I'm posting this in the UA forum because it is a change associated with buying LH codeshare flights on UA tickets.

I've been flying a lot on LH from India to the US over the last three years, sometimes booking on LH and sometimes with UA. My 1K/*G status even used to get me exit-row seats.

I've just bought a ticket through UA with LH legs. Using my record locator on the LH site, the "Select Seats" button doesn't work--sneaky...

I sent an email, LH said it was broken. After some more research, I learned that LH is now charging $35 for advance seat reservations. For a 10-hour flight, that's well worth it. I called, and the LH rep flatly refused to make any seat assignment, with or without paying. The only way I can choose a seat is upon checkin.

I've HUCAed twice with both airlines, and the story's the same: LH stopped allowing any seat assignments on certain discounted classes booked through UA.

I think two things should happen:

1) UA should tell me that LH is going to treat 1K's like dirtbags BEFORE I buy the ticket--more formally, that the fare class won't allow advance seat assignments. This is in UA's best interest, as FRA->US can be done on either airline.

2) UA needs to talk with LH about this lack of reciprocity between the two major *A partners. The UA reps said that this is a one-way street.

Does anyone know of any workarounds? Other than the obvious one of Air India after July 11?