DYKWIA. seat taken away in favor of another passenger
May 29, 2012, 1:21 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2006
Programs: AA, UA, Jetblue
Posts: 67
DYKWIA. seat taken away in favor of another passenger
was on JFK LAX flight over the weekend and had the seat 3J reserved. booked this flight months in advance with miles. i checked in at the airport, the boarding pass still showed 3J. showed up at the gate while coach was starting to board. the scanner stopped and went to the gate agent. gate agent said she had to move me because another family needs those seats and she said had i been in the gate area when she paged me, i might have been able to saved the seat. i asked to be put back in 3J as that was my original seat assignment. she said nothing she could do as i am on a mileage award ticket so i am not entitled to my choice of seat just whatever seat is available. never heard of that. i ended up in 3D.
got on board, 3J was not occupied but 3H was. i thought ok maybe the person was in the lavatory. door closed. and then i asked 3H if anyone was sitting in 3J she said nope. so i told her i would like to move to that seat and i did. she rang the flight attendant call button and asked the purser to make me go back to my 3D seat. i told the purser that i had 3J originally but was moved. when i didn't want to move, she told the purser that she had purchased both seats. purser went to check the manifest, came back and said that she only had one seat in her name. 3H then asked both the purser and I if we knew who she was because she was pretty important and that she needs both seats to do her work. she doesn't like to be disturbed and that the stuff on her laptop is very sensitive. while she didn't yell or raise her voice, i find her very rude. so i decided against sitting in 3j and went back to 3D after all.
should i write to AA about the seat assignment change? i felt that i should because i thought the gate agent didn't seem to have handled this right. but then on the other hand, i feel this is such a petty issue.
got on board, 3J was not occupied but 3H was. i thought ok maybe the person was in the lavatory. door closed. and then i asked 3H if anyone was sitting in 3J she said nope. so i told her i would like to move to that seat and i did. she rang the flight attendant call button and asked the purser to make me go back to my 3D seat. i told the purser that i had 3J originally but was moved. when i didn't want to move, she told the purser that she had purchased both seats. purser went to check the manifest, came back and said that she only had one seat in her name. 3H then asked both the purser and I if we knew who she was because she was pretty important and that she needs both seats to do her work. she doesn't like to be disturbed and that the stuff on her laptop is very sensitive. while she didn't yell or raise her voice, i find her very rude. so i decided against sitting in 3j and went back to 3D after all.
should i write to AA about the seat assignment change? i felt that i should because i thought the gate agent didn't seem to have handled this right. but then on the other hand, i feel this is such a petty issue.
Last edited by pvtwong; May 29, 2012 at 2:48 pm
May 29, 2012, 1:35 pm
#2
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was on JFK LAX flight over the weekend and had the seat 3J reserved. booked this flight months in advance with miles. i checked in at the airport, the boarding pass still showed 3A. showed up at the gate while coach was starting to board. the scanner stopped and went to the gate agent. gate agent said she had to move me because another family needs those seats and she said had i been in the gate area when she paged me, i might have been able to saved the seat. i asked to be put back in 3J as that was my original seat assignment. she said nothing she could do as i am on a mileage award ticket so i am not entitled to my choice of seat just whatever seat is available. never heard of that. i ended up in 3D.
got on board, 3J was not occupied but 3H was. i thought ok maybe the person was in the lavatory. door closed. and then i asked 3H if anyone was sitting in 3J she said nope. so i told her i would like to move to that seat and i did. she rang the flight attendant call button and asked the purser to make me go back to my 3D seat. i told the purser that i had 3J originally but was moved. when i didn't want to move, she told the purser that she had purchased both seats. purser went to check the manifest, came back and said that she only had one seat in her name. 3H then asked both the purser and I if we knew who she was because she was pretty important and that she needs both seats to do her work. she doesn't like to be disturbed and that the stuff on her laptop is very sensitive. while she didn't yell or raise her voice, i find her very rude. so i decided against sitting in 3j and went back to 3D after all.
should i write to AA about the seat assignment change? i felt that i should because i thought the gate agent didn't seem to have handled this right. but then on the other hand, i feel this is such a petty issue.
got on board, 3J was not occupied but 3H was. i thought ok maybe the person was in the lavatory. door closed. and then i asked 3H if anyone was sitting in 3J she said nope. so i told her i would like to move to that seat and i did. she rang the flight attendant call button and asked the purser to make me go back to my 3D seat. i told the purser that i had 3J originally but was moved. when i didn't want to move, she told the purser that she had purchased both seats. purser went to check the manifest, came back and said that she only had one seat in her name. 3H then asked both the purser and I if we knew who she was because she was pretty important and that she needs both seats to do her work. she doesn't like to be disturbed and that the stuff on her laptop is very sensitive. while she didn't yell or raise her voice, i find her very rude. so i decided against sitting in 3j and went back to 3D after all.
should i write to AA about the seat assignment change? i felt that i should because i thought the gate agent didn't seem to have handled this right. but then on the other hand, i feel this is such a petty issue.
