Getting assigned a lousy award seat on partner flight
Aug 27, 2015, 2:30 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: lax
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Getting assigned a lousy award seat on partner flight
Maybe it is just my bad luck.
I book a lot of award travel with the Asian Airlines through UA. Almost always in biz.
99% of the time I get assigned a lousy seat. You know, the ones on seat guru that have warning on them. Usually near the galley or toilet.
I usually have to get the confirmation code from UA and call the Asia liner and change my seat.
I just waited 2 hours with of them to make the change.
Maybe I am just being too particular, but anyone else have similar issues? I guess they reserve the better seats for their FF?
I book a lot of award travel with the Asian Airlines through UA. Almost always in biz.
99% of the time I get assigned a lousy seat. You know, the ones on seat guru that have warning on them. Usually near the galley or toilet.
I usually have to get the confirmation code from UA and call the Asia liner and change my seat.
I just waited 2 hours with of them to make the change.
Maybe I am just being too particular, but anyone else have similar issues? I guess they reserve the better seats for their FF?
Aug 27, 2015, 2:58 pm
#2
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I haven't had any particularly bad auto-assignments. I do find they follow my preference for an aisle seat.
Some carriers do "block" some (preferential?) seats for various reasons and various timings but I don't believe they are necessarily slotted as revenue vs. award.
Some carriers do "block" some (preferential?) seats for various reasons and various timings but I don't believe they are necessarily slotted as revenue vs. award.
Aug 27, 2015, 3:24 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2010
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I was stuck in 4 D, ORD/PEK the other day, always want 3A,
Maybe I should write them a letter, use to do 1A, now. It is a pilots rest seat..,
Maybe I could just show them my license..
As long as I can lie down who cares..
Maybe I should write them a letter, use to do 1A, now. It is a pilots rest seat..,
Maybe I could just show them my license..
As long as I can lie down who cares..
Aug 27, 2015, 6:10 pm
#5
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What asian airlines you are talking about ? Why can't you call the particular to change your seat assignment ?
I have flown all *A asian partners no matter paid or awards from UA, never had a problem when I call that particular airline.
I have flown all *A asian partners no matter paid or awards from UA, never had a problem when I call that particular airline.
Aug 27, 2015, 6:16 pm
#6
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Seat assignments on partner airlines are made by the partner -- UA typically will past on your profile preference but that's all UA can do. Some partners do reserve the better seats for their FF members or paid seats. If you don't like the assignment, you will need to call as advised above. It is the airlines goal to fill all the seats so someone is going to get the seat eventually.
Aug 27, 2015, 6:18 pm
#7
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Yeah it's like hotels. Someone's going to get that crappy room overlooking the HVAC unit. If you don't want it, you need to speak up.
Aug 27, 2015, 6:23 pm
#8
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+1 - with one caveat - you have to know your airlines.... On a recent CA flight I did not realize the the first row of business class was the only row that could accommodate children - and instead of taking my auto-assigned seat further back in the cabin (2-2-2 configuration) I called and changed to the first row (thinking with my (flawed) UA logic that the foot rest area would be larger). Imagine my horror when both sides of me were surrounded with parents and their new born children - and their inability to cope with that....
Aug 27, 2015, 7:39 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2015
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+1 - with one caveat - you have to know your airlines.... On a recent CA flight I did not realize the the first row of business class was the only row that could accommodate children - and instead of taking my auto-assigned seat further back in the cabin (2-2-2 configuration) I called and changed to the first row (thinking with my (flawed) UA logic that the foot rest area would be larger). Imagine my horror when both sides of me were surrounded with parents and their new born children - and their inability to cope with that....
Aug 27, 2015, 7:44 pm
#10
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It's not just with Asian airlines. Any partner award will get non-optimal seats, so you always need to call after booking.
Aug 27, 2015, 7:49 pm
#11
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IME it's not so much the Asian partners but LH which is bad about blocking the good business class seats.
Aug 27, 2015, 10:17 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 734
I haven't had that problem with LH, but my LH business class seats have been within Germany, or Germany to IST. In many cases, those LH business class seats are becoming nothing more than the usual uncomfortable Y seats with the benefit that nobody sits next to you.
Aug 27, 2015, 11:27 pm
#13
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Don't all carriers "reserve the better seats for their FF?"
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Aug 27, 2015 at 11:36 pm Reason: repaired quote
Aug 28, 2015, 12:22 am
#14
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Aug 28, 2015, 6:31 am
#15
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Maybe it is just my bad luck.
I book a lot of award travel with the Asian Airlines through UA. Almost always in biz.
99% of the time I get assigned a lousy seat. You know, the ones on seat guru that have warning on them. Usually near the galley or toilet.
I usually have to get the confirmation code from UA and call the Asia liner and change my seat.
I just waited 2 hours with of them to make the change.
Maybe I am just being too particular, but anyone else have similar issues? I guess they reserve the better seats for their FF?
I book a lot of award travel with the Asian Airlines through UA. Almost always in biz.
99% of the time I get assigned a lousy seat. You know, the ones on seat guru that have warning on them. Usually near the galley or toilet.
I usually have to get the confirmation code from UA and call the Asia liner and change my seat.
I just waited 2 hours with of them to make the change.
Maybe I am just being too particular, but anyone else have similar issues? I guess they reserve the better seats for their FF?
For short flights, any seat will be fine with me. At least, Asian airlines feed me on plane for such short flights.