Jul 31, 2014, 8:50 am
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Eligibility for Seat assignments are based on booking class and route length. In general, if you book a Y B M U H X Q V fare (or business or first class), you can get a free seat assignment on any ticket stock. If you book lower economy fares, you have to pay for seat assignment. In either case, you need to pay for a seat with extra leg room. See Lufthansa Seat reservations for Economy Class travelers for more specific conditions.
LH can't process payments if your ticket is not booked with LH stock, so if your seat assignment would require a payment, you simply can not get an advance seat assignment if you book through United (or any airline other than LH). Tickets booked on 016 stock appear to be able to get a seat assignment with payment, if the flight is booked on the LH flight number (but not if booked as a UA codeshare), but it may require calling to get this.
Even when eligible, seat assignments are not usually available on the LH website due to perpetual "technical difficulties" however they can be reserved by calling LH at either 800-645-3880 or 866-846-4283.
There have been reports that any change in the ticket may cause the seat assignment to be cleared. Therefore, it is recommended to check seat assignments if something is done to the reservation.
In LH forum -- Seat Reservations on LH flights when booked through UA [merged]
LH can't process payments if your ticket is not booked with LH stock, so if your seat assignment would require a payment, you simply can not get an advance seat assignment if you book through United (or any airline other than LH). Tickets booked on 016 stock appear to be able to get a seat assignment with payment, if the flight is booked on the LH flight number (but not if booked as a UA codeshare), but it may require calling to get this.
Even when eligible, seat assignments are not usually available on the LH website due to perpetual "technical difficulties" however they can be reserved by calling LH at either 800-645-3880 or 866-846-4283.
There have been reports that any change in the ticket may cause the seat assignment to be cleared. Therefore, it is recommended to check seat assignments if something is done to the reservation.
In LH forum -- Seat Reservations on LH flights when booked through UA [merged]
No Advance LH Discount Economy seat selection & other seating issues w/ UA Tkts (016)
May 8, 2014, 1:52 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
Remarkably it did, and the change shows when I check it on the lufthansa website. Intra-europe flight more than 7 days out in economy, btw.
May 8, 2014, 2:26 pm
#18
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,452
May 14, 2014, 10:52 pm
#19
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 397
Remarkably it did, and the change shows when I check it on the lufthansa website. Intra-europe flight more than 7 days out in economy, btw.
May 15, 2014, 12:36 am
#20
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K MM, Marriott Life Plat, various others of little note
Posts: 2,763
Same here, I called and the agent gave us all seats together no problem. I called us number but quite late at night, I suspect I got a German call center. The tickets are two MP awards and one UA ticket stock.
May 15, 2014, 2:44 am
#21
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: OOL
Programs: VA Plat, QF LTS, UA MM, Hilton Diamond, Rydges Black, ,Le-Club Gold
Posts: 3,659
Have had success selecting LH seats (also OS) on LOT.com http://www.lot.com/gb/en/
May 22, 2014, 10:58 am
#23
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 8
I just booked four people roundtrip from Amarillo to Chennai India with United. It is Lufthansa for most of it, from Houston-Franfurt-Chennai. We are traveling in late September 2014. Economy class.
Got my Lufthansa code and the reservation came right up, but the choose seat button did nothing.
I called and the agent said all seats were blocked out and she could not assign anything on any of our four Lufthansa flights. Her only recommendation was to check back a month in advance. Is this seriously my only option? It would be horrible to be on two 11 hour flights and not be seated together with the rest of my party.
have tried Thai and LOT websites, does not come up on those.
Got my Lufthansa code and the reservation came right up, but the choose seat button did nothing.
I called and the agent said all seats were blocked out and she could not assign anything on any of our four Lufthansa flights. Her only recommendation was to check back a month in advance. Is this seriously my only option? It would be horrible to be on two 11 hour flights and not be seated together with the rest of my party.
have tried Thai and LOT websites, does not come up on those.
May 22, 2014, 11:04 am
#24
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,120
I just booked four people roundtrip from Amarillo to Chennai India with United. It is Lufthansa for most of it, from Houston-Franfurt-Chennai. We are traveling in late September 2014. Economy class.
Got my Lufthansa code and the reservation came right up, but the choose seat button did nothing.
I called and the agent said all seats were blocked out and she could not assign anything on any of our four Lufthansa flights. Her only recommendation was to check back a month in advance. Is this seriously my only option? It would be horrible to be on two 11 hour flights and not be seated together with the rest of my party.
have tried Thai and LOT websites, does not come up on those.
Got my Lufthansa code and the reservation came right up, but the choose seat button did nothing.
I called and the agent said all seats were blocked out and she could not assign anything on any of our four Lufthansa flights. Her only recommendation was to check back a month in advance. Is this seriously my only option? It would be horrible to be on two 11 hour flights and not be seated together with the rest of my party.
have tried Thai and LOT websites, does not come up on those.
May 22, 2014, 11:06 am
#25
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 8
Wow, just never expected this problem.
May 23, 2014, 6:52 pm
#28
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: Ex. Somebody, now a disloyal Nobody
Posts: 317
I was able to assign seats for a UA award ticket using the OS web site but for the very same flights I was not able to assign seats for a UA revenue ticket. The LH flights on the UA revenue ticket were codeshares.
I don't normally purchase codeshares but I wanted to make sure that it was on 016 stock for the PQD. I wonder if that is why I cannot assign seats. The award tickets are also on 016, but they are LH flight numbers.
I don't normally purchase codeshares but I wanted to make sure that it was on 016 stock for the PQD. I wonder if that is why I cannot assign seats. The award tickets are also on 016, but they are LH flight numbers.
May 23, 2014, 7:02 pm
#29
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,167
May 23, 2014, 7:20 pm
#30
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, GE/Nexus, Marriott Gold
Posts: 266
Once you do that, the LH seat assignments will show on united.com as well.