Flight goes to airport control the day before the flight
Mar 27, 2012, 3:15 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: PBI and FRA
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Flight goes to airport control the day before the flight
The wife is flying FLL-DFW tomorrow, 3/28, and was upgraded this morning. A check of the seat maps shows nothing available so I called AA. The agent was perplexed as to why this was given there were still 4 F seats for sale. She put me on hold and called the "seat management department." After about ten minutes on hold she came back and told me the flight is under airport control and my wife would have to get a seat assignment when she checked in tomorrow morning. Any idea why the flight would have gone to airport control more than 24 hours before the scheduled departure?
Mar 27, 2012, 3:22 pm
#2
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Happens fairly often, but I've never gotten a handle on the rhyme of reason of it. Is the coach load high (Y0, perhaps)? That would be a reason.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Mar 27, 2012, 3:35 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DFW
Programs: AA PLT; SPG PLT
Posts: 326
I've had this happen. Also the kiosk can't fix it during check-in and only offered me the priority verification card. Finally got it resolved by an AC AAngel.
Mar 27, 2012, 5:09 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SAN
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Did you already check-in? Once you check-in you cannot switch seats until at airport.
Mar 27, 2012, 6:40 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: NorCal
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It looks like 1348 DFW-EWR (14:20) tomorrow is under airport control. I'm not able to change seats even though Y is wide open.
BM
BM
Mar 27, 2012, 6:41 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: AA SPG Amex
Posts: 4,644
Just a (purely speculative) guess: FLL seems like a family/elderly-heavy origin/destination meaning more pax with special seating needs (whether it be keeping families with young children together or people with mobility issues). In that case, it's probably easiest to send the flight to airport control early, thus lessening the need to move folks around and incur the wrath of those who have lost advanced seating assignments.
Mar 27, 2012, 7:14 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: PBI and FRA
Programs: AA EXP 4MM, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Hertz 5*,
Posts: 199
It's flight 1217 and it's wide open in Y. It makes no sense to me but I am sure someboby has a reason. As was also noted, this is FLL, perhaps there was a large wheelchair delivery to T3 and AA is taking precautions.
Mar 27, 2012, 10:27 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DFW
Posts: 413
I've actually had this happen a couple of times leaving FLL. I've never heard a rhyme or reason for it, and I've only experienced it there 
--wes
--wes
Mar 27, 2012, 11:01 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: AA PLAT FPC PLAT
Posts: 123
There is a department somewhere that you can call and they have airport controls.
Mar 28, 2012, 8:06 am
#11
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Or just drive out to the airport the day before the flight and have a TA fix the problem. I've done it a few times for some critical flights where I have checked in online and then been locked out of seat changes.
Of course, those of us who have direct lines to our favorite AAngels can do that as well, but the opportunities are fewer than they used to be. CK reps might be able to override airport control as well, but I'm not CK so I can't speak from experience.
Mar 28, 2012, 4:28 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Tennessee, USA
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I have noticed this recently as well. I have seen it most when one cabin is close to full or oversold.
No wonder AA is in Bankruptcy!
No wonder AA is in Bankruptcy!
Mar 6, 2015, 11:50 am
#13
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Just had a window on 773 get changed from first row to last row middle section in business mysteriously. Agents keep saying departure airport has to handle. So frustrating snd one row in front of Y is louder and the last to be served. From first to worst in business seats.
Mar 6, 2015, 12:55 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SAN
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Just had a window on 773 get changed from first row to last row middle section in business mysteriously. Agents keep saying departure airport has to handle. So frustrating snd one row in front of Y is louder and the last to be served. From first to worst in business seats.
Mar 6, 2015, 5:06 pm
#15
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP...couple hotels and cars too
Posts: 4,548
Walk up to the guy in your seat, ask him about his work as a federal air marshal.
Ive always planned to do that if I get bumped.
Ive always planned to do that if I get bumped.