Icelandair- Emergency Row
Jul 26, 2015, 7:58 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 363
Icelandair- Emergency Row
I booked tickets for my trip to Iceland through the Chase website for extra points. As I booked through a 3rd party I did not get to select my seats. Unfortunately, when I called Icelandair to select my seats, the selection wasn't very good. The representative I spoke with told me that emergency rows are blocked off until the check-in counter opens on the day of the flight. I have two questions regarding this:
1) How early does the check-in counter open? The representative told me 3 hours before the flight while the Icelandair website says 4 hours before.
2) How early should I get to the check-in counter? I am flying from BWI to BOS on the day of and my flight arrives at 2:15 while the Icelandair flight doesn't depart until 8:45, so I will be at the airport 6.5 hours before the flight departs. Do people tend to line up before the check in counter opens or will I be ok getting to the checkin counter right around the time it opens?
1) How early does the check-in counter open? The representative told me 3 hours before the flight while the Icelandair website says 4 hours before.
2) How early should I get to the check-in counter? I am flying from BWI to BOS on the day of and my flight arrives at 2:15 while the Icelandair flight doesn't depart until 8:45, so I will be at the airport 6.5 hours before the flight departs. Do people tend to line up before the check in counter opens or will I be ok getting to the checkin counter right around the time it opens?
Jul 26, 2015, 11:25 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Orlando
Programs: DL DM 2MM (NW+DL) FI Gold
Posts: 787
setho212, your best bet is to OLCI (check in for your flight on-line) which you can do 24 hrs prior to your flight on Icelandair.com
I hope you, and everyone else who flies Icelandair, understand that when they make their reservation and select a seat, it is not a seat assignment...it is only a seat request.
Thinks can change. Usually, you get what is requested...but, sometimes not.
You never know for sure until check-in, which it is why it is important to check-in via Icelandair.com 24 hrs prior to your flight. Then you can actually get a seat assignment.
In your case, do an OLCI via the Icelandair website, and select your seat from what is available. When you select a seat with OLCI, it will be an assigned seat.
I hope this explains it, but the bottom line with Icelandair is to do OLCI at the 24 hr prior to departure time, to change to the best seat.
No need to wait in line in BOS at ticket counter, with OLCI your seat is set.
I hope you, and everyone else who flies Icelandair, understand that when they make their reservation and select a seat, it is not a seat assignment...it is only a seat request.
Thinks can change. Usually, you get what is requested...but, sometimes not.
You never know for sure until check-in, which it is why it is important to check-in via Icelandair.com 24 hrs prior to your flight. Then you can actually get a seat assignment.
In your case, do an OLCI via the Icelandair website, and select your seat from what is available. When you select a seat with OLCI, it will be an assigned seat.
I hope this explains it, but the bottom line with Icelandair is to do OLCI at the 24 hr prior to departure time, to change to the best seat.
No need to wait in line in BOS at ticket counter, with OLCI your seat is set.
Jul 26, 2015, 12:29 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 363
Thanks Donna! To follow up on your very helpful reply:
1) I understand that seat assignments are merely requests until actual check ins occur. Does this mean that if I log in to the online check in system exactly 24 hours before the flight and no one else has logged in that I will have my choice of any seat on the plane (in economy of course)?
2) Are emergency row seats available when checking in online? The representative I spoke with last night implied they could only be selected at the airport. An emergency row seat is not a requirement for me, but the extra legroom would be nice.
1) I understand that seat assignments are merely requests until actual check ins occur. Does this mean that if I log in to the online check in system exactly 24 hours before the flight and no one else has logged in that I will have my choice of any seat on the plane (in economy of course)?
2) Are emergency row seats available when checking in online? The representative I spoke with last night implied they could only be selected at the airport. An emergency row seat is not a requirement for me, but the extra legroom would be nice.
Jul 27, 2015, 1:05 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Orlando
Programs: DL DM 2MM (NW+DL) FI Gold
Posts: 787
My experience has been that with OLCI at T-24, you are only able to select from what is available. Icelandair will have assigned seats to all passengers when OLCI opens, and you may find yourself in your requested seat (usually) or it might be some other seat.
On my last flight a few weeks ago, I had requested 6D, but at OLCI found that I had been moved to 1A. I prefer an aisle, so I was able to move to 3D.
For that flight (KEF-SEA) Icelandair turned rows 4-6 into EC seating.
OLCI does give you the opportunity to move to something different, from what is available, if you do not like where you are. It may be worthwhile to check back several times, to see if anything to your liking has opened up. Particulary true after airport check-in has opened, as this is when Saga club upgrades are processed.
