trevor68

Hi, I just purchased 2 tickets from miami to bs as for mid november. I will be flying with my wife and 4 month old baby. I bought the tickets with award miles and we currently not even gold because we no longer fly much. I just noticed in the seat selector that we got placed in the middle of the middle (not even isle seat). On both ways. This is horrendous since this will be a 9 hour flight with a baby. The flight is two months away. In the seat selector it shows no availability on the sides of the plane where you have just two seats. Is there anything I can do?

seawolf

Some seats are blocked and can be obtained in person at check-in.

ebuck

I've seen a lot of flights where AA only releases middle seats for non-elite flyers. I think they're trying to get people to purchase preferred seats; they figure the average passenger will assume that only middle seats are available so the only way to sit together is to pay a premium to sit together. Best strategy is to keep checking. At T-24, many of those window and aisle seats will become available (and most of the middle seats will have been taken!).

FAA1996

Aisle and window seats are available for purchase but unfortunately his option is not available with award tickets. Best bet will be to check at the airport.

TrojanHorse

thats pretty lame, they should at least give someone the option to purchase aisle or windows if using an award

dmsdfw

I'm not 100% sure but I recall reading that if one was to purchase a seat on an award ticket then it could make the ticket liable for various taxes and surcharges.

JDiver

Which airline? As AA and US haven't merged their operations yet, so we'd. Like to know so we can move this to the proper forum so you can get the best replies.

Thanks!

/Moderator

cova

Unfortunately, a non-elite booking multi party reward travel is restricted for seat assignments. You likely should buy the tickets you require that you sit together.

I have been on flights where people wanted you to give up your aisle seat so they can sit with someone they are traveling with. But today - if you have no status and you want to sit together - you need to buy up to preferred seats or just don't travel.

The cost of air travel continues to go up, and if sitting together with non-elites is a requirement - then it is just going to cost you more. That is just the way it is.

Apieinthesky

There are seats blocked for airport assignment. Keep checking as you close in on the departure date, and if still nothing, get to the airport early and the TA should be able to get you seats together.

Stripe

Unless the plane is completely full AA should unblock some additional seats within a few days of departure. In the meantime, set up an Expertflyer seat alert to notify you if/when seats open up. You can set something like an "any two seats together" alert. And remember, you really only need two seats together, not three. You and baby can sit together and Mommy can get some much needed alone time.

It stinks that you can't buy MCE seats if you're on an award ticket.

Centurion

What stinks is this "fake out" no available seating is done by the American to freak you out and make you worry and just pay up now for a seat that costs a little extra and is pure profit. What makes it worse is in the past if you called and explained the situation the CSR could override and get you that seat for free. All the airlines are making a fortune playing on flyers anxiety issues and know exactly how much more customers will pay for a confirmed seat, board early, etc.

kulflyer

Wonder what happens if you are flying with a minor, senior citizen or disabled person. Imagine the lawsuits if the person tries to go to the restroom on their own because they can't get to you asking to be accompanied and falls.

3Cforme

The disabled are protected by U.S. federal law.

One gets a seat in the purchased cabin. That's the deal - not a specific seat irrespective of 'reserved' seat assignments, not an aisle seat, not MCE.

3Cforme

If people find value - and the prevalence of threads on this topic suggests they do - in aisle seats or 'together' seats, why shouldn't airlines charge for it, as they do for travelers who want to get somewhere earlier with the $75 SDC fee?

Wrap all your business acumen around that and give the forum a convincing explanation, please.

Microwave

OK, I'll bite

Just because someone sees a value in something doesn't mean they're interested in paying for everything separately, or that separate pricing is always the be-all end-all. For example, when I bought my Lexus here in the UK, they had 4 trim levels to choose from. Each trim has some things as standard and the next level has more. There are a few options here or there but only a handful at each trim level. That same Lexus bought in the US wouldn't have 4 trim levels, it would have packages, and packages can be glommed on together to make a car the way you want–then the components of the packages can be added individually if you don't want the entire package. So here I effectively choose from 4 levels, while in the US the variants are much, much more numerous. In the end I prefer the concept of trim levels as I don't like having to consider so many different choices, but it's not like Lexus are screwing it up in America and doing it perfectly in the UK. Some customers want the experience all bundled into one headline price, while others prefer to be able to pick and choose exactly what they want–if the market demands the former, consumers may shun the company that forces them into the latter.

Caveat: apologies if the analogy isn't perfect, it's just what came to mind.

Edit to add: Imagine if McDonalds went to a model of charging for each topping rather than all-in pricing. The model works in some sectors and markets, while in others it's unconscionable. Conceptually the idea that people will pay for pickles because they like them doesn't necessarily imply that the business model should necessarily shift to one where pickles cost extra. A central London gourmet burger joint can get away with charging £1 extra for them, but McDonalds?