lobo411

I dunno if that's a reliable indicator. On my recent AAdventure in involuntary TATL Y, I was told that all flights for the rest of the evening in all classes were sold out. I didn't think about going to aa.com and verifying that for myself until I was sitting in the torture chamber.

Guess what?

AA.com said tickets were still for sale on the next flight out in J and F. It was too late to do anything about it--the door was closed. So either three GAs and a CS manager lied to me, or AA is willing to heavily oversell LAX-LHR and then <no!> over whoever paid the least for their ticket.

brettsir

As annoying as it is I wouldn't expect to be reassigned seat 1A. Select the next best option and send a message to customer service. They should toss you a few bones as a "gesture of goodwill"(though are not obligated to so try word calm and briefly), but the seat assignment likely won't be changed. As a previous member posted, try and view this positively, your upgrade cleared before you got to the gate and you will still be able to swivel your seat 90 degrees... and I have yet to see anyone frown while flying sideways.

lobo411

I agree with this. Seat assignments aren't guaranteed but we do have a reasonable expectation that they'll be respected unless *good* operational reasons dictate otherwise. Seat assignments shouldn't be changed as a matter of policy just because someone richer, louder, or friendlier to the GA wants yours.

Also, OP didn't ask us whether he should be happy with the change. He asked what possible recourse he had.

brettsir

I fully agree that seat assignments should not be tossed to the wind if someone who earns the company more money etc. walks up and wants the seat. I was just trying to say that unless the new occupant of 1A or the agent doing the change hops on FT we will never know if it was a "good" operational change or if someone pulled strings to get their favourite seat.
I believe the best recourse would be to contact CS and explain the disappointment of not getting the requested seat and hope that the person responding recognises an (I assume) EXP on a paid J fare should be appeased above what is required. My point of advice in this is to be as polite and unemotional as possible. Since technically the OP is entitled to no compensation (As far as I understand) a warm interaction with the AA person is much more likely to result in an agreeable outcome.

Time traveller

I have been bumped a few times while originally having assigned seats in 1A or 2A on international flight to/from LHR. This usually happens a day or two before the flight departure and I attribute it to being FAM displacing me.

Not sure the timing of OP's seat assignment change, but I don't know if one can say with 100% certainty it wasn't a FAM, unless the seat change was several weeks prior to departure. I have since started selecting 1J/2J and have not had a seat change since.

HLCinCOU

Well, the did value loyalty enough to seat you in F when you paid for J.

Anyway, there's not really anything you're going to do to get back into 1A. That's why I advised you to try to de-anchor your thoughts from that other seat.

Thursday I had an upgrade on an 8PM flight, but got done early and did an SDFC to a 6:45 flight, sacrificing the upgrade. Then five minutes later when I checked the app, I saw that flight was delayed to 8:55. So I got put back on the 8PM flight but had to sit in Y. I could have been unhappy about that; in fact, very briefly I was a bit annoyed that they hadn't figured that out when I did the SDFC. But I fairly quickly decided to instead focus on the fact they got me into an exit row, gave me a free drink, and flew me through the air at incredible speed. All of which is awesome. Remembering all that, I had a great flight.

DoTheBartMan

They should send you to DY. @:-)

jphripjah

What's a CK?

mrow

Concierge Key - an elite status level about Executive Platinum with AA.

YoungSoloTraveler

Is that you, Mr. Schlappig? The horror of being moved back 1 row back.

SFO777

I had a similar seat issue on the same LAX-LHR flight in May. Mrs. SFO777 and I were book in 1A and 2A. When I checked our reservation a couple of days before the flight, she had been bumped from 1A to 1D. In the end she decided not to go and I stayed in 2A. 1A was definitely not FAM.

wrp96

Even several weeks it could be a FAM, especially for international. When I was bumped from 2A due to a FAM it was weeks in advance of the flight. First class had been sold out for weeks so I couldn't even get a new seat assignment. The day before the flight, I guess the FAM decided to take a different flight and I was able to get a seat assignment, again 2A. At least the OP still has a seat assignment.

MSPeconomist

How do you know it was a FAM?

kb9522

Your seat is not guaranteed. Equipment swaps, blocking seats, etc. are some conditions under which your seat will change. There isn't much you can do about it. And I probably wouldn't complain either since you only paid for J.

Dallas49er

Ah! The never ending search for compensation, no matter how slight (and this ranks up there with the slightest of the slight)! Ask for a refund, full credit of EQD,EQM, & EQS, plus a personal apology from Doug Parker.