AA flights blocking "regular" economy seats for non-elites?
Did some searching but found nothing, and I asked in the sticky above, but wanted to elaborate a bit. I am looking at flights from JFK-LAX in September, but when I go to select seats, the only seats available are "Main Cabin Extra" seats, or a few middle seats in the back. Am I not able to get 2 seats together without paying this premium($60-80 a seat each way...)? Is this new, because I booked a flight back in March and did not have this issue with AA? I checked random flights throughout the year, and this seems to be happening with them all.
Also, ExpertFlyer shows these "unavailable" seats as available... For example with AA flight 181 on 9/09/2015, here is AA.com vs ExpertFlyer http://i60.tinypic.com/28vfuja.png http://i57.tinypic.com/15x0cph.png Does this mean those seats are really there, but AA is blocking them? Anyway to get around this, like booking, but not choosing seats? |
Originally Posted by Amex For Children Of Africa
(Post 25065667)
Does this mean those seats are really there, but AA is blocking them? Anyway to get around this, like booking, but not choosing seats?
Premium seats are usually made available to everyone 24 hours before departure. Your options are either to pay for two seats together now, or pick two free middle seats now and roll the dice that two adjacent seats will open up at check-in. |
Then what is their logic behind this? I am willing to spend $400 RT on flight right now, but the only way to get seats together is to pay for these "main cabin extra" seats, and not even an option to buy these "premium" seats? This is a great way to lose customers, but I guess the flight will fill up anyway.
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The logic is you are paying $400 to fly cross country twice, which is probably less than what you would pay to drive it. The solution has been given: pay or wait until the day before the flight. The other option is fly a different carrier.
This isn't new and AA isn't the only carrier that has "premium" seats. |
Originally Posted by Amex For Children Of Africa
(Post 25065782)
... but I guess the flight will fill up anyway.
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Originally Posted by skunker
(Post 25065817)
The logic is you are paying $400 to fly cross country twice, which is probably less than what you would pay to drive it. The solution has been given: pay or wait until the day before the flight. The other option is fly a different carrier.
This isn't new and AA isn't the only carrier that has "premium" seats. I am looking to find C class availability using points+cash anyway, so maybe I will just book and not pick seats. |
AA made a business decision when they replaced the JFK-SFO/LAX 767-200 flights with A321's that they just wanted to cater to the business/rich/famous travelers on these routes, not the average economy/family traveler. Hey, that's fine. That being said, if you are not looking to book a MCE seat, I would highly look over to Delta/Virgin America/JetBlue, who do cater to the average economy/family traveler on these routes.
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The freebie seats are already assigned. All that are left are those premium seats. All the airlines are doing the so you won't find another carrier with out the same process. Delta is even worse. If you look further out you will see that seats available. The seats aren't blocked. They are reserved. Generally people get upgraded so 4 days out start checking seat maps - you can get lucky. If you got kids the airline is pretty darn good getting you seats together for families.
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Originally Posted by AA-Flyer-SAN
(Post 25065906)
The freebie seats are already assigned. All that are left are those premium seats.
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Originally Posted by Amex For Children Of Africa
(Post 25065860)
I guess what is confusing me is that I just did this flight a couple months ago, and did not come across this "premium" seat issue. Can these become regular seats as prices adjust over the next few months?
I am looking to find C class availability using points+cash anyway, so maybe I will just book and not pick seats. |
Originally Posted by Amex For Children Of Africa
(Post 25065782)
Then what is their logic behind this? I am willing to spend $400 RT on flight right now, but the only way to get seats together is to pay for these "main cabin extra" seats, and not even an option to buy these "premium" seats? This is a great way to lose customers, but I guess the flight will fill up anyway.
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Originally Posted by Amex For Children Of Africa
(Post 25065860)
I guess what is confusing me is that I just did this flight a couple months ago, and did not come across this "premium" seat issue. Can these become regular seats as prices adjust over the next few months?
I am looking to find C class availability using points+cash anyway, so maybe I will just book and not pick seats. Once I booked the upgrade and it cleared before I bought the ticket. :) |
Originally Posted by Amex For Children Of Africa
(Post 25065860)
I guess what is confusing me is that I just did this flight a couple months ago, and did not come across this "premium" seat issue. Can these become regular seats as prices adjust over the next few months?
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There are plenty of available set pairs back there, they are just not available unless you pay extra for them.
The logic of this is to boost the RASM by charging people extra for the privilege of sitting together. Those seats will, of course, open up the day before the flight, but that's a crap shoot. If the flight is sold out, you might not have a chance to change seats at that time to be able to sit together. The bean counters at AA have figured out this is a way to boost revenue without once again hiking the basic fare. Of course, sooner or later, some parent will be separated from a small child and some creep will touch that child inappropriately. Only then - when the police and the lawyers become involved - will the airlines - or our lawmakers - do anything about ensuring that families can sit together on airplanes without having to pay a premium. The BEST way of getting around this - in the future - is to fly Virgin America on this route. They don't block available seats, except for the last row. And they have more room, better food, and better entertainment. |
Originally Posted by HomerJay
(Post 25068549)
There are plenty of available set pairs back there, they are just not available unless you pay extra for them.
The logic of this is to boost the RASM by charging people extra for the privilege of sitting together. |
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