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What does "Advance seat assignments are restricted for this flight" mean?

Old Jul 1, 2015, 10:41 pm
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Last edit by: NoDestinations
Some common reasons for "Advance seat assignments are restricted for this flight."
  • Bookings made at begin of schedule (aka 330 or so days out) --
    seatmap has not yet been released.
    Wait a week or two and seat selection should become available
  • Pending aircraft change
  • Bookings made within 24 hours of flight will receive this message, check in for flight to select seats
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What does "Advance seat assignments are restricted for this flight" mean?

Old Jul 3, 2017, 3:44 pm
  #121  
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,574
Originally Posted by 747FC
I'd quickly re-grab those seats. I've had the same 330-day-in-advance seat selection problem. The ability to grab specific seats will come in a day or so....
So you are saying if I Re-book now in a few days the seat selection will open up ?

The only problem is if it doesn't I'm outside the 24 hour window to cancel free of charge
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Old Jul 3, 2017, 3:59 pm
  #122  
 
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Originally Posted by flyer4512
So you are saying if I Re-book now in a few days the seat selection will open up ?

The only problem is if it doesn't I'm outside the 24 hour window to cancel free of charge
Seat selection will become available soon, I promise. I and many others have run into exactly this issue before when booking awards at T-330.
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Old Jul 3, 2017, 4:04 pm
  #123  
 
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Originally Posted by RandomBaritone
Seat selection will become available soon, I promise. I and many others have run into exactly this issue before when booking awards at T-330.

I re-booked, Thanks
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Old Jul 3, 2017, 4:06 pm
  #124  
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Originally Posted by flyer4512
So you are saying if I Re-book now in a few days the seat selection will open up ?

The only problem is if it doesn't I'm outside the 24 hour window to cancel free of charge
Yes, you will be fine. Seat selection is restricted on flights that have just been loaded in. This applies to all tickets (award and paid) and will sort itself out in a few weeks.
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Old Jul 7, 2017, 3:14 pm
  #125  
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,574
Originally Posted by flyer4512
I was shocked to find a 12.5K one way Saver Award today which I grabbed, BDL/MSP for Saturday June 2 2018.

As usual during the booking I picked my seat. No seat showed up on the reservation so I picked my seat again and still nothing.

I called UA and they could not assign my seat either.

Is this something new for saver awards ?

I cancelled the reservation as I'm not going to get stuck in a middle seat in the last row for a flight I booked 11 months in advance.

The only thing I can think of is AA and DL don't have their schedules out to June 2 so maybe UA opens up flights but it's too early to pick seats and I may be able to pick seats next week. The agent said I can pick seats when I check in..

Seat selection was available today, thanks
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 1:01 pm
  #126  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
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United Award Ticket - No Seat Selection?

I just booked an award ticket for my son and I on United in economy from HNL to LHR with a short layover in LAX. I was able to select seats during the booking process, and even selected economy plus seats for an extra charge for the LAX-LHR flight. When the confirmation and e-ticket processed, my itinerary stated that seat assignments were not available for my flights and I would be able to select them at check-in. I checked my credit card, and United charged me for the economy plus selection, but I still don't have a seat assignment? Has this happened to anyone else? It was a saver award redemption if that makes a difference.

Many thanks for any insight on this!
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 1:07 pm
  #127  
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Originally Posted by Napagoer
I just booked an award ticket for my son and I on United in economy from HNL to LHR with a short layover in LAX. I was able to select seats during the booking process, and even selected economy plus seats for an extra charge for the LAX-LHR flight. When the confirmation and e-ticket processed, my itinerary stated that seat assignments were not available for my flights and I would be able to select them at check-in. I checked my credit card, and United charged me for the economy plus selection, but I still don't have a seat assignment? Has this happened to anyone else? It was a saver award redemption if that makes a difference.

Many thanks for any insight on this!
call them
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 1:17 pm
  #128  
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How far in the future are these flights? Is it 11 months out?
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 1:20 pm
  #129  
 
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Location: HI
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
How far in the future are these flights? Is it 11 months out?
Yes, my flights are for July 2018. Too early for seat assignments? Will the seat assignments automatically appear or should I go into my account to select at that time?

Thank you!
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 1:23 pm
  #130  
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Originally Posted by Napagoer
Yes, my flights are for July 2018. Too early for seat assignments? ....
Yes

Originally Posted by Napagoer
Will the seat assignments automatically appear or should I go into my account to select at that time? ...
give it a week or two and you will need need to reselect the seats.


Seating is not fully enabled for flights when initially released for purchase. But it is just a shortterm issue.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 1:56 pm
  #131  
 
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Originally Posted by Napagoer
Yes, my flights are for July 2018. Too early for seat assignments? Will the seat assignments automatically appear or should I go into my account to select at that time?

Thank you!
If you desire specific seats, I'd check again in 2 days, and daily until they open up.
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Old Aug 18, 2017, 3:56 pm
  #132  
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
Yes

give it a week or two and you will need need to reselect the seats.


Seating is not fully enabled for flights when initially released for purchase. But it is just a shortterm issue.
Note that if you were charged for Economy Plus, however, you might have a bit of an issue with that. Most likely case is the website will prompt you for the fee again - pay it and get the original charge refunded.
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Old Sep 15, 2017, 7:00 pm
  #133  
 
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Can't get united.com to assign Polaris seats

Just snagged 4 J awards on UA's Polaris (777-300) but the website doesn't seem to take my seat assignments. I can select seats, hit 'continue', but then the seat assignments don't show up in the summary. If I go back to the seat assignment page, it doesn't show us in our selected seats either. Is this a known bug? Any workaround?

This is an international, 2 segment, one-way award, with the first leg on TAP, if that matters.
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Old Sep 15, 2017, 7:06 pm
  #134  
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Originally Posted by mangoMan
Is this a known bug? Any workaround?
It's Friday. Trying to do anything on united.com over the weekend is generally an exercise in futillity. Wait until Sunday night or Monday.
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Old Sep 15, 2017, 7:15 pm
  #135  
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Originally Posted by mangoMan
Just snagged 4 J awards on UA's Polaris (777-300) but the website doesn't seem to take my seat assignments. I can select seats, hit 'continue', but then the seat assignments don't show up in the summary. If I go back to the seat assignment page, it doesn't show us in our selected seats either. Is this a known bug? Any workaround?

This is an international, 2 segment, one-way award, with the first leg on TAP, if that matters.
Or call.
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