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Direct 757 DUB SNN lost transat seats and upgrade sales
As a lot us here know, you can book a coach award or paid ticket on this route (BOS-SNN-BOS) on a 757, and secure a seat in the F section (with coach service), if you have status. I booked an award ticket for September and had seats up front on the flights into and home from Shannon.
While checking itineraries yesterday, I noticed that my 2 hour connection at BOS, on the way home, had now become a 6.5 hour connection on a completely different flight. Checking further, I found that the SNN-BOS and BOS-SFO flights, with the original 2 hour connection, now have the same flight number (211).
I called the EXP desk and asked to be placed back on my original itinerary with the 2 hour connection. I was told my original seat was not available in F, but they got me a seat in the row ahead.
Checking my itinerary today, I see I'm in 10F on both segments (instead of 5A SNN-BOS).
Called the EXP desk back. They explained to me the software will not allow them to assign me different seats when the flight number is the same, and that there's no workaround for this. I had them move me to the BOS-SFO flight that gives me 6.5 hours on the ground so I could get the seat back in F SNN-BOS (so I'd have different flight numbers). Figure I'll standby for the earlier BOS-SFO flight if I can get a decent seat, and, if not, head into the City for a few hours between flights (which actually sounds like a better idea).
Anyone doing SNN from SFO might want to check their flight and seat assignments, also.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tom911
As a lot us here know, you can book a coach award or paid ticket on this route (BOS-SNN-BOS) on a 757, and secure a seat in the F section (with coach service), if you have status. I booked an award ticket for September and had seats up front on the flights into and home from Shannon.
While checking itineraries yesterday, I noticed that my 2 hour connection at BOS, on the way home, had now become a 6.5 hour connection on a completely different flight. Checking further, I found that the SNN-BOS and BOS-SFO flights, with the original 2 hour connection, now have the same flight number (211).
I called the EXP desk and asked to be placed back on my original itinerary with the 2 hour connection. I was told my original seat was not available in F, but they got me a seat in the row ahead.
Checking my itinerary today, I see I'm in 10F on both segments (instead of 5A SNN-BOS).
Called the EXP desk back. They explained to me the software will not allow them to assign me different seats when the flight number is the same, and that there's no workaround for this. I had them move me to the BOS-SFO flight that gives me 6.5 hours on the ground so I could get the seat back in F SNN-BOS (so I'd have different flight numbers). Figure I'll standby for the earlier BOS-SFO flight if I can get a decent seat, and, if not, head into the City for a few hours between flights (which actually sounds like a better idea).
Anyone doing SNN from SFO might want to check their flight and seat assignments, also.
I'd take 10F over any seat in the 757 F section...you'll have a lot more leg room, a window, *and* easy aisle access by going to the side of row 9. The only thing you give up is a little width and more space on the armrest, but you gain a *lot* of leg room.
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I'm in 10F BOS-SFO (my seat of choice on 757's). I guess I fly 757's so much now that I'm used to the seats in F, and booked the last row. They're not my favorite, by any means, but I'd still rather be there than in a coach seat.
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10F, anyone? Hopefully, you will get an upgrade on BOS-SFO. I guess AA's legacy system just can't handle the complexity... I wonder why they feel it necessary to market SFO-BOS and BOS-SNN with the same flight number.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tom911
I'm in 10F BOS-SFO (my seat of choice on 757's). I guess I fly 757's so much now that I'm used to the seats in F, and booked the last row. They're not my favorite, by any means, but I'd still rather be there than in a coach seat.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tom911
Called the EXP desk back. They explained to me the software will not allow them to assign me different seats when the flight number is the same, and that there's no workaround for this.
All sorts of pitfalls to the "direct" flight concept at AA, including mileage penalties and inability to process sticker upgrades unless all are available. I guess we add another one to the list. The only conceivable benefits to a pax from a "direct" flight vs a connection is certainty that the connection will not be missed and no hustling around DFW, ORD, etc. But since a number of "direct" flights have equipment changes even these minor benefits are not assured.
