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Original poster

Choosing longhaul seats with BA - necessary to pay?

40 replies

pinotnow · 01/08/2025 11:12

I am always happy to pay to sit together so it's not about that but previously not had the option not to anyway.

We fly in just under 2 weeks and can pay to book seats now for around £200. Or wait until check in 24 hours before we go and then it's free to select seats. At the moment the moment the vast majority of seats are available so presumably not many people have paid to select yet.

Does anyone have experience of this wilth BA and were seats you wanted available when it came to check in 24 hours before the flight? Don't want to waste £200 bit do want to sit together, preferably with one of the dc by a window, so not in the middle row.

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 01/08/2025 11:20

Is this a long haul or short haul flight?.

I would pay to sit together now rather than leaving it until 24 hours before departure. I would not think there will be three seats together by then.

Tiswa · 01/08/2025 11:21

What is around right now in terms of seats?

MiddleAgedDread · 01/08/2025 11:21

how booked up are the seats already? It's a gamble and even if everyone who comments tells you they did it and it was fine, it doesn't mean it will be for you!
We booked our seats when we booked the flights!

Soontobe60 · 01/08/2025 11:22

@AttilaTheMeerkat read the title!
@Tiswa @MiddleAgedDread read the 2nd paragraph!

AttilaTheMeerkat · 01/08/2025 11:44

so what do you think soon?. You’ve just criticised others.

I would pay to reserve seats now if you already have a preference for a window seat. In my experience of BA and their seats over the years currently empty seats fill very quickly in the days leading up to departure.

Soontobe60 · 01/08/2025 12:22

AttilaTheMeerkat · 01/08/2025 11:44

so what do you think soon?. You’ve just criticised others.

I would pay to reserve seats now if you already have a preference for a window seat. In my experience of BA and their seats over the years currently empty seats fill very quickly in the days leading up to departure.

I’ve not ‘criticised’ anyone - just pointed out that the title states long haul and your first sentence asks ‘is this a long haul…”.
My opinion? On long haul flights I always reserve seats when I book because I want to be able to choose where I sit and whom I sit with. On short haul, I’m happy to take my chances.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 01/08/2025 14:56

Well I’m sorry I’ve missed that, mistakes happen.

Zempy · 01/08/2025 15:00

I wouldn’t leave it to chance if you have a child to consider. I am flying soon with adult DS and am leaving it to 24 hrs before flight as we really don’t need to be sat together.

Plus DS looks like a tramp, so I am pretty sure I would be able to swap anyway 😂

Cynic17 · 01/08/2025 15:01

Yes! I never understand this question because I always pay for my seats when I book - it really surprises me that anyone doesn't.

rookiemere · 01/08/2025 15:05

Depends how popular the flight is. We were assigned seats together on both our outbound and return flights to Costa Rica.

CopperWhite · 01/08/2025 15:06

If you want two seats together, take a chance and wait. If you want three or more together, you need to pay.

CleanShirt · 01/08/2025 15:08

I didn't pay for the return leg of my last long haul flight and DM and I were miles away from each other. Don't risk it.

NigelPonsonbySmallpiece · 01/08/2025 15:13

Dd always manages 24 hours before but she flies on her own and wants an aisle seat. Last time I had to log on and do it for her as she had a hospital appt and I’d say there were aisle and middle seats together, no idea about window and middle seats. But my advice would be set an alarm for the second it goes live because seats were disappearing under my eyes, was a mad rush. Obviously every flight may be different

WhatToDo1234567 · 01/08/2025 16:21

IME it’s potluck - I get my preferred seat long haul (literally just a single one, anywhere, by the window) about 60% of the time. I think I’d keep an eye on the seats available in the run up, and if they start booking up then pay.

Takoneko · 01/08/2025 16:27

I really hate paying for seats, but in your case I think I might, just to be on the safe side. The airline that we use most commonly now for long-haul flights gives free seat selection and we’ll suck up being separated on short haul if we have to. However, when we had a 13 hour leg (as part of an 18 hour journey) with an airline that didn’t offer seat selection for free, I held my nose and paid the fee. I think people have got so used to paying for seats now that it’s less usual to hold out for the 24 hour free seat selection, especially in long-haul, than it used to be. We probably would have been ok, but I just didn’t want to risk it.

TheNightingalesStarling · 01/08/2025 16:30

Keep an eye on it everyday. Of it looks like it is booking up... pay.

You don't mention how old your child is, but check with airline as some do allocate a child and parent actually next to each other, but it might jot be your seat preference

Ilovechees3 · 01/08/2025 16:35

When we’ve done long haul have always booked the seats at time of booking, at no extra cost, but never flown with BA

IMissSparkling · 01/08/2025 16:44

CleanShirt · 01/08/2025 15:08

I didn't pay for the return leg of my last long haul flight and DM and I were miles away from each other. Don't risk it.

I would pay not to sit anywhere near my mum on a long haul flight!

CleanShirt · 01/08/2025 16:47

IMissSparkling · 01/08/2025 16:44

I would pay not to sit anywhere near my mum on a long haul flight!

Show quote history

🤣🤣 she had a good seat too and didn't swap.

Itssinkable · 01/08/2025 18:05

Cynic17 · 01/08/2025 15:01

Yes! I never understand this question because I always pay for my seats when I book - it really surprises me that anyone doesn't.

It really surprises me that anyone DOES pay to book their seats.

I'd rather have £200 in my pocket to spend on my holiday thanks.

Putneydad7 · 02/08/2025 22:56

It’s a huge con, don’t pay for seats, only mugs do that. However, do check in as soon as it opens. I’ve flown hundreds of times with different airlines and never been shafted. With some airlines (aer Lingus) in particular I’ve checked in at the airport and got the premium leg room or up front seats for free

Glitterheart · 02/08/2025 23:01

Just flown with BA and had exactly the same dilemma! Admittedly this was shorthaul but BA state that they will guarantee to seat children with one adult in the booking so we figured the worst that could happen would be that the 4 of us wouldn’t sit together but would be with one child each. We decided not to pay and were sat all 4 of us together for both flights. They were full flights too so suspect the majority probably did the same….

Drivingthevengabus · 02/08/2025 23:08

I flew short haul with BA a couple of weeks ago. I didn't pre-book seats as it seemed like a lot on top of the flights. I couldn't check in until 24hrs before the flights so I set a reminder and checked in as soon as it opened. Both ways we got seats together very near the front of the plane (row 7 on the way out and row 5 on the way home). I was flying with my teens, so not little kids. No idea if we were lucky with that or not.

Foreverm0re · 02/08/2025 23:09

If you really want to be seated all together then just pay. It’s a gamble if you don’t. And don’t be one of those people that expects others to move for you because you didn’t book.

TeamGeriatric · 03/08/2025 00:04

We are in the same situation, we have used 4 different airlines on this trip to visit family. I paid £25 each for a seat reservation on the Amsterdam to Singapore flight, it seemed a reasonable price, but the return leg is Japan airlines and they gave us free seat reservations Sydney to Tokyo and then it's allocated at check-in on the Tokyo- Helsinki leg because it's operated by Finnair. I looked at Finnair to see if I could pre-book and it's like £250 to reserve seats, so I'm just monitoring availability at the moment.