Choosing seats on Flying Blue Award Ticket
Feb 21, 2015, 11:56 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Washington DC
Programs: United Premier Gold, AA Platinum
Posts: 53
Choosing seats on Flying Blue Award Ticket
I have not booked a Flying Blue Award economy ticket before and I had a few questions:
(I don't have any status with FB. I plan to transfer AMEX MR points to FB.)
1. Can I choose the seat at the time of booking?
2. If I book an economy award ticket, will I get access to all economy seats? Or are bulkhead and exit row seats excluded?
Thank you!
(I don't have any status with FB. I plan to transfer AMEX MR points to FB.)
1. Can I choose the seat at the time of booking?
2. If I book an economy award ticket, will I get access to all economy seats? Or are bulkhead and exit row seats excluded?
Thank you!
Feb 21, 2015, 12:37 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,889
I assume you are talking about a long-haul flight ? If no, answer is no and no. If yes :
1) yes
2) no. Some seats are blocked for Skyteam elites (several rows in the front cabin). Some bulkhead seats are blocked for bassinets. Some seats with extra legroom (case of exit rows) are labeled "Seat+" and can be booked for a fee.
1) yes
2) no. Some seats are blocked for Skyteam elites (several rows in the front cabin). Some bulkhead seats are blocked for bassinets. Some seats with extra legroom (case of exit rows) are labeled "Seat+" and can be booked for a fee.
Feb 22, 2015, 10:55 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Washington DC
Programs: United Premier Gold, AA Platinum
Posts: 53
Thanks Goldorak. I appreciate the quick response.
Yes I'm looking to book IAD to CDG in May. The economy awards look okay - 35k + $90 and 42.5k +$141 for the two legs. It is a little better than award flights with United 65k each way but no fuel surcharge.
Do you have any insight on the service between AF and UA? The service on my last trip IAD to PEK on UA was mediocre. I'm looking to try an foreign carrier.
Yes I'm looking to book IAD to CDG in May. The economy awards look okay - 35k + $90 and 42.5k +$141 for the two legs. It is a little better than award flights with United 65k each way but no fuel surcharge.
Do you have any insight on the service between AF and UA? The service on my last trip IAD to PEK on UA was mediocre. I'm looking to try an foreign carrier.
Feb 22, 2015, 12:19 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: The Netherlands
Programs: FB Gold, IHG Gold
Posts: 68
I recently booked an award trip AMS-IAD for my wife. I could choose all the seats in economy I wanted, as long as they weren't preferred seats, comfort seats or exit-row seats. After booking, I could choose those seats provided I pay the extra fare required for those seats.
Feb 22, 2015, 8:36 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Paris, France
Programs: AF/KL Flying Blue Platinum for life/Club2000 Ultimate, Accor ALL Diamond
Posts: 21,889
Feb 24, 2015, 12:41 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,491
Hmmm... Personally, I would be more nuanced. The problem/difficulty, is that on CDG-IAD in May, AF fly A380s some days and 77Ws some other days.
If the itinerary is fully on A380s, I would indeed choose AF over UA because of the better soft product. However, if it involves AF's 777s, I would pick UA over AF to avoid the horrid 10-across seating on AF. Moreover, if you have any sort of status, UA is often happy to let you seat in their economy plus which has significantly more legroom (in fact, I even know people without status who got it too).
In short, to me, this one would be a "case by case" rather than a straightforward choice.
If the itinerary is fully on A380s, I would indeed choose AF over UA because of the better soft product. However, if it involves AF's 777s, I would pick UA over AF to avoid the horrid 10-across seating on AF. Moreover, if you have any sort of status, UA is often happy to let you seat in their economy plus which has significantly more legroom (in fact, I even know people without status who got it too).
In short, to me, this one would be a "case by case" rather than a straightforward choice.
