Involuntary seat assignment change issues (consolidated)
Feb 18, 2008, 9:06 am
#272
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,172
What is the best time/way to try for an aisle/window seat selection?
I have a flight which i wasnt assigned seats to. When I logged on, over 24 hrs in advance, there were no seats available or just middle seats. I logged on 6 hours in advance, and there is a 7B available on MD-80, but I couldnt select it for whtever reason (I dont have any elite status yet). Later I see it is available and 2 middle seats open. I assigned myself to the front middle seat. But is it possible that any aisle seats open up? if so, when might be the best chance for me to grab those?
I havent checked in yet, my flight is in about 5 hours.
I have a flight which i wasnt assigned seats to. When I logged on, over 24 hrs in advance, there were no seats available or just middle seats. I logged on 6 hours in advance, and there is a 7B available on MD-80, but I couldnt select it for whtever reason (I dont have any elite status yet). Later I see it is available and 2 middle seats open. I assigned myself to the front middle seat. But is it possible that any aisle seats open up? if so, when might be the best chance for me to grab those?
I havent checked in yet, my flight is in about 5 hours.
Feb 19, 2008, 11:49 am
#273
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Cameron, TX
Programs: AA, Delta, United.
Posts: 8
Well, it looks like you've had your flight by now.
The best time to get your seat assignment is as soon as you purchase the flight. Not being an elite customer, I'd generally stay away from any seats in the front 10 rows or so of coach or you are likely to get bumped and end up where ever they put you.
If you can only get seats that you don't really like, then you just have to keep checking back to see if something better opens up due to cancellations, or saved/blocked seats being freed up. I'm not sure the timeframe when airlines release seats held for elites, but it's probably pretty close to flight time.
Use seatguru.com and look up your specific carrier and aircraft for any hints as to good / bad seats as a guideline.
Don
The best time to get your seat assignment is as soon as you purchase the flight. Not being an elite customer, I'd generally stay away from any seats in the front 10 rows or so of coach or you are likely to get bumped and end up where ever they put you.
If you can only get seats that you don't really like, then you just have to keep checking back to see if something better opens up due to cancellations, or saved/blocked seats being freed up. I'm not sure the timeframe when airlines release seats held for elites, but it's probably pretty close to flight time.
Use seatguru.com and look up your specific carrier and aircraft for any hints as to good / bad seats as a guideline.
Don
Mar 31, 2009, 3:38 pm
#274
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: San Jose, Ca, USA
Programs: UA 1P
Posts: 121
HELP--Our seats were changed without equipment change
We booked 2 tickets from SJC to EZE last summer for this May. We requested and were assigned two side seats on the 777. When I checked the reservation this week, one of us has been moved to an isle seat in the side section 10 rows away from our original selection. I called AA and the said I was SOL because there were no pairs of seat in the side section. Any ideas about our recourse?? thanks
Mar 31, 2009, 3:43 pm
#275
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
If you have flexible tickets you can really show AA you're serious by cancelling the tickets and spending your money on another carrier.
Apr 26, 2009, 7:33 pm
#276
Join Date: Dec 2005
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Amb Elite & LT Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,230
This may have been discussed in the 19 pages above but I'm really not going to sift through it since there are a variety of issues discussed.
Booked exit row seat 12B on an ER4. Day of flight AA changed equipment to ERD in which the same exit row seat is 11B. I was still showing in 12B. So I didn't check in ahead so I could change at the airport if the exit row opened up. When I checked in I was in 11B.
Then our swapped out equipment didn't work so they had to find us a new plane, now a ER4. So I'm not in the exit row again. Sitting at the gate, the agent calls 6 people up, including myself, and hands out new boarding passes. Now I'm back in the 12B exit row.
Not clear if this is a regular practice or if the people I was being swapped for were not English speakers, or they were just looking out for their EXP's.
Booked exit row seat 12B on an ER4. Day of flight AA changed equipment to ERD in which the same exit row seat is 11B. I was still showing in 12B. So I didn't check in ahead so I could change at the airport if the exit row opened up. When I checked in I was in 11B.
Then our swapped out equipment didn't work so they had to find us a new plane, now a ER4. So I'm not in the exit row again. Sitting at the gate, the agent calls 6 people up, including myself, and hands out new boarding passes. Now I'm back in the 12B exit row.
Not clear if this is a regular practice or if the people I was being swapped for were not English speakers, or they were just looking out for their EXP's.
May 28, 2009, 3:36 pm
#277
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: AA EXP, DL Plat, US Chairman, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IC RA
Posts: 1,436
Here's an odd one. I'm on a JFK-LAX flight early next month, and yesterday I was in 2D (the "Captain Kirk" seat - my fave). Today, I had to look at the flight times, and I noticed I was moved to 2B. Called the EXP desk, and ask what's going on. They start typing, type some more, then they put me on hold. When they come back on the line, the AAgent says "Sorry sir, someone at headquarters moved you. There's nothing I can do."
I've never encountered this before. Anyone else?
I've never encountered this before. Anyone else?
May 28, 2009, 3:45 pm
#278
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 1,626
Here's an odd one. I'm on a JFK-LAX flight early next month, and yesterday I was in 2D (the "Captain Kirk" seat - my fave). Today, I had to look at the flight times, and I noticed I was moved to 2B. Called the EXP desk, and ask what's going on. They start typing, type some more, then they put me on hold. When they come back on the line, the AAgent says "Sorry sir, someone at headquarters moved you. There's nothing I can do."
I've never encountered this before. Anyone else?
I've never encountered this before. Anyone else?