Yes, I would write and maybe AA will throw some miles your way.
May 29, 2012, 1:39 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: MCI
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You should have snapped a photo of this self-claimed VIP passenger or asked who she was exactly - then perhaps you could also be posting about this in the "Celebrity Sightings on AA" thread.
May 29, 2012, 1:45 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2010
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maybe asking for her autograph would have mollified her ?
May 29, 2012, 1:56 pm
#5
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Seems like a second seat purchase would need to have been an XTRA SEAT, which I believe would show on the manifest as it is actually assigned and not blocked... My guess is that the passenger in question asked the GA (or another member of staff) to block the seat, and the GA figured it wouldn't be a big deal due to you having been on an award.
Were I you, I'd definitely raise the issue in a cogently written, unemotional and concise complaint letter. Come up with what you think reasonable compensation should be (if you're seeking compensation), and state your request plainly in the letter. Good luck!
Were I you, I'd definitely raise the issue in a cogently written, unemotional and concise complaint letter. Come up with what you think reasonable compensation should be (if you're seeking compensation), and state your request plainly in the letter. Good luck!
May 29, 2012, 2:06 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: W29
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Timely situation.
I was flying from SNA-ORD in F yesterday and when I got on the plane someone was in my seat and the FA came up to me and said they had to move me to accomodate a family. No family in my seat just sold older guy and his wife next to him (ok I guess technically family).
Is this sort of stuff common on AA?
I was flying from SNA-ORD in F yesterday and when I got on the plane someone was in my seat and the FA came up to me and said they had to move me to accomodate a family. No family in my seat just sold older guy and his wife next to him (ok I guess technically family).
Is this sort of stuff common on AA?
May 29, 2012, 2:08 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,813
I am assuming you are talking about F class on a 762. (mini-rant: it drives me crazy when OPs start talking about all kinds of seat numbers without specifying what type of plane they are on. But, I digress.)
It seems pretty clear the lady was quite rude and demanding. But, I would not be opposed to AA having a policy that very high-value customers occasionally have a seat blocked, even if it means having a mileage ticket having their seat moved. Frankly, someone who spends thousands on a ticket is more important to AA than somebody in F on a mileage ticket. And I say this as a very low-value customer who is only in F on mileage tickets. But again, the lady's behavior seemed quite rude.
Also, wouldn't somebody wanting the most privacy greatly prefer either the center seats, or a window? The B and H seats seem to have the least amount of privacy.
It seems pretty clear the lady was quite rude and demanding. But, I would not be opposed to AA having a policy that very high-value customers occasionally have a seat blocked, even if it means having a mileage ticket having their seat moved. Frankly, someone who spends thousands on a ticket is more important to AA than somebody in F on a mileage ticket. And I say this as a very low-value customer who is only in F on mileage tickets. But again, the lady's behavior seemed quite rude.
Also, wouldn't somebody wanting the most privacy greatly prefer either the center seats, or a window? The B and H seats seem to have the least amount of privacy.
May 29, 2012, 2:11 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: AAdvantage, Hilton
Posts: 3,191
I am assuming you are talking about F class on a 762. (mini-rant: it drives me crazy when OPs start talking about all kinds of seat numbers without specifying what type of plane they are on. But, I digress.)
It seems pretty clear the lady was quite rude and demanding. But, I would not be opposed to AA having a policy that very high-value customers occasionally have a seat blocked, even if it means having a mileage ticket having their seat moved. Frankly, someone who spends thousands on a ticket is more important to AA than somebody in F on a mileage ticket. And I say this as a very low-value customer who is only in F on mileage tickets. But again, the lady's behavior seemed quite rude.
Also, wouldn't somebody wanting the most privacy greatly prefer either the center seats, or a window? The B and H seats seem to have the least amount of privacy.
It seems pretty clear the lady was quite rude and demanding. But, I would not be opposed to AA having a policy that very high-value customers occasionally have a seat blocked, even if it means having a mileage ticket having their seat moved. Frankly, someone who spends thousands on a ticket is more important to AA than somebody in F on a mileage ticket. And I say this as a very low-value customer who is only in F on mileage tickets. But again, the lady's behavior seemed quite rude.
Also, wouldn't somebody wanting the most privacy greatly prefer either the center seats, or a window? The B and H seats seem to have the least amount of privacy.
May 29, 2012, 2:12 pm
#9
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Timely situation.
I was flying from SNA-ORD in F yesterday and when I got on the plane someone was in my seat and the FA came up to me and said they had to move me to accomodate a family. No family in my seat just sold older guy and his wife next to him (ok I guess technically family).
Is this sort of stuff common on AA?
I was flying from SNA-ORD in F yesterday and when I got on the plane someone was in my seat and the FA came up to me and said they had to move me to accomodate a family. No family in my seat just sold older guy and his wife next to him (ok I guess technically family).
Is this sort of stuff common on AA?
