Cannot assign seat on Delta.com

My current reservation, booked thru NW but on DL metal has me returning from EZE on Mar 21 to JFK. The availability looks like J9 D9 S9 I9 Y7 B7 M7 H7 Q7 K7 L7 U7 T4 , and I am on a L class ticket. I currently do not have an assigned seat, and when I go to delta.com It shows no available seats. As a NW Gold, should I be able to select a seat since it looks there are seats available? If so, what would be the best way to do this? How's my chances of getting bumped off this flight?

Thanks for your wisdom!

Had a similar situation about a month ago. Turned out the ticketing on DL wasn't fully processed. Call NW and have them look at the reservation. In my case, the agent had to call the ticketing department (who I think had to call DL) to get the record fixed.

Just call DL. You won't be able to select premium seats on delta.com anyways, might as well get it all taken care of at once.

When you book a mixed itinerary, you must go to delta.com or nwa.com,
Reservations > Manage My Reservations and using your confirmation number, choose your seat.

You will have to call Delta to select your seats. There is still a lot of work to go to integrate the online experience with NWA/Delta.

Are you using your DL confirmation number at delta.com? (Your reservations summary on nwa.com should show you your DL confirmation number if you don't have one. Or you can call NW and ask them for your DL confirmation number).

So, you might want to try that if you haven't already.

Sometimes, although probably not the case as some that have more experience with DL (I am avoiding DL until I cannot avoid it....geez I used live in the NE and had to fly that airline all the time: it sucks, well to be technically correct and it is my own opinion, it became a crappy airline after deregulation--it used to be a premier airline in the pre-dereg days) and they seem to have your problem figured out. HOWEVER, sometimes one gets "lucky" and you can not get an assigned seat or an online check-in either because you have "privilege" of a careful TSA check.

This usually only happens when you try printing tickets...you get a message telling you that you cannot have your ticket printed, but it happens when trying to pick seats as well. I have had both happen to me.

Andy

I recently received a schedule change on a Palm Spring itinerary, changing me from DSM-MSP-PSP on NW, to DSM-MSP-SLC-PSP, with the flights into and out of SLC now on DL. Besides doubling the length of my trip and forcing me onto a 5:00 AM flight, I lost all seat assigments. I was able to choose elite seats for the NW flights on line, but DL flights were "not assigned". I called the Plat line, was given my DL confirmation number, and told I could pick seats on the DL website. The website let me choose non elite seats on the seat map, but they did not stick and when I would log in again it would say "not assigned". I tried this over and over for a couple of days, and finally called DL. The agent said I couldn't choose seats on their site because I didn't have a Skymiles account and since NW issued the ticket, they would have to reserve my DL seats. Back to the Plat line (and agent couldn't have been nicer), she literally had to call DL, with me on hold for about 15 minutes, she was able to get me seats on the DL flights. She also told me that I could change them if I wanted via the DL website. But I had the same problem. I could change on the seatmap, but the selection did not register on the reservaton. I called DL again and, long story short, was told the remaining seats on these flights were "blocked" and that unless I was an elite I couldn't change the seats. When I informed her that I was a NW Platinum, she said she "cannot see that" and that there was a problem "over at Northwest" in getting the elite data sent over to DL, and that I should call NW. Back to Plat Line, much the same routine, she had to call DL, put me on hold, but was able to get my Plat status into DL system. When I logged back into DL, my Plat status showed and I was able to change the seats. What a hassle. Then, a few days later, checking back, I notice that one of the DL flights had reverted back to "not assigned". But the flight was now almost full and I was only able to get a window seat in the tail of the aircraft. DL agent said there had been an aircraft change on the flight and could not explain why my seat had not been automatically reassigned.

I am seriously thinking of cancelling this entire itinerary (it's an award) and just booking on UA or AA, that can get me there in two flights.

For this and many other reasons, your inclination to book UA or AA is correct, in my view. It's too bad that WN doesn't serve DSM. Delta could easily fix this SNAFU, but they choose not to. Virginia Avenue is not stupid; they know about all this, but choose to not address it or fix it.

Remember, the intended business policy is to steer you into using Delta resources (res, website, phone support, FF program) and quit using Northwest resources. But, by making it difficult, DL management run the risk of pax bolting to other carriers. This seems to be the case here.

Good luck, you may need it!

Sorry to raise an old thread but we're doing a NWA-based MR this weekend. Our flight from ATL-DTW is operated by Delta and we have been assigned terrible seats (middle seats at rear of aircraft). Hubby is ST Elite+ and I'm Elite. Have the NWA confirmation and the Delta Confirmation nos and the option to assign seats isn't coming up on delta.com at all. We have assigned seats for the NWA metal sectors but neither site gives us the option to select seats for the DL flight. Okay it's a short flight (just over 2 hrs) but it's #3 of the day so a little more space would be appreciated.

We're based in Ireland.

Welcome to the new DL, where IT sucks.

I was able to call Delta yesterday (during business hours) and request specific priority seating (first using this link -- www.benedelman.org/travel/dlseats/ -- to find out what was actually available. much thanks to whomever posted it). My Delta reservation showed that I had elite status but gave no options for preferred seating.

But earlier, when I couldn't get thru by phone (middle of night), I sent an email requesting seat assignments and explaining that I was Sky Team Elite through Northwest.

This was their reply. It's like they have no clue:

Dear Ms. Baker8,

Thank you for contacting us through delta.com. We are sorry for the
delay in responding to your message. ...

We would like to inform you that every Airline has there own Frequent
Flier program and as per the program every frequent flier member have
some benefits due to there loyalty towards the Airline. Preferred
seating is one of the benefits for those frequent flier members who have
gained a medallion status.

Preferred seating is offered on Delta (excluding Delta Shuttle),
Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Comair, SkyWest, and Chautauqua aircraft
and is designated only to qualified passengers. However, these seats are
also available to all passengers on the day of departure.

Our records indicate that seat xxF is a preferred seat in exit row.
Preferred seats can be assigned online or over the phone only for
qualified members.

However, Coach Choice seats are available to all customers on a
first-come first-served basis up to 331 days prior to departure.

We appreciate your business and trust your future flights will be
enjoyable. We hope you will continue to make Delta your airline of
choice.

Sincerely,

Irene Meyers
Online Customer Support Desk
http://www.delta.com


I resisted the urge to write back and quote from other Delta FAQs that clearly say
preferred seats are "set aside for SkyMiles Medallion and SkyTeam Elite members" since I already had the seats. But just the same ...

Just find a way to employ the online chat feature of delta.com and ask the online agent to get Medallion seats for you. Works like a charm for me.

I didn't realize that was an option. Great suggestion. Thanks!

You are thinking correctly my friend... go with the least hassle...