Choice Air with British Airlways - checkin

[roxievegas]

We booked our air with Choice Air - with a one way home from Amsterdam on British Airlines. Today is last day on ship, so I went to print my boarding pass. One - if you are flying international you can check in, but you can't print your boarding pass, except:

Because we booked with Choice Air - it is considered a group bookings and BA will not allow you to check in on the return flight a head of time. You have to wait until you get to the airport. (supposedly they are the only airline that does this)

I could not get check in on line and when I called choice air in US from the ship (me in europe) I was told to go to guest relations and they will get it taken care of for us. I went to guest relations and one of the staff used to work for BA and he told us that group bookings can not check in on line - no one else knew that.

It would have been nice if the BA website would have indicated that we were a group booking and can not check in - just message saying "not available at this time - check in at airport"

[Clarea]

We also had a BA flight with Choice Air once, and could not pick our seats until 24 hours in advance. We avoid BA with Choice Air now.

[pl281]

It could also be the type of seats you were in

 

We are on BA this summer in their "Club World" (a.k.a. Business) and we were able to pick the seats as soon as we booked via Choice Air

 

In terms of checkin. My experience when doing international travel is that it is usually better to checkin at the airport anyways since they typically have to scan your passport and we've had to check luggage anyways

[Lastdance]

We also had a BA flight with Choice Air once, and could not pick our seats until 24 hours in advance. We avoid BA with Choice Air now.

 

That is so good to know; seats are very important...location, location, location!

Also good to know that it is different when you are business, especially since one-way tickets are usually cheaper with Choice Air.:cool:

[pjs678]

BA doesn't let anyone select seats without paying extra prior to T-24 unless they are in First or elite level frequent fliers.

[Clarea]

BA doesn't let anyone select seats without paying extra prior to T-24 unless they are in First or elite level frequent fliers.

I think that was the problem with booking BA with Choice Air. Somehow I was not even able to pay extra to pick economy seats.

[Nancy48]

We have this problem too. In the UK the cruise was marketed as a package with flights and transfers included. This is the norm for cruises sold here. We were given flights with BA and because I am disabled I was very anxious to make sure I would be seated next to my husband. I have tried everything, ringing Celebrity, British Airways and our travel agent and it is definitely a no go. We will not get our seats allocated until we check in on the morning of the flight. Apparently this is how BA handle these block bookings and there is no way round it. Nothing to do with Loyal Flyer points, or class of seats, just one of those things.

Nancy

[north29]

Not to HIJACK, but Choice air has the cheapest flights for us this September. Delta/KLM and American are the choices. We always book upgraded seats, on the long haul flights, NOT BUSINESS CLASS. Does anyone know if this group booking/seating issue applies to these airline or how can I find out.

[Nancy48]

As far as I know this is solely a British Airways quirk. 😏 Nancy

[Ma Bell]

We booked our air with Choice Air - with a one way home from Amsterdam on British Airlines. Today is last day on ship, so I went to print my boarding pass. One - if you are flying international you can check in, but you can't print your boarding pass, except:

Because we booked with Choice Air - it is considered a group bookings and BA will not allow you to check in on the return flight a head of time. You have to wait until you get to the airport. (supposedly they are the only airline that does this)

I could not get check in on line and when I called choice air in US from the ship (me in europe) I was told to go to guest relations and they will get it taken care of for us. I went to guest relations and one of the staff used to work for BA and he told us that group bookings can not check in on line - no one else knew that.

It would have been nice if the BA website would have indicated that we were a group booking and can not check in - just message saying "not available at this time - check in at airport"

 

Just got home and chose my seats as soon as I booked the tickets and was able to print my boarding passes the day before with no problem. We have done this many times.

[Trixsea]

Booked BA through choice air for a sailing last October. I was able to book seats and print my boarding pass.

[Clarea]

Booked BA through choice air for a sailing last October. I was able to book seats and print my boarding pass.

Did you book economy class?

[Mr. Click]

We booked with Choice Air for our Sept 3 cruise from AMS. The best prices were with AA but the outbound is a BA/AA code share so BA rules apply and after booking I went to check our seats in biz only to find out that it would cost another $125 pp to pick our seats before check in despite the Choice Air site telling me to pick seats... thankfully we are in biz class so seats are not not a huge issue but it is annoying. No problem picking seats for the return on AA. We are going from Newark to AMS vis LHR and then Barcelona back to Newark via CLT. Question to the original poster, would they let you pick your seats now and check in later? Lots of US airlines will not issue a boarding pass until they see your passport. You can check in, get your seats but still have to go to the counter to show your passport.

[roxievegas]

I was allowed to call British airways and book seats at no charge immediately after purchase.

