn't allow seat selection and those customers are waiting until check-in to get their seats.  Being on a ship the day before, there can be internet issues, etc.  Actually, we should be in a boat on a private shore excursion and may not have cell service, depending how far off-shore.  Who knows how many folks will be jumping online at the zero-hour to check-in and grab seats?  I can just check us in on the phone app once we are back on land or back on board and no worries about what seats will be left.  It might be fine, but more chances for it not to be. 

 

I knew this seat issue COULD happen when I made the decision, but also knew the pricing was too good to pass up and now we are going to be in Club Suite which is much better again.

[junglejane]

Here's an article discussing BA business class seat selection fees. It says seat reservations are not free at time of booking. "The only exceptions are if you (or someone in your party) hold Executive Club Silver or Gold status or one world equivalent – or if you have a fully flexible ticket.  Bronze cardholders can select seats for free seven days before departure.  Some people also get the fee waived as part of a corporate deal with their employer." So I don't think it would make any difference if you had booked directly with BA unless you got a fully flexible ticket.

 

It also says that with the new Club Suite configuration, there really are no bad seats. That's consistent with my impression from our flights last month.   https://www.headforpoints.com/2021/11/30/cost-british-airways-business-class-seat-reservation/ . Did you try looking on Seatguru? When I looked at our flight on Seatguru the seat map was consistent with the layout on our plane.

Edited August 6, 2022 by junglejane

[kiwimum]

I have flights booked on the AA codeshare with BA for May 6 2023 thru EZAir directly.  We are bronze status and we have always been able to select seats at the time of booking.

[Steelers36]

32 minutes ago, junglejane said:

Here's an article discussing BA business class seat selection fees. It says seat reservations are not free at time of booking. "The only exceptions are if you (or someone in your party) hold Executive Club Silver or Gold status or one world equivalent – or if you have a fully flexible ticket.  Bronze cardholders can select seats for free seven days before departure.  Some people also get the fee waived as part of a corporate deal with their employer." So I don't think it would make any difference if you had booked directly with BA unless you got a fully flexible ticket.

 

It also says that with the new Club Suite configuration, there really are no bad seats. That's consistent with my impression from our flights last month.   https://www.headforpoints.com/2021/11/30/cost-british-airways-business-class-seat-reservation/ . Did you try looking on Seatguru? When I looked at our flight on Seatguru the seat map was consistent with the layout on our plane.

In my research, I believe I found that article and linked to the one they refer to about Club Suite.  Whatever about Club Suite, I don't want to end up next to lavatory or galley.  I get that they are all the same and not like sitting with your SO - you don't really see each other unless one gets up and walks over to other's pod.  They also have a privacy door which will help some with passers by, but the door is not 6ft tall.  You must not have been on a 777-200 because Seat Guru is not up-to-date at all with that plan.  Maybe you were on a A350 or something that was upgraded a while back.

[Steelers36]

1 minute ago, kiwimum said:

I have flights booked on the AA codeshare with BA for May 6 2023 thru EZAir directly.  We are bronze status and we have always been able to select seats at the time of booking.

That's nice, but I did read that Bronze status is supposed to be only a week ahead.  IDK, they seem to be inconsistent and some flights you can select and not others.  I think an answer might be what type of Business fare is booked.

[Steelers36]

39 minutes ago, junglejane said:

So I don't think it would make any difference if you had booked directly with BA unless you got a fully flexible ticket.

I did a bit of playing with mock bookings on BA for the LHR-YYZ route (one-way) and there are no reduced Business fares - of course.  Because I am always looking at a one-way since that is what we have in EZ-Air!!!  DOH!!!  So, BA is giving me free seat selection since I am paying full-boat fare.  No wonder - and surprised the agent didn't pick up on it.

 

So, I created a round-trip and sure enough - when picking lowest available Business Class, there is a seat selection fee.  If I change the search to fully flexible and max FF points, the seat is free but fare is $1000's more.  Obviously better to just book cheap and pay the seat fee. 

 

Your sentence above finally clued me in because I couldn't figure out why I was always seeing free seats when BA said no.  It's the one way situation.  And we all know that booking with EZ-Air (a consolidator), we don't get whacked for the one-way surcharge on international flights.

 

 

 

[junglejane]

Interesting. Are you sure Princess EZAir is a consolidator? I admit I don't know the answer, but my guess is that it's more of an in house travel agency that may work with consolidators but also may work directly with airlines. I tried searching the question and just came up with this one post:

 

[roxievegas]

This is info on American Airlines. 

We booked business class for flights on our up coming B2B.  We are flying SNA (John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California) to La Guardia for the start of our NYC  10 days cruise that ends in Quebec City and then returning Quebec City to NYC.  We fly home from JFK to SNA.

We had to book the cruises separate and had to book the flights as one way for each cruise.

When we booked the first flight I was allowed to pick my seats then with the EZair rep (this was 8 - 9 months in advance of the flight.  no charge

When we booked the return flight, it would not allow me to pick our seats.  So I waited and checked each month and then last week, (about 45 days before the flight) I was able to pick our seats.

No charge

 

Checking out the prices:

going economy seating - we would have to pay extra for luggage - going for 20 days on the cruise and we knew we would have 3 to four pieces of luggage - and you pay for carry on - also pay for seat selection and then if we wanted to get better seating.

We bit the bullet and booked business class - no extra charges and better seating

At the time I booked and paid the same day with Ezair we paid $1900 for two for the round trip air fare.

currently when I do a mock booking, the same flights would cost us $5,800 + and regular economy for two is $1900+ with out the extra charges for luggage, etc.

We have avoided flying in the past for cruises, but last year we decided to do this cruise and decided to make sure we were comfortable coming and going.  This will probably be our last flying to cruise, unless it is flying only on the west coast (out of southern california to alaska or vancouver).