I don't recall if the emergency exit rows are available via OLCI. Perhaps someone else knows the answer.
On my last flight a few weeks ago, I had requested 6D, but at OLCI found that I had been moved to 1A. I prefer an aisle, so I was able to move to 3D.
For that flight (KEF-SEA) Icelandair turned rows 4-6 into EC seating.
OLCI does give you the opportunity to move to something different, from what is available, if you do not like where you are. It may be worthwhile to check back several times, to see if anything to your liking has opened up. Particulary true after airport check-in has opened, as this is when Saga club upgrades are processed.
I don't recall if the emergency exit rows are available via OLCI. Perhaps someone else knows the answer.
Jul 29, 2015, 2:57 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 363
Thanks again Donna, you have been most helpful. I am guessing that the seats that have been requested for me will most likely be the ones that are assigned to me when online check in opens up. I did a dummy booking the other day and it looks like the plane is almost entirely sold out with a few middle seats available here and there. I am travelling with my wife and we want two seats together. At the time I called IcelandAir, all that was available were two seats in the very last row of the plane. I'll do online check in and hope to get lucky, but it looks as though I am going to have to hope for some lucky at the airport!
Jul 30, 2015, 10:57 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Orlando
Programs: DL DM 2MM (NW+DL) FI Gold
Posts: 787
Glad to help. Getting a better seat can make a big difference in the overall flight "experience".
To answer questions in your first post; in the US, the counter opens 4hrs prior, in Europe it is 3 (sometimes less). and I have only seen long lines waiting for check-in to open over in Europe.
My experience has primarily been from MSP beginning in 1997, and then SEA when they started service from here 6 years ago, but never a line waiting for them to open at T-4.
But I do have to admit, a lot more people are flying Icelandair now, so perhaps it is different. But I have never had a long wait....10 min tops.
Icelandair flies of of Terminal E in BOS, so on the day of your flight, if you want different seats, head that way when you arrive and check for a line, just in case. Especially if EE row seats do not show up as available with OLCI. Being first in line when they open could make a difference in getting EE row seats.
You now have the capability to update your seat "request" via the Icelandair web site. Go to the home page, click the "my trips" tab and enter booking reference (aka confirmation code), next, click "seat preferences", then click the "extra bags, seats, and meals" tab, then click "seat request", which will give you your flight seat map. See if something you want is available, if so, select it, then add (aka save) it.
This is still just a request, but better to request what you really want then stick with separate seating.
I use a service called Expert Flyer for a lot of what I do. You can pull up a great deal of information. In your case, you can get a free account that gives you 1 seat alert.
You can enter your flight specifics, and it will search on a regular basis for what you want....so you can request a seat search that will put you next to each other, and when something shows up, you get an e-mail notification.
Or you can use the smart phone app. You will be alerted that a seat you requested is now available, so when you get the alert, you still go to the Icelandair site, and make the request for that seat there. The service continually searches for the seats you specified, and lets you know if they have become available. But you still have to make the actual request via the "my trips" method on Icelandair.com, mentioned above.
Still, just a request, but the idea is to use all available tools to request what you really want.
If interested, the free account info is here:
http://www.expertflyer.com/free-program
How soon is your flight? BOS currently has 3 flights a day to KEF; 2:35pm, 8:45pm, and 9:30pm, and they all look heavily booked.
Hope you can get seats together, but things are really looking full.
To answer questions in your first post; in the US, the counter opens 4hrs prior, in Europe it is 3 (sometimes less). and I have only seen long lines waiting for check-in to open over in Europe.
My experience has primarily been from MSP beginning in 1997, and then SEA when they started service from here 6 years ago, but never a line waiting for them to open at T-4.
But I do have to admit, a lot more people are flying Icelandair now, so perhaps it is different. But I have never had a long wait....10 min tops.
Icelandair flies of of Terminal E in BOS, so on the day of your flight, if you want different seats, head that way when you arrive and check for a line, just in case. Especially if EE row seats do not show up as available with OLCI. Being first in line when they open could make a difference in getting EE row seats.
You now have the capability to update your seat "request" via the Icelandair web site. Go to the home page, click the "my trips" tab and enter booking reference (aka confirmation code), next, click "seat preferences", then click the "extra bags, seats, and meals" tab, then click "seat request", which will give you your flight seat map. See if something you want is available, if so, select it, then add (aka save) it.
This is still just a request, but better to request what you really want then stick with separate seating.
I use a service called Expert Flyer for a lot of what I do. You can pull up a great deal of information. In your case, you can get a free account that gives you 1 seat alert.
