mattack4000

It was on a 767-400ER. You know why I don't know what number exactly, the seat number changed on the e boarding pass! The only paper work she has is the original boarding pass that we got after we purchased it.

I am not looking for compensation over the seat selection as she had no problem moving to the new seat, but does it hurt to ask before you force something onto a customer? I guess airlines simply don't care and they can do whatever they want, apparently some people don't care either. If we are selfish for trying to be treated like a customer, so be it.

We purchased the E+ seat about 30 min before her connection flight, which was 8 hours before this flight. The flight still had the original seat number when she was having her meal before the flight, so it happened very close to departure.

Imstevek

Sorry it happened. Time to move on and get over it.

HoustonConsultant

I get that different people have different tolerances for embarrassment, but there has been at least a dozen times when I zoned out getting on an airplane and sat in C rather than D, A rather than F, or row 3 instead of 2. I realize it when the passenger who is supposed to be in that seat comes to tell me that I'm in their seat.

At least once a month (probably once a week) I see someone else who realizes that they accidentally sat in the wrong row.

I know we all have different things that bother us, but if this is the worst thing that happens on your vacation, you are going to have a great vacation.

kettle1

Pull an "Ann Coulter" and this will be in the media for a week.

emcampbe

She's probably not going to find out if she wasn't told at the time they did it. And she's not going to 'look like an idiot'. Seat changes after boarding by the GA isn't particularly uncommon. Furthermore, happens to the best of us. I've sat in the row behind or in front of where my assigned seat was before. When someone comes to tell me I'm in there seat, I look up, realize my mistake, move to my correct seat, and no harm, no foul. I doubt anyone thinks twice about it.

Another time, boarded an RJ at DAY to IAD, and a guy comes on asking where 10 (or whatever row) E is. I politely explained to him that he was probably supposed to be on the Airbus boarding next door to ORD. Maybe a bit embarrassing, but these things happen. Honestly, if that's the worst thing that happens to me on a given travel day, it means its been a pretty good day.

Correct - they will charge you again, and then at time of departure, they process a refund for the seat you didn't use. If its the same kind of seat (aisle to aisle), it will almost always be the same price, exception being if its a switch to or from a bulkhead or exit row.

Yes, there is some price differentiation, but even so, that doesn't change the CoC provisions noting that seat assignments aren't guaranteed.

The way it works is how I've written above - if you change an E+ seat assignment, you'll have to pay in new money for the new one, and will get refunded for the one you don't sit in after takeoff. If you call an agent and have them do it, they may, if they choose, may do the switch without requiring new payment or process a refund at the time, but technically, that's not SOP.

Yes, and no. My understanding is she originally selected a window seat, then moved to an aisle seat in a different row a few hours prior to departure, then was involuntarily moved to the other window seat in the row she originally was in.

kb9522

She paid for an E+ seat and sat in an E+ seat... When they moved her, they even kept her in an aisle seat. Man... the things people have hissy fits about on FT....

ClipperJon

Decades ago, I was returning from CLL to HNL via DFW after 2 semesters and 2 summer sessions of college at Texas A&M. Just after the second summer session ended I was hit by a pick-up truck and my left leg was close to being amputated. I boarded the DC-10 on crutches and discovered AA had duplicated seat assignments. My preferred first row bulkhead aisle seat was taken by a middle-aged woman who refused the relinquish her seat. I had a cast from my toe tips up to my thigh after my "Hoffman Device" was removed, and the pain was palpable. I could not believe this woman - or AA - and I found myself sitting elsewhere for the flight. It was not the end of the world, though I suffered discomfort. I moved on. No offense, but I suggest you and your wife do likewise, or provide additional details that would justify your outrage about being re-seated in a comparable UA Economy Plus seat.

mattack4000

Not sure if I am typing poorly or people are reading poorly. She had no problem moving, just ask and it's done in two seconds. Maybe it's too much to ask for a courtesy note nowadays.

And no, it was not a bulkhead seat, they just moved that seat to someone on standby. Simple as that, not asking for compensation, just more of wth happened and it was embarrassing for her (mistake that she didn't create thank you very much).

jeffrocowboy

was on an "Asian" airline flight yesterday - the passengers worked out how to seat a family together without cabin crew assistance! Everyone seemed happy.

Grog

All of that is clear. The focus keeps being put in the wrong place.

Flyer #1 is already in her seat. Has a valid boarding pass for such. Another flyer (#2 if we must) approaches flyer #1 and says "hey, you're in my seat". Flyer #1 is understandably confused because they know they're in the seat they were assigned. A ruckus, a ballyhoo, a brouhaha ensues. One that could've been prevented 95% of the time. {T}he "Seat selection is not guaranteed!" which does nothing to address the poor implementation of (and subsequent justification of the failures of) a seat reservation system.

I get it.

^

wolf72

Fantastic. It had to be an asian airliner that got it right.

LondonElite

Last week Lufthansa moved me from 7A to 5A, at boarding and without asking me first. I didn't make a big fuss or post on the internet (until now). I don't recall the seat being any different and I got to my destination at the same time as the person who eventually sat in 7A.

weero

Giving UA money does make you complicit in terrible customer service so to speak ....

I find that being treated like a convict deported for Early Australia by UA feels a lot less painful when you paid next to nothing for a K fare than if you get your upgrade rescinded on a full fare as a 1K MM ....
At least it was taken by the GA and not by an overzealous FA like in the DL_vs_Coulter saga.

One can of course always take pictures of the GA and the passenger that conquered the seat and probe social media .....

Catbert10

It never ceases to amaze me how people don't understand the frustrations caused when UA (or other airlines) treat passengers like cargo instead of people. Sure they don't HAVE to guarantee your seat. But it sure would have been the nice thing to do to at least ask first. Instead, airlines take the "shut up cargo and do as your told" attitude. And then when someone gripes about it, half the people here echo the same "be good cargo and don't complain" attitude. I doubt very many would feel the same if it was their parent or SO or child that was treated like a sack of potatoes.

Just because an airline can do something doesn't mean they should.

AlohaDaveKennedy

Meh - what's the big deal? It is not like you pay extra money to buy your seat. What the airline is selling you is smoke, a "Seating Suggestion," like the "Serving Suggestion" on a food box. And when you actually open that box, what is inside may look like the pretty picture on the front or it may look like the bloody remains of a passenger dragged off the plane.