John Brock

I am flying tomorrow on AA2196 DFW-SJC. It is a 738 plane. As EXP I requested an upgrade. No dice at the 24 hour check-in. Three hours later I got the upgrade to F. My seat is 6B. I went to my reservation on aa.com to move my seat up front. When I tried to change my seat to 3F or any of the other three seats available, no dice. When I tried to reprint my boarding pass with 6B, no dice. I have to see the agent at the airport. Why can't I change my seat or reprint my boarding pass? Is it because it is less than 24 hours before the flight, or is it because it is only a last minute upgrade?

sbrower

I don't think either of your speculations is the answer. I don't know the correct answer, however. I have always been able to make changes.

nrr

Generally, under similar circumstances, I have been able to change seats and/or re-print bp's; however, sometimes they change equipment or the flight (for unexplained reasons--at least unexplained to the exp agent I spoke with) goes to airport control earlier than the 3 hour point--under these circumstances I couldn't do either.

bdemaria

I've encountered this same problem. I was told that it is a computer glitch that sometimes occurs when you have OLCI into Y and an upgrade clear after that. EXP desk, etc.. can't move you. Only the GA/AC AAngels can change your seat now. The strange part is that the glitch isn't at all consistent - which I guess is why they ref'd to it as a glitch.

kkirk2

This has happened to me almost every time I do OLCI in and then get my upgrade. If I am already checked in, no dice. On my flight a few days ago, I tried an experiment and did not do OLCI. My upgrade cleared at 6 hours and I was able to move seats numerous times. I did the same for my return. Same story. So, it seems that if you check in and then your upgrade clears, you are stuck with the seat the computer assigns you until you get to the airport (and by that time it's too late...your stuck in 11H by the lav.....).

dfwmusicman

I've had the same problem for every one of my recent upgrades, but now I know why! With the new upgrade system, and now this "glitch," I wonder if there is any benefit to using OLCI anymore as long as I know I'll have plenty of time to check in when I get to the airport?

Night Flyer

I had this happen about 6 months ago, there were other open seats showing on the seat map but AA.com (at least, the mobile version) wouldn't let me select the one I wanted. I called, the agent changed my seat without a problem, and it then showed up when I checked again on the mobile site.

So it may be worth a call to see if it can be done by a phone agent.

oklAAhoma

Fwiw it happens to me after OLCI regardless. In other words, once I have checked in online, I can't change my F seat assignment (haven't tried it in Y) whether the upgrade occurred after I have checked in or before.

TxTrav

Does anyone know what happens if I am able to do a confirmed stand-by? I will be trying to change my flight within the 12 hour window. What happens if I've already done OLCI for my originally booked flight? If I can clear a confirmed flight change will I be able to either get the AAgent to book my new seat (and if so can I do OLCI for that) or can I choose my own seat on line and then also check in? Would I be better off not doing the OLCI 24 hours in advance and wait until the 12 hour window in hopes of making a confirmed flight change?

ilovetofly

This is my experience as well. Since upgrade is based on request time, OLCI doesn't really matter. If one wants to change seat after upgrade clears within 24 hours, don't do OLCI.

UncleDude

My experience is that you can't do online seat change within 3 hours of flights departure when it goes to Airport Control.

swag

At least in cases when I haven't upgraded and haven't done OLCI, I have changed my seats online inside of 3 hours.

oklAAhoma

As long as I haven't already checked in, that hasn't been my experience. But to be clear, the OP mentioned seat selection at 21 hours out, not within 3 hours, so there was definitely no conflict with airport control in the OP's case.

workandski

I have been told by AA that you can't change your seat yourself (regardless of whether you chose it or they chose it) after you have checked in online. This is important to me, because I often have to fly coach and make plans only a few days ahead of time. Often I can only get a middle seat. But I know that as it gets closer to flight time, people in good seats will get upgraded, so I keep watching the seat maps to snag an aisle and then an exit row when I can. When I made the mistake of checking in online before I had a good seat, I saw the exit row aisle seat open up about 8 hours before departure and I wasn't able to change my seat at aa.com. An AAngel got me the seat I wanted once I was at the airport but warned me about this glitch.