You can enter your flight specifics, and it will search on a regular basis for what you want....so you can request a seat search that will put you next to each other, and when something shows up, you get an e-mail notification.
Or you can use the smart phone app. You will be alerted that a seat you requested is now available, so when you get the alert, you still go to the Icelandair site, and make the request for that seat there. The service continually searches for the seats you specified, and lets you know if they have become available. But you still have to make the actual request via the "my trips" method on Icelandair.com, mentioned above.
Still, just a request, but the idea is to use all available tools to request what you really want.
If interested, the free account info is here:
http://www.expertflyer.com/free-program
How soon is your flight? BOS currently has 3 flights a day to KEF; 2:35pm, 8:45pm, and 9:30pm, and they all look heavily booked.
Hope you can get seats together, but things are really looking full.
Jul 31, 2015, 9:09 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 363
Many thanks once again Donna.
My flight from BWI to BOS lands at 2:15 and the flight to Iceland departs at 8:45 so I should land in plenty of time to be first in line when check in opens up at 4:45, presuming that EE seats are not available for OLCI.
Unfortunately because I booked through a 3rd party site (Chase UR) I cannot change my seat selection online right now. It doesn't appear to matter though because there aren't 2 seats available anywhere on the 8:45 flight. We'll see what happens at OLCI and if EE seats are available then.
My flight from BWI to BOS lands at 2:15 and the flight to Iceland departs at 8:45 so I should land in plenty of time to be first in line when check in opens up at 4:45, presuming that EE seats are not available for OLCI.
Unfortunately because I booked through a 3rd party site (Chase UR) I cannot change my seat selection online right now. It doesn't appear to matter though because there aren't 2 seats available anywhere on the 8:45 flight. We'll see what happens at OLCI and if EE seats are available then.
Aug 3, 2015, 8:13 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1
I need advice
We'll be taking a trans-Atlantic cruise from Rotterdam next year via Iceland and Greenland to Boston. So we need one-way flights to AMS.
We live in Baltimore and do have choices. Soi n terms of legroom (and comfort) which one would you take if your choices were Icelander, WOW and Condor?
A big factor against Icelander is an eight-hour stopover in Reykjavik in the dead of the night.
We live in Baltimore and do have choices. Soi n terms of legroom (and comfort) which one would you take if your choices were Icelander, WOW and Condor?
A big factor against Icelander is an eight-hour stopover in Reykjavik in the dead of the night.
Aug 3, 2015, 10:57 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 363
I have a follow up question. Based on expert flyer, it looks like rows 7-11 are blocked rather than occupied. Based on seat guru, these seats are economy comfort seats. Would it be possible to select these seats at OLCI even though I paid for a regular economy seat?
Aug 4, 2015, 7:02 am
#10
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: Marriott, AAdvantage, United, Club Carlson
Posts: 1,687
We'll be taking a trans-Atlantic cruise from Rotterdam next year via Iceland and Greenland to Boston. So we need one-way flights to AMS.
We live in Baltimore and do have choices. Soi n terms of legroom (and comfort) which one would you take if your choices were Icelander, WOW and Condor?
A big factor against Icelander is an eight-hour stopover in Reykjavik in the dead of the night.
We live in Baltimore and do have choices. Soi n terms of legroom (and comfort) which one would you take if your choices were Icelander, WOW and Condor?
A big factor against Icelander is an eight-hour stopover in Reykjavik in the dead of the night.
Aug 7, 2015, 3:56 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Europe
Programs: UA:1K MM, AF:FB-Platinum; QR: PC Platinum, FI: Saga Gold
Posts: 2,934
We'll be taking a trans-Atlantic cruise from Rotterdam next year via Iceland and Greenland to Boston. So we need one-way flights to AMS.
We live in Baltimore and do have choices. Soi n terms of legroom (and comfort) which one would you take if your choices were Icelander, WOW and Condor?
A big factor against Icelander is an eight-hour stopover in Reykjavik in the dead of the night.
We live in Baltimore and do have choices. Soi n terms of legroom (and comfort) which one would you take if your choices were Icelander, WOW and Condor?
A big factor against Icelander is an eight-hour stopover in Reykjavik in the dead of the night.
Not sure I understand the eight-hour dilemma. I suppose you have hit upon the noon flight from IAD which gets to Iceland at around midnight. If there's no flight going to Amsterdam around that time, then indeed you'd have to wait. But Icelandair also has an evening flight from Dulles with less than a 1-hour connection....
I certainly support the suggestion of a stopover in Iceland !