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)
#31
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Colorado
Programs: Lifetime UA 1K, Lifetime Hilton Diamond, Lifetime Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 1,261
I sure hope LH is making money selling reserved seating because they are losing customers. I use to take a dozen LH international flights a year (probably $12K total spend) and now I don't fly them at all because of the seating disaster. I go out of my way to avoid places where I have to fly them.
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 84
I sure hope LH is making money selling reserved seating because they are losing customers. I use to take a dozen LH international flights a year (probably $12K total spend) and now I don't fly them at all because of the seating disaster. I go out of my way to avoid places where I have to fly them.
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,877
No Lufthansa Advance Economy Seat Selection on United Ticket Stock
Another data point here: I'm flying out of BOM on Wednesday night - was scheduled on UA but that's delayed 8+ hours so was able to have UA switch me to LH/AC via MUC instead (tried for LX, but was told they couldn't see availability). I think I'm in full Y class ) - that's what UA itin and record on LHs site specify, however, email from LH says restricted economy (will see how mileage posts). LH site said free seat selection, but clicking the link didn't work - not sure why. Called LH and they gave me a seat no problem.
#34
Join Date: May 2013
Location: DC
Posts: 255
Have had success selecting LH seats (also OS) on LOT.com http://www.lot.com/gb/en/
I was able to pull up the reservation using the LH PNR on lot's website, but I'm not seeing any "seat selection" option. Am I missing something?
#35
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Kaiserslautern
Programs: UA G 1.9MM, HH Diamond, Global Entry
Posts: 439
I'm on HSV-ORD-LHR-FRA = FRA-LHR-IAD-HSV stating late next week. All flights segments are 016 stock. The LHR-FRA and FRA-LHR segments are on LH. I pulled the LH code from my UA reservation, went to the LH website, opened my reservation and had no problem choosing seats. Maybe because its Y class stock?
#37
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, GE/Nexus, Marriott Gold
Posts: 266
I'm on HSV-ORD-LHR-FRA = FRA-LHR-IAD-HSV stating late next week. All flights segments are 016 stock. The LHR-FRA and FRA-LHR segments are on LH. I pulled the LH code from my UA reservation, went to the LH website, opened my reservation and had no problem choosing seats. Maybe because its Y class stock?
LX does not have that problem, btw. (At least not yet.) Do not know about OS.
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 14,877
IIRC, there is no advance seat selection on intra-Europe LH flights, at least not in economy. And that was not part of this change - its been like that for a while.
#39
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: San Francisco Penninsula
Programs: Bear Backers
Posts: 926
My Sister in law was able to select a seat
She needed to go on our United flight but the price was $1830.00. A search through Kyak showed Lufthansa selling that exact flight as a code share for $1609.00. So she booked it and selected her seat.
#40
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Programs: UA-1Kmm, AA-EX Plt mm-, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 1,093
I sure hope LH is making money selling reserved seating because they are losing customers. I use to take a dozen LH international flights a year (probably $12K total spend) and now I don't fly them at all because of the seating disaster. I go out of my way to avoid places where I have to fly them.
#41
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K MM, Accor Plat, Htz PC, Natl ExEm, other random status
Posts: 2,876
Just had the same problem a spoke with a LH agent - apparently, V classes and above get free seat selection (so calling LH would work), while W and below require a payment of a fee. And apparently there is no way to pay that fee if you are ticketed on 016 stock.
LX does not have that problem, btw. (At least not yet.) Do not know about OS.
LX does not have that problem, btw. (At least not yet.) Do not know about OS.
I'm told that this is not a AC issue, but (wait for it) a limitation of SHARES, so I have to assume that it's the same thing here.
Greg
#42
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Sun & beach destinations
Programs: UA-lifetime Platinum (2MM), IHG-Amb, HH-Diamond, Hertz-PC, Marriott-Gold, CX-AM
Posts: 1,427
I booked LH international flights W class on LH ticket stock with my UA star gold status, and thought Star Alliance gold member could select seat free of charge, but I was wrong !!!
#43
Join Date: Jul 2003
Programs: UA1K 3MM, AS MVP 75K Gold
Posts: 2,706
I'm on Lufthansa on a 016 tkt from FRA-JNB-FRA, over ten hours each way.
I wish I knew when I booked the flight that I could only get a seat assigned when I checked in.
Is UA doing the same to Lufthansa passengers booked on Lufthansa ticket stock?
I wish I knew when I booked the flight that I could only get a seat assigned when I checked in.
Is UA doing the same to Lufthansa passengers booked on Lufthansa ticket stock?
#44
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 64
- not do advanced seat reservation when flying S class,
- not do advanced reservation of exit row when flying Q class (despite availability), and
- not even pick an exit row seat at online check-in (despite availability).
#45
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA LT Plat, UA 1k/1mm+, National EE, IC Plat, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 2,605
So to summarize:
- When on 016 ticket stock, *Golds can no longer select seats in Y on LH long haul flights
- When on LH ticket stock, *Golds CAN select seats but only via charge if on cheap fares
- Some folks have been able to use other sites to assign seats anyway
- Some folks have been able to get assignments by calling LH USA
Does that sum it up?
- When on 016 ticket stock, *Golds can no longer select seats in Y on LH long haul flights
- When on LH ticket stock, *Golds CAN select seats but only via charge if on cheap fares
- Some folks have been able to use other sites to assign seats anyway
- Some folks have been able to get assignments by calling LH USA
Does that sum it up?