Seat Assignment to EI Reward Bookings
Oct 11, 2024 | 6:38 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: EI Platinum, BA Silver
Posts: 82
Seat Assignment to EI Reward Bookings
Are seats no longer assigned free of charge to Reward Bookings? Just off the phone with an EI agent and she refused to assign seats FOC.
She did seem pretty "green" as she was of the view that seats were never assigned FOC, but curious to understand if there has indeed been a change in policy here.
She did seem pretty "green" as she was of the view that seats were never assigned FOC, but curious to understand if there has indeed been a change in policy here.
Oct 11, 2024 | 7:32 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: EIDW
Programs: Aer Lingus Concierge, Radisson Rewards VIP, BW Diamond, Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,205
TATL
For J always free
For Y in rear cabin free
EU/UK
Previously was free but not first 6 rows, no exit rows, i.e. they were treated as tickets issued by BA, today it appear to treated as any other ticket
The usual departing Dublin sit me anywhere routine at online check in after 9pm before date of travel should work assuming you add your FF number to the booking which you can do online
For J always free
For Y in rear cabin free
EU/UK
Previously was free but not first 6 rows, no exit rows, i.e. they were treated as tickets issued by BA, today it appear to treated as any other ticket
The usual departing Dublin sit me anywhere routine at online check in after 9pm before date of travel should work assuming you add your FF number to the booking which you can do online
Oct 11, 2024 | 8:28 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: EI Platinum, BA Silver
Posts: 82
Thanks ROKNA. Always ahead of the curve!
Shame that free seat assignment on short-haul is a thing of the past, but good to hear the sit my anywhere trickery now works for Reward Flights. I'll be sure to add my FF number to the booking.
Shame that free seat assignment on short-haul is a thing of the past, but good to hear the sit my anywhere trickery now works for Reward Flights. I'll be sure to add my FF number to the booking.
Oct 14, 2024 | 4:17 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: AerClub - Concierge, ITA - Executive, Hotels.com - Gold
Posts: 1,171
TATL
For J always free
For Y in rear cabin free
EU/UK
Previously was free but not first 6 rows, no exit rows, i.e. they were treated as tickets issued by BA, today it appear to treated as any other ticket
The usual departing Dublin sit me anywhere routine at online check in after 9pm before date of travel should work assuming you add your FF number to the booking which you can do online
For J always free
For Y in rear cabin free
EU/UK
Previously was free but not first 6 rows, no exit rows, i.e. they were treated as tickets issued by BA, today it appear to treated as any other ticket
The usual departing Dublin sit me anywhere routine at online check in after 9pm before date of travel should work assuming you add your FF number to the booking which you can do online
Thanks in advance.
Oct 14, 2024 | 4:30 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: EI Platinum, BA Silver
Posts: 82
Formal policy seems to be that all seats must now be paid for....
https://www.aerlingus.com/aerclub/sp...reward-flight/
https://www.aerlingus.com/aerclub/sp...reward-flight/
Oct 14, 2024 | 4:36 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: EI Platinum, BA Silver
Posts: 82
There is a trick
Must originate from Dublin
Must be a EU/UK on mainline EI
Must be a EI issued revenue ticket
Must be ticketed before 5pm the day before travel
Frequent Flyer number with status must be the 1st named passenger and the number must be entered at time of making the reservation
Then check in after 9pm the night before (does NOT work for flights on 26th December)
Select the sit me anywhere option
100% success rate for me
Random seat allocation @OLCI
Subject to availability, EI will assign you a good seat, usually a window / aisle towards the front. All parties on the booking will be seated together. It works surprisingly well but only on EI short-haul mainline flights ex DUB (i.e., does not work for inbound flights).
