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 7, 2014, 10:15 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 84
No Advance LH Discount Economy seat selection & other seating issues w/ UA Tkts (016)
I booked SFO-DEL (UA) returning HYD-SFO (LH). About a week ago, Lufthansa apparently moved to a model of charging customers $35 for advanced seat selection. After receiving my LH booking code on the UA website, was easily able to retrieve my booking. Through a freak of nature I was able to select a seat for BOM-FRA, but then the seat selector locked out for the subsequent flight.
Today I called LH to learn that the paid advanced seat selection is only available to customers on LH ticket stock.
With the new PQD requirement it's obviously advantageous to put a split or LH itinerary on 016 tickets.
Has anyone found a way to preselect LH seats (other than buying a super expensive ticket).
Today I called LH to learn that the paid advanced seat selection is only available to customers on LH ticket stock.
With the new PQD requirement it's obviously advantageous to put a split or LH itinerary on 016 tickets.
Has anyone found a way to preselect LH seats (other than buying a super expensive ticket).
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; May 8, 2014 at 4:43 am Reason: important detail was missing in thread title
May 7, 2014, 10:37 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
Wow, OK, I see, this policy change started last year at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/lufth...h-bischof.html .
The latest development is:
Makes sense that LH having only introduced this a week ago (paying fees to reserve seats in advance on longhaul coach trips on cheap fares) might not have yet figured out how to capture the revenue for people not on LH ticket stock.
Recommendation: buy a V fare or higher and call and pre-select seats; OR just suck it up and choose exit row seats at approx. T-24 to T-48 when OLCI opens up.
The latest development is:
Recommendation: buy a V fare or higher and call and pre-select seats; OR just suck it up and choose exit row seats at approx. T-24 to T-48 when OLCI opens up.
May 7, 2014, 10:46 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 84
Wow, OK, I see, this policy change started last year at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/lufth...h-bischof.html .
The latest development is:
Makes sense that LH having only introduced this a week ago (paying fees to reserve seats in advance on longhaul coach trips on cheap fares) might not have yet figured out how to capture the revenue for people not on LH ticket stock.
Recommendation: buy a V fare or higher and call and pre-select seats; OR just suck it up and choose exit row seats at approx. T-24 to T-48 when OLCI opens up.
The latest development is:
Makes sense that LH having only introduced this a week ago (paying fees to reserve seats in advance on longhaul coach trips on cheap fares) might not have yet figured out how to capture the revenue for people not on LH ticket stock.
Recommendation: buy a V fare or higher and call and pre-select seats; OR just suck it up and choose exit row seats at approx. T-24 to T-48 when OLCI opens up.
May 7, 2014, 10:54 pm
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,454
It goes deeper than not capturing revenue - it's about pissing off UA's elites. I could have flown this itinerary on a BA dreamliner. If I would like to make 1K, I'll likely need these miles and the few PQDs as well. I must say that I've had good experiences on US and DL, and this kind of thing gets me to question the *A benefits.
Although I will say that LH has treated me very well as a UA *G, including advance assigning me exit row seats without charge.
May 7, 2014, 11:01 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
Huh, I've never asked LH for advance exit row seats seats as a UA*G, didn't know that that might work. I am pretty sure I have seen adjacent-seat blocking from LH as a UA*G.
May 7, 2014, 11:22 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 84
BA would charge non-elites for advance seat assignments, too. Though OneWorld does have more passenger friendly policies here, as BA would extend to to OW elites the same seat selection benefits granted to their own elites. *A does not offer a similar formal benefit.
Although I will say that LH has treated me very well as a UA *G, including advance assigning me exit row seats without charge.
Although I will say that LH has treated me very well as a UA *G, including advance assigning me exit row seats without charge.
May 7, 2014, 11:26 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Jersey Shore/YYZ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 12,521
Have we confirmed it's not the booking code but the ticket stock?
May 7, 2014, 11:41 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
This year I have been re-seated on the majority of my segments on BA.
LH's IT system absolutely cannot handle code shares and you are literally ground until the moment of physical check in at the airport.
UA used to be able to book LH segments as LH flight numbers on 016 ticket stock ... but I haven't tried these things in aeons.
May 7, 2014, 11:45 pm
#9
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,454
Note that there have been quite a few problems lately with seat selection on LH. seat-assignments-lufthansa-com.
May 8, 2014, 12:04 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 84
May 8, 2014, 12:53 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
May 8, 2014, 1:05 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,721
You get what you pay for. Economy tix, purchased through partner, no dice. Next time book on LH ticket.
I know it is not any consolation but BA is even worse. When I had BA Bronze status I could only reserve my seat 7 days in advance unless I paid a fee. For business class no less!
I know it is not any consolation but BA is even worse. When I had BA Bronze status I could only reserve my seat 7 days in advance unless I paid a fee. For business class no less!
May 8, 2014, 12:01 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: WAS
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Nexus, GE
Posts: 2,123
Their online seat selection has been FUBAR for a while now. I called two days ago and got a free seat selection with an S fare on United stock FRA-ORD. Try calling LH in the US. You may get a friendly agent like I did.
Last edited by astroflyer; May 13, 2014 at 11:40 am