I

We are current seating in Amsterdam airport with no plan and may miss our flight from London to lax

Called choice air to see what they will do and basically got no answer

[waterbug123]

We are current seating in Amsterdam airport with no plan and may miss our flight from London to lax

Called choice air to see what they will do and basically got no answer

 

Unfortunately, it's not the first time someone has reported calling CA on a weekend and getting no help.

[slidergirl]

I was allowed to call British airways and book seats at no charge immediately after purchase.

I

We are current seating in Amsterdam airport with no plan and may miss our flight from London to lax

Called choice air to see what they will do and basically got no answer

 

Well, it IS the weekend. Not the first time people have been hung out to dry by Choice air not staffing on the weekends…

 

I'm sure you have already gone to the airline counter and pleaded your case. You probably won't be the first person who cannot get in touch with the provider. Good luck!

[iancal]

We did a one way Choice Air flight on BA from Barcelona to Canada. It was a great fare otherwise we would never have chosen to be routed through London.

 

We were able to select our seats well ahead of time and print out our boarding passes within 24 hours of the flight.

 

It might have come down to the fare code on your ticket. Ticket codes can be anything from the lowest consolidator fare codes to regular economy, club, or business.

 

We were economy but I suspect the fare code must have been better than a consolidator fare code since we were immediately upon booking able to go in and select our seats on legs of the journey.

 

When you buy air through the cruise lines you always run the risk of being at the mercy of the 'fare code'. If all goes well it is fine. But, if there is a significant interruption to the flight the fare code usually determines in what order that airline will offer resolution.

Edited May 14, 2016 by iancal

[slidergirl]

We did a one way Choice Air flight on BA from Barcelona to Canada. It was a great fare otherwise we would never have chosen to be routed through London.

 

We were able to select our seats well ahead of time and print out our boarding passes within 24 hours of the flight.

 

It might have come down to the fare code on your ticket. Ticket codes can be anything from the lowest consolidator fare codes to regular economy, club, or business.

 

We were economy but I suspect the fare code must have been better than a consolidator fare code since we were immediately upon booking able to go in and select our seats on legs of the journey.

 

When you buy air through the cruise lines you always run the risk of being at the mercy of the 'fare code'. If all goes well it is fine. But, if there is a significant interruption to the flight the fare code usually determines in what order that airline will offer resolution.

 

Ding, ding, ding: we have a winner!!! There is more to your fare than just "economy", "business", etc. Within each of these are many codes that determine: changeability, refundability, seating, seating availability, mileage earning, stopovers, … if you buy through the cruise line, I don't believe you get to know the exact fare basis until you have the ticket in-hand. If cruise air doles out an economy ticket to you, they may just grab what they have "off the shelf", unless you have the ability do to a deviation to get exactly what you want (after you have researched on reliable websites to know what the fare basis is that you must tell the cruise air agent you require).

[pbnjrockette]

We have Business class seats on BA leaving next week purchased thru our travel agent and are unable to pick our seats until check-in without purchasing @$140 each.

[iancal]

Two years ago we almost made the mistake of purchasing a good fare to Bangkok on United. We are in the points program.

 

Then we checked the fare code. NO REFUNDS, NO CHANGE. So we booked on Delta. Same price but a ticket with a fare code that allowed changes for a $200. fee.

 

As luck would have it we had to come back a few weeks early. Some sites provide that info in advance, others not until you pay and the ticket is issued.

 

I think that it was someone on this site who gave us the heads up on fare codes. Now we always check...most especially in the winter if we are heading south since we invariably have to connect to another flight to get there.

 

It surprises me that you would have a standard J class ticket on BA and yet be unable to select your seat prior to checkin.

Edited May 15, 2016 by iancal

[iancal]

Could it be that an 'I' class discount club fare code does not permit advance seat selection?

[6rugrats]

You must pay for advance seat selection, even in business class on BA, unless you have high enough FF status.

[6rugrats]

Two years ago we almost made the mistake of purchasing a good fare to Bangkok on United. We are in the points program.

 

Then we checked the fare code. NO REFUNDS, NO CHANGE. So we booked on Delta. Same price but a ticket with a fare code that allowed changes for a $200. fee.

 

I am surprised to hear that. I don't know any fare code two years ago, for a ticket you purchased directly on UA that wouldn't allow you to change your ticket, if you were willing to pay the change fee and refare.

[slidergirl]

We have Business class seats on BA leaving next week purchased thru our travel agent and are unable to pick our seats until check-in without purchasing @$140 each.

 

There are highly-restrictive fare classes even in Business… Your TA should have been up front with you on the terms and conditions of your fare, not just say "hey, I got a great deal for you on some cheap Business seats."

[waterbug123]

My guess? Their TA was probably just an order taker, who wouldn't know a fare code if it bit him/her in the face.