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One of the major benefits of oneworld Emerald and Sapphire status, when you’re booking flights with British Airways, is that the status allows you to select seats for free at the time of booking – everyone else has to pay (even those booked into discounted Business Class). Some of the most coveted seats in Economy Class cabins are the exit row seats and, up until now, these seats have been “protected” for those with status. Not any more.
British Airways had a rule whereby exit row seats could only be booked by oneworld Emerald and oneworld Sapphire members up until 14 days before departure. Only once a flight was within 14 days of departure would the airline open up those seats to others who were prepared to pay for them – outside the 14 day period there was no option to pay for the extra comfort.
That rule has now been removed.
With immediate effect anyone can book an exit row seat at the time of booking if they’re prepared to pay for it (or if their status gives it to them for free).
Exit row on a British Airways 767
The New Rules:
- Anyone can book Exit row on long-haul flights from time of booking. Customers not eligible for free seating will be charged
- Silver and Bronze Executive Members travelling on a long-haul flight will have to pay for Exit seats
- Silver Executive Members travelling on a short-haul flight are eligible for Exit seats, free of charge, from the time of booking
- Bronze Executive Members travelling on a short-haul flight are eligible for Exit seats, free of charge, within 7 days of departure
Pricing
British Airways says that its paid seating options are “dynamic” so the cost for seat selection (if your status doesn’t give it to you for free) will vary and “may change with demand or promotional activity”.
- Travelers choosing to allocate their seat at the time of booking will pay a different price to those selecting paid seat after the ticket has been issued
- Seat prices will vary by cabin and the location of the seat selected, for example upper deck, exit, aisle, window or twin seats
- If a traveler changes their seat British Airways will re-price the seat, even if they move to a seat of the same type and any additional will be charged to the customer – so choose wisely first time out!
- Travelers booked on a codeshare flight (i.e. operated by BA but marketed by one of the airline’s partners) are unable to change their seats
Guide Pricing
- Business Class (Long Haul) – From £55/€66/$83
- Business Class (Short Haul) – From £20/€24/$30
- Premium Economy Exit Row – From £50/€60/$75
- Premium Economy Regular Seat – From £18/€22/$27
- Economy Class Exit Row (Long Haul) – From £50/€60/$75
- Economy Class Standard Seat (Long Haul) – From £20/€24/$30
- Economy Class Standard Seat (Short Haul) – From £7/€8/$11
Note: For some reason British Airways hasn’t given pricing for Economy Class short haul exit row seat selection but I would assume it isn’t much less than and is possibly even the same as the long haul pricing.
Bottom Line
This may appear to be a small change but it’s still a devaluation in top-tier oneworld status for those flying with British Airways (and, arguably, a small devaluation in sapphire status too).
The pool of people who can now book exit row seats (if they’re willing to pay) has now got a lot larger, so the chances that exit row seats get booked up before a top-tier status holder (or a sapphire status holder) books his/her flight have increased significantly.
Yes, the fact that BA will charge upwards of $75 for a long haul exit row seat in Economy Class may still put quite a few people off….but it certainly won’t put everyone off.
$75 each way may sound a lot, but an exit row seat on, for example, the Los Angeles – London route is still a very tempting proposition when you’re faced with 11 hours with just 31″ of seat pitch…especially when traveling Eastbound and therefore overnight.
You mileage will vary on this one (as they say) – for some this is very good news, for those with top-tier status it’s not so good at all.
