SEA_Tigger

And with LH evidently now leaving the middle seat empty for Business Class pax, this now makes the cabin effectively 2+2 seating (as opposed to 3+3 in Economy) which will probably push it back even farther (LH's website shows all the way back to the wings is where they can push the divider curtain).

GeorgeF

This is what BA did for me (and other folks) twice. When I asked for an EE seat I was asked by a check-in agent how tall I was and that I should stop again at the gate. The gate agent assigned me the seat and guess what... the whole row were guys (and a gal) 190cm or above. The Englishman next to me started joking about BA Tall People Club
What amazed me even more was that the rest of the folks in the Y cabin seemed to be happy for us

blort

You know, I was wondering about this myself. I actually called them up last weekend and managed to get exit-row seats on LAX-CHC (744) and CHC-SYD (320) without ever having to mention status. Perhaps the reservations agent could see it listed in my PNR, but even as a lowly Star Silver it was no trouble at all.

Now if only those seat reservations will stick around until December, I'll be a happy person. As much as I would like to see standardized benefits across all the Star carriers, I'm not about to complain if one will let me pre-book an exit row.

mgi

Thanks for your guidance. I'll try and call again to see if I can get a better seta. Else will take my chances at Airport Checkin.

weero

It is still more humane than to auction or sell them as Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Blue do. Though that might set a precedence.
Given the very limited duration of intra Europe flights, I guess that exit row allocation problem is not a really severe one.

mcg1000

I refuse to fly with Virgin since they've started to charge £50 for the exit row on the LHR-NRT route, especially considering that even an average-sized passenger would need to be a contortionist to sit in one of the economy seats on VS's new A340-600s.

I'm all for this idea of a "Tall Flyer Club" ^ . Passengers could be measured by a gate agent and have this data stored in their frequent flyer profile! Blessed are the tall, for they shall inherit the exit row!

FlyerBeek

I recently flew the UA codeshre on LH CPT-JNB-FRA. Although I'm not a UA elite, I was flying in full-Y and was told by LH that because of my fare class I could get a exit row upon check-in, as they were only allocated then. So, I check in early in CPT (keep in mind, this is still 6+ hours before any of the JNB passengers check-in) and was told that all of the exit rows are taken. Yet, the exit row seats remained empty until we reached JNB.

HeadInTheClouds

If checking in with UA for an onward LH codeshare flight though, I've always thought the UA agent has no control over the seat assignment at all. They usually just say they can only hand me the boarding pass as it comes out and can't change anything. This usually is a big pain when travelling with someone on different records. I've always been instructed to check w/ LH upon arrival in Germany. I would assume if you fly LH over from the US you could choose your seats all the way through, though I've never done this.

Budley

As a 1K, I have usually found Air NZ to be very helpful and have often scored an exit row on asking. I even once received an op upgrade from Y to C. So no probs with NZ.

However, LH is a completely different matter. Even as a 1K, the LH telephone reservations staff refuse to allow me to select an economy seat reserved for their elite flyers. As a result, I have had no qualms about cancelling a couple of intercontinental trips with them, and it will put me off booking with them in the future.

weero

They see a very limited inventory and can only choose from them. But they can change seat within that inventory and I returned boarding passes I did not like and got new ones.
SQ and TG generally are completely uncapable of giving you a boarding pass at all. Which is particularly convenient where I live, as TG acts as LH there.
There is also the 24 rule: no boarding pass can be issued for an ongoing flight, if it is not within [0 - 24] hours from the time of issueing. This has no consequence for the US-Europe market but flying from Australua leads to all kind of troube. SYD-SFO e.g. arrives before it takes off on the calender and hence you often cannot get passes for the ongoing flights. UA overrides this for their connections but not if it is a LH connection.

mahasamatman

Thanks for the heads-up - I do have one segment on bmi also.

FWIW, Iberia also allows coach seat assignments.

cakobau

Just wondering what people consider "premium" seating on Lufthansa anyway, since there isn't an economy plus or the like. Exit rows, sure, but there aren't THAT many of those to go around, and I would wager that elite members' demand outstrips that supply easily.

Seatguru.com, for all its glory, does not include Lufthansa seat information. Seatexpert.com just gives a copy of the seat maps, without comment.

Budley

Hi cakobau,

Suggest you go to ITN or similar and go through a booking process on LH, say SFO-FRA-SFO. Check out the seat maps, which will show the many seats reserved for LH elites only.

Regards,
bud.

weero

Very probably a seat which actually does recline or a window seat that indeed features a window, an exit row seat which does not have the door using your entire legroom. All that is premium seating in LH. There are rumours that such seats still exist .. no seriously their coach product is dreadful.

If it is any comfort for you: I was told the very same thing ... and I am a SEN .
The LH imperial standard procedure is to deny any request by claiming a) you are not a worthy customer, b) you have a cheap fare, and c) it is too busy today.
I had a negotioation with a lounge agent last month going like this (no joke):
"We reserve the bullheads for our frequent flyers"
"I am a SEN"
"there are others who fly much, much more than you do sir"
"there is no status beyond SEN yet, so please give me that seat"
"on a grey market discount fare, we can't do that, I am soooo sorry"
"this is a 2000 EUR full fare purchased from LH"
"it is still a discounted ticket"
"would you please read the fare base, it states B, it is a full fare, now can I have that seat"
"have you any idea how big this airport (FRA) is and how many people ask for special treatments?"

You may tell that I gave up at this stage and wrote a letter of complaint to LH...

Budley

Sad that you should have given up weero. LH is so incompetent that the next agent you approached could have given you the moon.

I had an experience at a French airport last year where an LH agent upgraded my H class economy reservation from FRA to BKK to D class on presentation of my SWU. No questions asked, no ifs or buts...

Sometimes things can go better than you think if you just act dumb and smile!