evergrn

Yes, you should definitely try calling NH for seat assignment.

tide

I too fly NH/UA multiple times a year and your list is the best summary I've seen thus far. Your observations are spot on - I'd like to provide my experiences on (4) above.

If booked as a UA 016 ticket AND the NH segments are UA codeshares (e.g. UAxxxx), then NH cannot assign the seats. If you pull up your booking on NH's website, no seat selection is possible. Similarly, NH agents cannot assign seats and will tell you that it is UA that must assign seats.

However, I've found that UA agents in the US may not familiar with this. You need to call UA Japan to effectively do this. The crux of the issue is while UA cannot see seat maps, they can "send a message" for a seat assignment, which if available, is confirmed fairly quickly, usually in seconds. US-based agents see there is no seat map and assume no seat assignments can be made. UA Japan-based agents, however, do this regularly.

In a nutshell, you have to figure out available seats (pull up NH seat map through dummy booking), call UA Japan and provide them desired seat numbers.

Quokka

You don't need to call UA (let alone UA Japan) to get seats assigned if you have a UA 016 ticket AND the NH segments are UA codeshares. NH phone agents can assign seats for such tickets. I've done this several times, with yesterday being the most recent.

Have the ANA record locator handy to give the agent when you call ANA -- it'll be different than the UA PNR. If you don't have the ANA record locator, you can get it from the ANA web site by using your 016 ticket number and name. (Sometimes it's also available on the UA site, sometimes not).

Asking a UA rep to send a message to an ANA rep just adds an extra person to the process.

Hopefully one day ANA will actually fix their web site to allow those on UA tickets/codeshares to assign seats themselves.

tide

Like you, I too fly extensively on UA and NH. Coincidentally, my most recent call to NH (Tokyo) was yesterday as well to get seats assigned. The NH agent could not assign seats and told me to call UA.

It doesn't happen all the time (to be honest I don't know why) but it has happened more than several times to me. And when it does happen that NH cannot assign seats (a giveaway is you cannot assign seats via the NH website), call UA Japan.

BThumme

So to chime in here.


Have Lax-nrt-bkk-nrt-lax booked with the nrt-bkk-nrt on ANA. Booked through United with UA codeshare numbers.

Called United and recevied ANA conf.

Called (american) ANA and asked for window seat assignments. He assigned me 20A and 17A.

But here's what's not making sense. 20A he told me is the exit row. The flight is on a 788, which (according to seatguru) does not exist. There is a 21A that is an exit however. My united rez shows 20A. The phone agent also said that the flight is 3-3-3 (which I don't think it is?)

The way back is a 772, I got 17A. But from what I see, that's a premium economy seat (according to seatuguru again - the other version of the 772 would be a normal window seat). He said it was over the wing.

So what's going on? Does ANA use slightly modified layouts than what is on the ANA seatguru page?

EDIT: looks like seatguru is inaccurate. I made a dummy booking. For the ANA flight, it gives four configurations of the 788, and only one of them has 20A as an exit row - but it has no window! I'm gonna have to change.

The return flight doesn't have a premium economy.

joejones

There are three different international 788 configurations, and two different international 772 configurations:

https://www.ana.co.jp/wws/japan/e/as...light/seatmap/

Kacee

I just followed this approach and was able to get a seat assigned for HKG-HND on an NH operated codeshare.

I will say it was not a particularly positive experience. Was only allowed to select a seat row 30 or farther on a 772. This aircraft has PE which is sold as economy class intra-Asia but phone agent was entirely unimpressed with my W fare and *G status. I will try again at check-in.

Ahtee

I booked a flight from my city to Tokyo. I was able to pick my seat for the flight from my city to Chicago just fine by calling United. But, I was unable to do so for the connecting flight from ORD to NRT. It is through United, but operated by All Nippon Airways.

I already called United, and asked for my ANA confirmation number.

I went on ANA's website https://aswbe-i.ana.co.jp/rei11a/int...1424qh-sMIUpas , and entered the fields, but it won't let me log in. I even tried using the eTicket number, and that wouldn't work. (I have a middle name, and entered it as the page said, "FirstMiddle Last.")

Does anyone have any suggestions (besides calling ANA)?

Thanks!

LAX/HKG

Your only option in this case is calling ANA.

too2early

+1 The only way currently.

chinatraderjmr

Have a F class JFK-NRT issued by Emirates. (Going on to SIN & DXB) Looked at EF and showed one seat taken, 6 seats blocked & 1 seat avail which is a middle seat & I don't want it (can't sleep unless at a window so would have gone as far as changing the flight to JL). Called ANA & at first the agent Told me only the middle seat was avail. I pointed out that ALL seats were actually avail, and asked him to explain why they blocked EVERY (all 4) window seats (EF showed F6). After 10 min on hold I had my window seat. I can understand airlines blocking a few best seats for Elites (however IMO it should be Elites OR FULL FARE) but some airlines are getting crazy w blocking so many F seats FOR NO GOOD REASON. NH, OZ block half the F seats or more & even EK has started blocking 1&2A on the 380. But I've found a polite but firm phone call usually releases the seat you want on all 3 mentioned airlines

CPH-Flyer

Just on a side note, the First Square of NH is not your usual concept of a window seat, only one of the windows per seat are actually visible, the rest are blocked by the seat structure. You would need to lean forward to look out of the window.

chinatraderjmr

I've seen that. It's a bit strange. I should not have said I can't sleep unless by a window as I keep the shade closed anyway except during take off or landing. What I should have said was when traveling alone I need a window seat as I don't like sitting next to anyone (wall or no wall)

EWRMAN

age old post! but wow thanks this was V helpful.

Also i'm on a UA codeshare... I could choose my seat on ANA

fumje

Your ticket was issued by UA for an ANA-operated flight, and you were able to choose a seat on the website? For me it brings up the information, but I get a message saying seat selection is unavailable. (Calling in was successful.)