Can't select seats for non-full flight?
Oct 31, 2014, 1:17 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA EXP (owe), BA Silver (ows), AB Silver (owr), WN A+/CP, IHG Spire AMB, Avis First
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Can't select seats for non-full flight?
So I'm booked on AF65 on 30NOV2014, which is quite a way out in PV, but both the AF and KLM sites will no longer allow me to select my seat (it let me pick last week, but there were only middle seats).
I'm stuck in a middle PE seat, and want to change out of that seat. EF seems to show that there are more seats, and also that there's good availability on that flight, which is interestingly different if I look up LAX-CDG vs LAX-CDG-CPH for that segment:
(LAX-CDG)
P5 F3 J9 C9 D9 I9 Z9 W9 S9 A3 Y9 B9 M9 U9 K9 H9 L9 Q9 T9 E0 N9 R9 V8 G0
(LAX-CDG)-CPH
P2 F2 J2 C2 D2 I2 Z2 W9 S9 A0 Y9 B9 M9 U9 K9 H9 L9 Q6 T1 E0 N0 R0 V0 G0
Any ideas why this might be? Or maybe I should just call in?
I'm stuck in a middle PE seat, and want to change out of that seat. EF seems to show that there are more seats, and also that there's good availability on that flight, which is interestingly different if I look up LAX-CDG vs LAX-CDG-CPH for that segment:
(LAX-CDG)
P5 F3 J9 C9 D9 I9 Z9 W9 S9 A3 Y9 B9 M9 U9 K9 H9 L9 Q9 T9 E0 N9 R9 V8 G0
(LAX-CDG)-CPH
P2 F2 J2 C2 D2 I2 Z2 W9 S9 A0 Y9 B9 M9 U9 K9 H9 L9 Q6 T1 E0 N0 R0 V0 G0
Any ideas why this might be? Or maybe I should just call in?
Oct 31, 2014, 1:30 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
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Posts: 30,499
Lots of existing threads on this. AF only allows for a relatively small number of seats to be pre-assigned, and some more to only be pre-assigned to full fare passengers and Skyteam elite plus. The rest is kept for airport assignment and while you should keep an eye on seats once in a while in case something better frees (people's plans do change), if not, just check in online as soon as it opens and you should have a fairly large choice of seats.
If beyond the practical advice, you are interested in the why does AF do it that way, is it a great idea or a stupid one arguments etc, just search one of the existing threads and you'll find lengthy and fairly comprehensive arguments both ways
Enjoy your trip!
If beyond the practical advice, you are interested in the why does AF do it that way, is it a great idea or a stupid one arguments etc, just search one of the existing threads and you'll find lengthy and fairly comprehensive arguments both ways
Enjoy your trip!
Oct 31, 2014, 1:53 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA EXP (owe), BA Silver (ows), AB Silver (owr), WN A+/CP, IHG Spire AMB, Avis First
Posts: 1,414
Lots of existing threads on this. AF only allows for a relatively small number of seats to be pre-assigned, and some more to only be pre-assigned to full fare passengers and Skyteam elite plus. The rest is kept for airport assignment and while you should keep an eye on seats once in a while in case something better frees (people's plans do change), if not, just check in online as soon as it opens and you should have a fairly large choice of seats.
If beyond the practical advice, you are interested in the why does AF do it that way, is it a great idea or a stupid one arguments etc, just search one of the existing threads and you'll find lengthy and fairly comprehensive arguments both ways
Enjoy your trip!
If beyond the practical advice, you are interested in the why does AF do it that way, is it a great idea or a stupid one arguments etc, just search one of the existing threads and you'll find lengthy and fairly comprehensive arguments both ways
Enjoy your trip!
.
Oct 31, 2014, 3:12 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,499
Actually on the JV, the ticketing makes no difference to the seats that one can select (be it on AF, DL, or KL) so indeed, the problem would not be different. Again, though, keep checking as between now and 30 November many people will still change their tickets, especially in PE so there is a good chance you'll be able to "guarantee" a better seat even before OLCI.
Oct 31, 2014, 3:33 am
#5
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As Orbitmic points out, AF preassigns some seats for elite+ and full fare pax.
The fare bucket availability depends on the points of origin and destination. A LAX-CPH tends to be cheaper in First or Business than a LAX-CDG and AF opens a lower availability in those fare buckets to CPH than to CDG (eventhough the LAX-CDG is the same flight).
The fare bucket availability depends on the points of origin and destination. A LAX-CPH tends to be cheaper in First or Business than a LAX-CDG and AF opens a lower availability in those fare buckets to CPH than to CDG (eventhough the LAX-CDG is the same flight).