Swapping Seats On Flight - Business And Economy

[knowabit]

My colleague is flying with our boss. They are going Business class. On the flight home, he has booked his wife in economy as there were no business left. he says that my colleague can go in economy, and his wife have the business seat... can you do this on a flight? would the person named on the ticket not have to take their allocated seat? would the airline allow the swap? It is with BA.

[Sqad]

No, if they both agree to change seats.........no big deal.

[Ellipsis]

Not 100% sure but I would imagine for takeoff and landing they would need to be in their assigned seats and at all other times they could swap.

[AlwaysConfused]

If its a mutual agreement I can't see it being a problem?

[Sqad]

I think that Ellipsis's answer is better than mine.

[Tilly2]

It's a bit of a bummer for your colleague though.

[pixie373]

I think you're all thinking too logically here. If the airline can charge a hefty price for seat-swapping, i expect they will.

[knowabit]

Not exactly mutual.. colleague has been told that is what is happening, she does not have much choice! lol (she is not too bothered though)

[theshedman]

Probably find the boss can claim back off tax for colleague as it will be work related but not for wife so got her cheaper seat that he has to pay for himself. Bit cynical but it happens.

[grasscarp]

What happens once you are on board, if it is mutually agreed, should not be a problem. (I used to work for BA). I have often changed to a nearby empty seat once the doors are closed and nobody has checked if people are in their originally allocated seats.

[boxtops]

agree with shedman, the tickets for staff can be claimed on expenses, the wife's one can't.

[knowabit]

The wife wasnt originally going, it's a last minute thing. They have managed to get her in Business outgoing, but it was full coming back so they booked an economy.

[knowabit]

Colleague is also petrified of flying! I think its a bit off to make her go in economy.. as the only reason she agreed to go was becaouse she could lay down and sleep in Business. The wife knows this and could easily have took the economy seat herself!

[237SJ]

That will be no problem and they dont have to sit in their alloted seats for take off or landing either