) directly to his left and myself across the aisle on his right (I assure you I do not work for the gov't). Oddly, all day EF was showing some low number of availability ~ F3, while the seatmap (yes, i realize this is not a good indicator) showed only 3 occupied seats in the FC cabin. Now, I have no clue when Rahm booked his ticket or how it all worked, but if the government required the two secret service agents to sit directly behid him, I wonder if that would have caused the airline to move whoever may have originally been assigned to those seats.Thus, the short of it is, in a situation like that, I wonder if AA moves people to accommodate the needs of other passengers (in this case a senior gov't official).
Last edited by Ross0; May 28, 2009 at 4:34 pm
May 28, 2009, 4:32 pm
#279
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,267
but if the government required the two SS agents to sit directly behid him, I wonder if that would have caused the airline to move whoever may have originally been assigned to those seats.
Thus, the short of it is, in a situation like that, I wonder if AA moves people to accommodate the needs of other passengers (in this case a senior gov't official).
Thus, the short of it is, in a situation like that, I wonder if AA moves people to accommodate the needs of other passengers (in this case a senior gov't official).
May 28, 2009, 4:33 pm
#280
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 1,626
Good point. Although, I don't think "Agent" and "Guard" were used interchangeably in that context.
Aug 2, 2009, 8:46 pm
#281
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: HHonors, Delta
Posts: 222
Have read through most of this thread. Many posters confirm my fear, that the exit row seats I snagged for a transatlantic flight in October may not, in fact, be the seats I and my fellow passenger end up with. I understand this possibility (I have been burned by it before on Delta, in particular).
That said, what can I do (if anything) to help my chances of keeping my two lovely exit row seats? Should I check back at AA.com often, should I use OLCI, or should I check in at the airport early (or should I simply perform a ceremonial "exit row dance" to the Aadvantage god)?
Any recent tips would be appreciated.
took
That said, what can I do (if anything) to help my chances of keeping my two lovely exit row seats? Should I check back at AA.com often, should I use OLCI, or should I check in at the airport early (or should I simply perform a ceremonial "exit row dance" to the Aadvantage god)?
Any recent tips would be appreciated.
took
Aug 2, 2009, 9:15 pm
#282
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SFO/OAK
Programs: AA EXP 3.4MM, BAEC, UAMP, Skyteam (<10k) HH Gold, IHG Plat, Hertz Gold, GE/TSA TT
Posts: 2,723
Have read through most of this thread. Many posters confirm my fear, that the exit row seats I snagged for a transatlantic flight in October may not, in fact, be the seats I and my fellow passenger end up with. I understand this possibility (I have been burned by it before on Delta, in particular).
That said, what can I do (if anything) to help my chances of keeping my two lovely exit row seats? Should I check back at AA.com often, should I use OLCI, or should I check in at the airport early (or should I simply perform a ceremonial "exit row dance" to the Aadvantage god)?
Any recent tips would be appreciated.
took
That said, what can I do (if anything) to help my chances of keeping my two lovely exit row seats? Should I check back at AA.com often, should I use OLCI, or should I check in at the airport early (or should I simply perform a ceremonial "exit row dance" to the Aadvantage god)?
Any recent tips would be appreciated.
took
So... my advice to you, become EXP, or at least PLT. Your byline seems to indicate you have no status on AA.
Aug 3, 2009, 7:05 am
#283
Join Date: May 2002
Location: St Louis, MO
Programs: AA L.T. PLT
Posts: 3,281
Obviously it's not impossible to lose your exit row seats but I'll bet it doesn't happen that often. Aside from an equipment change, I have never lost an exit row.
I wouldn't worry about it.
I wouldn't worry about it.
Aug 3, 2009, 9:14 pm
#284
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: HHonors, Delta
Posts: 222
Personally, I have never been knocked out of an exit aisle seat by either BA or AA. But then... I've booked them as EXP or PLT, so I suspect that the BA/AA computers show me at least a little respect in their programming ;-)
So... my advice to you, become EXP, or at least PLT. Your byline seems to indicate you have no status on AA.
So... my advice to you, become EXP, or at least PLT. Your byline seems to indicate you have no status on AA.
took
Oct 18, 2009, 4:33 pm
#285
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2006
Programs: AA EXP, MR PLT
Posts: 12,848
This may have been discussed in the 19 pages above but I'm really not going to sift through it since there are a variety of issues discussed.
Booked exit row seat 12B on an ER4. Day of flight AA changed equipment to ERD in which the same exit row seat is 11B. I was still showing in 12B. So I didn't check in ahead so I could change at the airport if the exit row opened up. When I checked in I was in 11B.
Then our swapped out equipment didn't work so they had to find us a new plane, now a ER4. So I'm not in the exit row again. Sitting at the gate, the agent calls 6 people up, including myself, and hands out new boarding passes. Now I'm back in the 12B exit row.
Not clear if this is a regular practice or if the people I was being swapped for were not English speakers, or they were just looking out for their EXP's.
Booked exit row seat 12B on an ER4. Day of flight AA changed equipment to ERD in which the same exit row seat is 11B. I was still showing in 12B. So I didn't check in ahead so I could change at the airport if the exit row opened up. When I checked in I was in 11B.
Then our swapped out equipment didn't work so they had to find us a new plane, now a ER4. So I'm not in the exit row again. Sitting at the gate, the agent calls 6 people up, including myself, and hands out new boarding passes. Now I'm back in the 12B exit row.
Not clear if this is a regular practice or if the people I was being swapped for were not English speakers, or they were just looking out for their EXP's.
What's really going to be "festive" is my GF and I are at DFW waiting for the DFW-GRU flight and we've lost the seat assignments we've had for months. The current story is the flight is oversold by 2 and we need to get our assignments at the gate (which I found strange but maybe all the eVIPers lost their assignments). We really aren't that wrapped up in having to sit next to each other but if we've put in rows A, E, or J on this 777, there's gonna' be trouble!