TLVtraveler

So I'm FB PLT and fly regularly with KL and DL out of TLV, for years I avoided AF due to poor previous experience but due to timing I have an upcoming flight with AF TLV-CDG in J (Airbus A320) and for some reason all the window seats are available but all aisle seats are shown as taken/unavailable...

Am I missing something? does AF block aisle seats in J for someone? I looked on different flights a day before and after and it's the same situation.

irishguy28

Do other TLV travellers have a preference for aisle seats?

Perhaps they are all already selected, rather than blocked!!!

TLVtraveler

I think most solo flyers prefer aisle seats regardless of where they are from...

The funny thing is that the first row (and second on the right side) seems almost always available on AF A320 out of TLV...

TLVtraveler

It would actually be nice if AF and KL block the better seats for elites much like other airlines do...

irishguy28

As a solo flier, I prefer the aisle seat only when making a connection or rushing for a train.

At all other times, and always on longhaul, I prefer the window. At least that way your seatmates don't have to ask you to step into the aisle to let them in/out...and some seatmates like to get up and down a lot...

I wasn't aware that J on the A320 had "better" seats...and besides, in J, you have the seat next to you free.

"Seat blocking" is rarely a published benefit, and never goes as far as guaranteeing not to sell the seat beside ANY elites who might be on board...

AF has its "Siège Plus" and KLM has its "Economy Comfort" which, together with other "desirable" seats, are given for free, or at a discount, to Elites.

orbitmic

On a normally busy flight, there is definitely no seat block (bar middle seats of course as they are not in use). However, if AF expects a low occupancy cabin, they might block those to give people a full row each. It certainly happens at OLCI not sure about pre-assignment but I wouldn't be surprised.

TLVtraveler

That's very interesting! I wonder how their algorithm works, what happens if a couple want to reserve seats together but on a different PNR.

With LH/LX some seats (crown seats in J for example) are blocked for HON and SEN, which sometimes causes problems to couples but in general gives elites the opportunity to snag the better seats even when booking last minute... I wonder if KL-AF thought about doing it for FB elites...

TLVtraveler

I usually like to get up and move around the cabin or go to the WC a couple of times in a 5 hour flight, I hate asking my seatmate to let me out, plus a rarely sleep on such short flights so for me it's a no brainer when it comes to aisle vs. window.

The medium haul planes with KL certainly have better seat, for example I would never sit in 1C as it's in the middle of the aisle/galley or 1A/D/F as they have very restricted legroom. plus any row after 7 would have Y legroom... I imagine AF have a similar "preferred seats" in their A320 but I'm not sure as I normally avoid AF at all costs due to poor service and rude staff I encountered before (I hear things changed recently and I hope I will be proven wrong on my upcoming flight).

Goldorak

AFAIK, there is no blocked seats in medium-haul J, so my guess here is that they are all taken already.

TLVtraveler

It really looks like they are blocking seats (that's a flight in October but other dates have similar results).

orbitmic

It wouldn't really matter: when what I mention happens, you would just each get a row and of course, on board, you could move to the same one if you want since neither of you would have any neighbour anyway!

Again, that said, it has happened to me at OLCI but I did not see that in terms of advance assignments before although the map you show suggests that. Also, window seats go faster than aisle ones (in both Y and C) so this definitely looks blocked to me.