maddie5218

I've never run into this situation before so I'm kind of curious what's going to happen here and would love some insight from anybody with more experience. I had to use miles to book a last minute award flight due to a death in the family. Usually I book award flights well in advance, so I have no issue picking seats. I've already flown the initial leg of the flight, but the return leg on Sunday has no seats left even though I'm ticketed in first class on the flight. I normally wouldn't pick first class, but it was all that's available. There are no first class seats left on the flight. It shows all unavailable when I go to pick a seat and they're not selling any either.

What's going to happen in this situation if there are no first class seats left? Am I going to be put in coach? I don't mind sitting in coach, but I'd mind it if I paid the miles for first class and am stuck in coach having "paid" for first class. Will they just return me my miles? Any insight would be great!

arollins

Sorry to hear about the death in the family, hope everything is ok. You will fly in first class, usually some seats are held till the end. If no seats available, it will be in coach, and you will have to request credit for the difference in class flown. You can also call AA to request a seat now, and ask them why sell ticket if no seat available. Alternatively, is there another routing available for you?

maddie5218

Thanks for your condolences. It's on US metal, so I'm wondering if that's where the disconnect happened. I'll just have to see what happens when I get to the airport I guess. There's one flight later that night. Thanks for your help!

aztimm

Sorry for your loss.

Thank you for the clarification of US flights. I'll move this to the US Airways forum.

US does usually block some seats in F for handicap passengers, and they'll show as booked on the seatmap. My guess is that you'll be assigned one of those.



aztimm

seawolf

Some F seats are blocked against assignment in advance.

dhuey

Do you know how many F seats typically get blocked and why they do this? Might they have overbooked F?

I have the same situation as the OP for a flight on AA tomorrow. I'd like to check in, but there are no seats available for selection in F.

aztimm

In my experience, US usually blocks 2 seats in F, sometimes 4.
On the few times it has happened to me (upgraded to seat **), an agent has been happy to assign me a seat when I've called.

milesandmoremiles

US Airways only blocks 1 seat in First Class for handicapped passengers and thats 1A. The other seats in First are blocked and can generally only be assigned in advance to Preferred members. You can try calling to see if they will assign you a seat which they probably will since no other seats are open for assignment. Or you can wait to OLCI and the seats that are blocked but not assigned will show as available.

In any case, baring a seat breaking or air marshalls being booked on the flight, you'll be accommodated in First.

Indelaware

It doesn't matter that there are no seats left for advanced assignment -- assuming that you are, in fact, ticketed and holding a confirmed reservation. Even if the flight turns out to be oversold, it is extremely unlikely that you would be IDB. Passengers tend to flock at the chance of VDB; moreover, a quiet comment to the GA re your recent death-in-family would most likely further reduce the chances of IDB. However, since the flight does appear somewhat full, you might be lucky enough to score a downgrade resulting in a return of miles to your account.