Anyway there was a pax in F whose mother was seated back in Y. The FA wanted me to move from 1F to 6E (an aisle seat) so the pax and his UNUPGRADED mother could sit together. I respectfully said no because I picked that seat for rest. The FA said "well she is moving up next to you" in a very smart manner. I said ok (like whatever.) Gots lots of attitude from the FA that night.
May 29, 2012, 2:16 pm
#10
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Timely situation.
I was flying from SNA-ORD in F yesterday and when I got on the plane someone was in my seat and the FA came up to me and said they had to move me to accomodate a family. No family in my seat just sold older guy and his wife next to him (ok I guess technically family).
Is this sort of stuff common on AA?
I was flying from SNA-ORD in F yesterday and when I got on the plane someone was in my seat and the FA came up to me and said they had to move me to accomodate a family. No family in my seat just sold older guy and his wife next to him (ok I guess technically family).
Is this sort of stuff common on AA?
Cheers.
May 29, 2012, 2:17 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,267
One of my dad's favorite stories concerns his friend, an auto salesman. Some dirty, beat up, broken down looking farm-type showed up and was looking over the trucks. My dad's friend ignored him--he didn't want to waste his time on some nobody. But his colleague decided to bite the bullet and talk to the guy.
Turned out the old bum was a wealthy farmer who ended up buying a dozen brand new trucks. My dad's friend learned his lesson--treat everyone the way you'd like to be treated, because you never know...
May 29, 2012, 2:18 pm
#12
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Join Date: Jul 2006
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yes JFK LAX was on a 762 plane. i should not have assumed people knew that this was the plane. my bad.
May 29, 2012, 2:29 pm
#13
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I am assuming you are talking about F class on a 762. (mini-rant: it drives me crazy when OPs start talking about all kinds of seat numbers without specifying what type of plane they are on. But, I digress.)
It seems pretty clear the lady was quite rude and demanding. But, I would not be opposed to AA having a policy that very high-value customers occasionally have a seat blocked, even if it means having a mileage ticket having their seat moved. Frankly, someone who spends thousands on a ticket is more important to AA than somebody in F on a mileage ticket. And I say this as a very low-value customer who is only in F on mileage tickets. But again, the lady's behavior seemed quite rude.
Also, wouldn't somebody wanting the most privacy greatly prefer either the center seats, or a window? The B and H seats seem to have the least amount of privacy.
It seems pretty clear the lady was quite rude and demanding. But, I would not be opposed to AA having a policy that very high-value customers occasionally have a seat blocked, even if it means having a mileage ticket having their seat moved. Frankly, someone who spends thousands on a ticket is more important to AA than somebody in F on a mileage ticket. And I say this as a very low-value customer who is only in F on mileage tickets. But again, the lady's behavior seemed quite rude.
Also, wouldn't somebody wanting the most privacy greatly prefer either the center seats, or a window? The B and H seats seem to have the least amount of privacy.
May 29, 2012, 2:31 pm
#14
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I am assuming you are talking about F class on a 762. (mini-rant: it drives me crazy when OPs start talking about all kinds of seat numbers without specifying what type of plane they are on. But, I digress.)
It seems pretty clear the lady was quite rude and demanding. But, I would not be opposed to AA having a policy that very high-value customers occasionally have a seat blocked, even if it means having a mileage ticket having their seat moved. Frankly, someone who spends thousands on a ticket is more important to AA than somebody in F on a mileage ticket. And I say this as a very low-value customer who is only in F on mileage tickets. But again, the lady's behavior seemed quite rude.
Also, wouldn't somebody wanting the most privacy greatly prefer either the center seats, or a window? The B and H seats seem to have the least amount of privacy.
It seems pretty clear the lady was quite rude and demanding. But, I would not be opposed to AA having a policy that very high-value customers occasionally have a seat blocked, even if it means having a mileage ticket having their seat moved. Frankly, someone who spends thousands on a ticket is more important to AA than somebody in F on a mileage ticket. And I say this as a very low-value customer who is only in F on mileage tickets. But again, the lady's behavior seemed quite rude.
Also, wouldn't somebody wanting the most privacy greatly prefer either the center seats, or a window? The B and H seats seem to have the least amount of privacy.
If I don't take care to make sure that an adjoining empty seat is reserved that is my issue and I take the chance that I will be at the mercy of other paxs willing to change. If there are not two adjoining seats empty when I book I also book with that same risk.
As far as a/c, I would think most FTs would know its a 762 on the LAX/JFK transon.
May 29, 2012, 2:34 pm
#15
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Join Date: Jul 2006
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If the high value customer wanted two seats, then she needs to PAY for two seats. Her ticket price allows her to have one seat. Having the seat next to you blocked is not a benefit of paying for F. There is no guarantee to have an open seat next to you, and mileage ticket or not I would be irritated to have an involuntary seat change no matter the reasoning. That said, I believe AA's CoC doesn't guarantee seat choice at all.