ORD-MAD flight nearly empty?
Mar 15, 2012, 11:04 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
Posts: 163
ORD-MAD flight nearly empty?
I just viewed the seat availability map for our ORD-MAD IB flight on Mar 21. It appears nearly 90% empty. Can this be right? We are currently in row 12 at window on this A340-600. I am thinking that we would be more comfortable in the center 4 seats near back. Should I call IB and change? Have ORD gate agent reseat us? Should we just go back there when we board? I know the word is out that IB isn't so great, but I find it hard to believe that the flight is really so empty. This will be our first ever IB flight.
Mar 15, 2012, 12:41 pm
#3
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,415
Since the questions revolve around one specific airline, we'll move this to the Iberia forum for further discussion. Thanks! 
/JY1024, TravelBuzz co-moderator
/JY1024, TravelBuzz co-moderator
Mar 15, 2012, 4:03 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Burlingame, CA
Programs: TK Miles & Smiles, CM ConnectMiles, AA Advantage
Posts: 2,129
Don't use the seat map as a reference because it might be misleading. I had a talk with an IB rep recently and she informed me that since IB instituted a charge to pre-reserve seats in Y until 24 hrs before dept (except for top elite members with Emerald and Sapphire status), a lot of passengers wait until the day before to get their seats in order to avoid the charges.
Mar 17, 2012, 12:52 pm
#6
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Exactamente. A seat map only shows assigned seats - you could have a tour group, any number of people, with tickets for that flight with as yet unassigned seats. A GDS connected tool will reveal the actual situation - how many seats (often up to a maximum of seven) are available in each fare class.
Change for your four in the back seats and you might find yourselves crowded; if the flight departs with lots of available seats you can generally move once the hatch is ready to close / closed.
Change for your four in the back seats and you might find yourselves crowded; if the flight departs with lots of available seats you can generally move once the hatch is ready to close / closed.