dozerman

Booked a codeshare through AA on Cathay. I got my Cathay Booking Reference from AA and changed my seats on Cathay's website. AA's website doesn't reflect the change and still shows the old seat assignment. The AA customer service rep said she couldn't do anything about it. Any idea as what is going on? I don't want to end up in a middle seat for a 16 hour flight... Thanks!

hillrider

That's normal behavior for CX. The seat assignment gets returned as a message that's not picked up by aa.com; in any rate what's ALWAYS important is what the operating carrier's systems have, not what is listed somewhere else.

JDiver

Welcome to FlyerTalk.

What hillrider said. The aa.com website has a number of quirks, and that is one of them - many airline reservation systems do not play well with one another. Keep an eye on the Cathay website - that's the one that will reflect your actual seat location.

Juxta3000

So I kind of have a few newb questions and sorry if it is basic and posted elsewhere. However I am flying to Berlin in a few months originating at LAX and connecting through LHR most likely.

I like flying BA to LHR more than I like AA. Plus I will fly BA to Berlin and the transfer from T3 to T5 at LHR is a complete beating!!

Should I book my trip through the BA website or AA as a codeshare? Last couple of times I have flown to the UK I booked using the BA website and gave them my AA# without issue. So is there any advantage to booking through the AA website?

If I book through AA will I have an issue getting an advanced seat assignment on a BA flight? Can I get exit row on BA in advance through AA since I am platinum?

Last two times I flew BA I didn't have status so I had to wait with all the other chumps when the free seating opened up. And as a result I am not privy on the procedures.

Thanks in advance!

Juxta3000

I hope that bumping is ok. Sorry again to be a pain.

Thanks.

mikelat

Are you booking as a BA or AA flight number? If you book as an AA flight number you should be able to pic your seats talking to AA customer service.

Getting miles credit for a BA flight shouldn't be an issue with the recent changes there.

May also be best to just call up AA customer service and ask them if you would be able to pick seats on a BA ticket and even confirm if you can pick seats on an AA ticket for a BA operated flight. Most of the questions I've seen have been around mileage credit, so I guess I'm not much help on the seat selection options. (I stick to AA metal for eVIP usage)

Time traveller

BA only allows pre-assigned exit row seats to OW Emeralds. So as an AA PLT, you will not get to select exit rows ahead of time. If this is important, you may want to book the TATL portion on AA metal if you are not planning to upgrade to J.

dridr

I just booked NRT/TPE on AA codeshare with JL. Of course seat selection isn't available on the AA website. I got the record locator from AA and called JL to reserve a seat but was told that since my ticket had been booked in N through AA, seat selection could only be made at the gate. It didn't matter that I was AA Plat. Called AA and was told that they couldn't help either. On the other hand, CX was willing to book me in an exit row on an AA codeshare w/o any problem. No more codeshares with JL for me...

econometrics

Wowzers, thanks for the heads up. That's no good.

mikelat

I've had good luck with getting the record locator/PNR for the appropriate carrier and just calling them directly. Give them their PNR and explain your position and you'll likely then be able to select seats based on your AA/OW status. At least thats how its worked for me with non-AA carriers/flights.

Time traveller

Did you ask the AA agent if he/she could get seat assignments on the JL flight? I have had no problem getting seat assignments on JL on award tickets, but not sure if paid codeshare tickets are different. Unfortunately the exit row seats were blocked and I am not sure if JL allows pre-assigned exit row seat assignment for OWE/OWS.

dridr

Thanks Time Traveler and Mikelat - I tried again - called the dedicated phone # for AA Plat - all they could do was give me the record locator again with JL. I then called JL again. Was again told that N class ticket doesn't show up on their screen for seat assignments. This time I was told to try with the JL website 72 hrs prior to departure. I guess that's all that I can do (sigh).

FlyMeToTheLooneyBin

Thanks for posting this. I have a segment booked in N on JL (not as a codeshare, but an actual JL flight number, but purchased on AA.com because there are AA segments). AA EXP desk can't assign me a seat, and I tried calling in and they can't assign either. I'll see if I can do it online within the 72-hour window.

beerup

If you happen to be passing through an airport with a JL ticket desk or lounge in the meantime, it may be worth asking them for a seat assignment. Worked for me in the JL lounge in LHR T3 when I was unable to do it on the phone with AA or JL.

FlyMeToTheLooneyBin

Good suggestion. I'll head to the airport (LAX) early and swing my TBIT to see what they can do.