Called the EXP desk back. They explained to me the software will not allow them to assign me different seats when the flight number is the same, and that there's no workaround for this. I had them move me to the BOS-SFO flight that gives me 6.5 hours on the ground so I could get the seat back in F SNN-BOS (so I'd have different flight numbers). Figure I'll standby for the earlier BOS-SFO flight if I can get a decent seat, and, if not, head into the City for a few hours between flights (which actually sounds like a better idea).
They aee quite able to offer different seats as long as the reservation in the system is for 2 discrete sectors of SFO-BOS and BOS-SNN. If they have rebooked you such that the reservation is for SFO-SNN , then they are unable to process 2 differing seat requests and given that the SFO-BOS sector is sold as 2 class, the only seats available are those in the economy cabin.
A friend of mine had virtually the same problem as you. He was booked on SFO-BOS and BOS-MAN and I pre-selected exit seats for the SFO-BOS and seats in the First cabin for BOS-MAN. A schedule change occurred and he was rebooked on AA96 SFO-MAN and lost the 1st seats. After getting the booking split back into 2 discrete sectors , was able to get the First seats back for the BOS-MAN sector
All sorts of pitfalls to the "direct" flight concept at AA, including mileage penalties and inability to process sticker upgrades unless all are available. I guess we add another one to the list. The only conceivable benefits to a pax from a "direct" flight vs a connection is certainty that the connection will not be missed and no hustling around DFW, ORD, etc. But since a number of "direct" flights have equipment changes even these minor benefits are not assured.
And that sole benefit almost goes out the window in the case of a SNN-BOS-SFO direct flight since you'll have to clear customs in BOS. You'll be assured that the connecting flight will not depart before you arrive at BOS, but you could still miss it if customs and immigration lines are long.
NOte sure how this can be true that they can't break the seat maps. I have a segment DFW-LHR with DFW-ORD being in F and ORD-LHR in J. There is one segments AA86 DFW-LHR. Travel agent was able to assign different seats DFW-ORD and ORD LHR. Called AA to change my F seat DFW-ORD -- the agent typed for about :30 seconds then said "hold on I need to call "seating". Came back on the line and it was done.
Maybe you need to call back to EXP and ask them to contact the seat department to do something.
If it were me, I would change it to SNN-BOS-JFK-SFO. You will get some extra miles, and, in the event that your upgrade does clear to SFO, the 763 you will likely be on is a heck of a lot nicer than the 757 you are scheduled on. Also, even with the extra segment, you will still do better than the six hrs. you currently have to wait. Not sure if the schedules make this possible, but if they do, it isn't a bad option (nor is connecting at LAX, which I believe is still a 738 from BOS).
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I've thought about it overnight, and I'm just going to use the 6.5 hour stopover to go into North End of Boston for a nice Italian lunch. This is an award ticket so I'm not looking to add on segments (though would have to look at that on a paid ticket).
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I was worried about a SNN-BOS-SFO itin myself, and found that although flight 211 does continue on to SFO at 2:35 at some times of year, for the flights I have (in November), the 2:35 BOS-SFO segment is still flight 165. Thanks for the heads-up though; I'll keep an eye on the flight numbers.
Edited to add: Given that this is a paid ticket, I wonder how a BOS-SFO sticker upgrade will work if it becomes a direct flight? Sounds like a problem for the best minds in the "seating department".
All sorts of pitfalls to the "direct" flight concept at AA, including mileage penalties and inability to process sticker upgrades unless all are available. I guess we add another one to the list. The only conceivable benefits to a pax from a "direct" flight vs a connection is certainty that the connection will not be missed and no hustling around DFW, ORD, etc. But since a number of "direct" flights have equipment changes even these minor benefits are not assured.
This is a problem on UA too. It's really frustrating that customers have to suffer b/c the airlines want to pretent they have a real direct flight.
Any comments on the "coach" class service in the "first" class section BOS/SNN?
It's the same as the "coach" class service in the "coach" class section. Sitting in front might get you a little bit of extra attention from the FA's, but nothing spectacular.
I have flown this route twice, and I think "everyone" gets first class service. The crews really do their best to make sure everyone has a good flight, all things considered. Apparently it's not a highly desirable route that the seriously senior FA's bid on, which means that the FA's on this route still enjoy their job. What a concept.
I wonder why they feel it necessary to market SFO-BOS and BOS-SNN with the same flight number.
