Originally Posted by
jtet
Back on topic... The OP didn't say which flight they were on. Either way, both are now 777’s equipped with PP. One a -300, the other a 200. I’m guessing that when OP made seat reservations the seat map was still showing a non-PP version. That could explain why the change occurred. To be “10 rows back” means the original seat was likely in rows 16-22 (looking at the 772 Version 2 seat map) https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/aircraft/777/200/default.aspx
In the PP version, most of those don’t exist, and those which do are Polaris (16-18) or PP (20-22). https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/aircraft/777/200/default.aspx
Unfortunately… The morning flight is packed, and the afternoon flight has only middle E+ seats left. Two Polaris seats unclaimed… It’s possible that some upgrader will move into one, but there won’t be a lot. It’s booked full. No upgrade list for PP on this one… Guess the folks in the PP seats will be very happy!
this.
The early flight is a dedicated polaris route (so should offer PP fares), the later is not. I’d guess the OP is on the later.
Not only are there seats/rows that don’t exist, the re-seating algorithm appears to be somewhat mysterious. Reports have showed it has kicked lower elites out of rows that turn into PP (I’ve had this happen to me, as a silver), while keeping higher elites there. Even how the specific seats assigned are a mystery. I had a change on a domestic route once - myself and wife on the same PNR - seated in a window (wife) -aisle (me) on a 777. When a switch happened, I ended up in a window, a couple of rows in front of my wife who has now in an aisle. I was lucky I caught this quickly and was able to move so we were in the same row - others might not have been so lucky.
This will be an issue until the conversions of the 777s are complete.
I’d ask for a PP seat if it was me, but there are none assuming it’s the later flight. There are even only a handful of non-middle seats at all, in E-, the closest being a aisle in the middle section of row 46. If the aisle is more important than the extra legroom, I’d call and asked to be moved and have an agent issue a refund of E+ fees. If you want the legroom but can handle a middle, stay where you are, and see what kind of partial refund you can get (at minimum, UA should be able to offer an ETC for your next trip). Either way, keep checking the seat map - especially in the day or 2 before a flight, seats can come (and go) very quickly, so there is a decent chance that if you look at the right moment, a more desirable seat will open up that you can snag. If you don’t have anything better by the time you arrive at the gate, have a conversation with the GA, and calmly/nicely, with a smile, ask if they will move you to an aisle/window in E+ If one opens. Take a look at the seatmap constantly on the app or on the screens by the gate to check for yourself as well.