awayIgo

HI! I figure this is the place to ask Alitalia experts!

I am flying Tel Aviv to Rome and Rome to Casablanca next week. I am trying to figure out how to select a seat ( agent for tour says they can't be selected, then she says 48 hours, then she says 24 hours)

Can someone please give me the truth. Also, where do you go on the website to do this. I consider myself a fairly intelligent person, but I can't figure this one out.

Thanks i advance.

awayIgo

I have to say I am disappointed. 179 views and not ONE person knew the answer!!

KLouis

Don't give up! You may win a prize when hitting 1000 views and no replies (this doen't count as one )

AlicorporateUK

You can blame it all on the Ambassador (and on his real-life job, inclusive of hectic travel patterns), awayIgo.

In answer to your query (and with my apologies for the delay in getting back to you) you should be able to select your seat via the My Flights section on the website, followed by Customize. Note that, on short/medium haul flights, AZ will (generally speaking) not release availability of rows 1-10 (excluding C class, needless to say) so, especially if you are amongst the first to check-in (on-line), you will notice an increased number of seats available towards the front of the cabin.

Let me know if you struggle and I will have a look at it for you.

G

awayIgo

Thank you Ambassador ( I did't know you even existed, on the El Al forum where I hang out, the El Al rep long ago stopped posting and those with knowledge just help newbies who come along)

Okay, I went to the My flights section. When I put in the "Airline Ref" which the agent said IS the PNR along with my name, nothing happens. The system can't find the reservation. I usually do reservations directly, but I am doing a group tour ( ugh) and had no choice! At this point, I'm scared that if I wait until 24 hours and the number still doesn't work, I"ll really have problems. BTW I also have a ticket number.

Thanks in advance


KLouis--there are some prizes we do not want to win!

AlicorporateUK

Try the relevant function on the Saudia website: by entering your e-ticket number, you should be able to see/cross-match the PNR on the next screen; if that doesn't work, give AZ a call - their call centre is a disgrace, but they should be able to handle this (i.e. get you the correct PNR). Let us know how you get on.

G

AlicorporateUK

Extra piece of advice: try adding "MR" (or "MRS", needless to say) next to your name - this could trigger your reservation to load and display accordingly.

G

cbastian

...the AZ segment was the only one I couldn't arrange seating for.

awayIgo

Okay, I had interesting success. I am also NOT calling the travel agent, because she will think I am not a very nice person if I say what I am thinking at the moment. I finally found an Israel number--by digging around on the website ( not the most user friendly) I called the call center--it was answered in Albania!

She said the reason the number is NOT working is because it is not an individual PNR, BUT a group PNR. However, she could reserve seats for me. I then asked if there was the extra legroom or premium or whatever they call it on the flight. ( agent had told me there wasn't) Call center told me there was--at $40 a segment. I am flying TLV to FCO and FCO to CMN. I told her to go for it. She wasn't sure if it would work--again the group reservation thing. Well it worked for ľ segments, so that is better than nothing.

Bottom line, I am set, Agent messed up big time. 28 other people are going to try to do online check in on Sunday and be very frustrated.( no advance check in online for groups!) I never use agents, I always book flights myself, as I said this was a forced situation!

and now, thanks for reading the above share/rant!

AlicorporateUK

Did you book through AF/KL or OTA? I'm guessing (either way) you've been ticketed by the former, reason why you're unable to select seats. Had you booked through AZ and your itinerary included an AF (or KL) flight, you would have had exactly the same seat selection related annoyance. Joys of a partnership which never really worked.

G

Ditto

Indeed, I had several AMS-(FCO)-MLA from 2014-2016, they were always booked with whoever was cheaper (KL or AZ) and always included a mix of AZ/KL flights, with at least one of the AMS-FCO segments on KL metal, and always advanced seat selection was an annoyance, especially on KL marketed tickets, since AZ do not allow OLCI from MLA, I could only choose my seat when arriving to the airport...

jbeans

Their online booking management simply does not work. I called them to choose my seats. No hold time, very friendly and quick service.

Nat25

I was pretty upset to find that the seats i booked for the JFK-FCO legs that i'm flying in premium economy were changed. I chose seats when i booked the ticket and now i've been switched to the middle row of seats.

Does AZ just change your seat? Or has there been an equipment change? (I think it's supposed to be the A330)

Air Rarotonga

Seat reservations are never guaranteed by 100%!

Hard to say what happened, you share too less details... flight-no, date...

Aircraft change might be the reason as the 332 only has 17 Y+ seats, 7 less than the 772... You should be able to check if it was so... If not, just call AZ

Xandrios

I have a similar question.

Intra-european flight (AMS-FCO-ATH). The Alitalia website was saying that I should be able to check-in 35 hours and 10 minutes before. Now that that window has started, it says I am not eligible for online check in.

Another page says that I should check-in using the KLM website. Entered the details, and KLM says from 30 hours before departure.

Which one should be right for intra-european flights? Normally I would just sort it later at the airport, but the arrival time for this flight is extremely critical - and 5 minutes delay being stuck at the back of the aircraft can easily force me into missing connecting transport and having to spend the night in ATH instead. I do realise that with Alitalia chances are that this will happen anyway, but I'd rather have a chance of making it by sitting as far as possible at the front.