Oct 14, 2024 | 6:41 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: AerClub - Concierge, ITA - Executive, Hotels.com - Gold
Posts: 1,171
Here is the process as kindly outlined by ROKNA in a previous thread:
There is a trick
Must originate from Dublin
Must be a EU/UK on mainline EI
Must be a EI issued revenue ticket
Must be ticketed before 5pm the day before travel
Frequent Flyer number with status must be the 1st named passenger and the number must be entered at time of making the reservation
Then check in after 9pm the night before (does NOT work for flights on 26th December)
Select the sit me anywhere option
100% success rate for me
Random seat allocation @OLCI
Subject to availability, EI will assign you a good seat, usually a window / aisle towards the front. All parties on the booking will be seated together. It works surprisingly well but only on EI short-haul mainline flights ex DUB (i.e., does not work for inbound flights).
There is a trick
Must originate from Dublin
Must be a EU/UK on mainline EI
Must be a EI issued revenue ticket
Must be ticketed before 5pm the day before travel
Frequent Flyer number with status must be the 1st named passenger and the number must be entered at time of making the reservation
Then check in after 9pm the night before (does NOT work for flights on 26th December)
Select the sit me anywhere option
100% success rate for me
Random seat allocation @OLCI
Subject to availability, EI will assign you a good seat, usually a window / aisle towards the front. All parties on the booking will be seated together. It works surprisingly well but only on EI short-haul mainline flights ex DUB (i.e., does not work for inbound flights).
Grand. Thanks.
I wonder could lounge operative change seat allocation for the way back?
Oct 14, 2024 | 7:01 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: EI Platinum, BA Silver
Posts: 82
This will work for UK and US flights to DUB. Not sure if the agents in DUB have access to flights departing mainland Europe in the DCS. Its a long time since I was close to that stuff.
Oct 14, 2024 | 7:20 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Programs: BA Silver, SAS EuroBonus Gold, ITA Club Executive, Mucci
Posts: 2,225
Yes, everyone is supposed to pay all of the time (unless your fare includes seat selection, then "some" seats will be "free").
Obviously there are exceptions, such as people with infants needing the bassinet row, or some people requiring certain special assistance, but otherwise everyone is supposed to pay all the time.
Nowhere does it say online that anyone in AerClub gets a free seat on any kind of booking, though people have been chancing it for years, sometimes successfully, sometimes not, as you can see on the posts here
It's supposed to be a "no" to people asking for free seats on reward tickets or due to status - across the board - as far as I am aware.
Obviously there are exceptions, such as people with infants needing the bassinet row, or some people requiring certain special assistance, but otherwise everyone is supposed to pay all the time.
Nowhere does it say online that anyone in AerClub gets a free seat on any kind of booking, though people have been chancing it for years, sometimes successfully, sometimes not, as you can see on the posts here
It's supposed to be a "no" to people asking for free seats on reward tickets or due to status - across the board - as far as I am aware.
Oct 14, 2024 | 8:21 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: EIDW
Programs: Aer Lingus Concierge, Radisson Rewards VIP, BW Diamond, Hilton Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,205
The difference here is formerly tickets were issued by BA and thus were seen as travel agent tickets via GDS where the legacy rules applied and free seat assignment within reason was possible
Since the launch of rewards.aerlingus.com the tickets are issued by EI and EI has full visibility on the tickets, though strictly speaking these is no difference as the are still issued by a IATA travel agent (who can only sell from the X/U buckets)
So if you want free seat assignments book via BAEC...
Since the launch of rewards.aerlingus.com the tickets are issued by EI and EI has full visibility on the tickets, though strictly speaking these is no difference as the are still issued by a IATA travel agent (who can only sell from the X/U buckets)
So if you want free seat assignments book via BAEC...
Oct 14, 2024 | 8:54 am
#15
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,218
Id like to see more benefits unlocked after getting the 1051 which for me is next week with 5 months still to go. Any tier points after that are wasted . Id like to see free seats and extra baggage allowance at say 1250 that way at least you be getting something back. Im sure there are plenty who are well over that by now as Im just an average frequent flyer.