there are lots of MCE seats, but I can't see any of them when I'm on award ticket?
 

I used 25000 AA miles to book a NY-LA roundtrip for an immediate family member yesterday.

When I entered his name and record locator to look up the reservation, I couldn't see any Main Cabin Extra seats for any of the 5 flights. However, if I log out and use the "View Available Seats" function, I can see that all 5 flights have a lot of MCE seats open(at lest better than 90%, since the flight is a couple of months away).

Am I not allowed to buy MCE seats for someone who's on an award ticket? Why won't AA take my money?(almost $220 for all 5 flights... :) )

That is correct. You can not select MCE with a MileSAAver award, AFAIK. I don't know if you can call in or wait after T-24 to see if the seats can be purchased, but others here might.

A non-elite cannot.

No can do.

Thanks! Am I reading this right? AA doesn't not want the extra money that I'm willing to pay them? :) That's so noble!

Not noble at all, and certainly none expected from an airline. :D just short-sightedness, or they felt they'd prefer it this way for some arcane reason they've not disclosed (to my knowledge).

there is no logic in turning away so much money. :)

or perhaps they haven't figured out a way to add this to their ancient IT system?

Regardless of the reason or the "logic" (and it is related to the fact that as soon as payment is accepted on an award booking, it triggers other taxes/fees and they, in fact, would like to fix that at some point,) you have your answer.

when I use my UA miles for UA award tickets, UA doesn't seem to have a problem collecting extra money from me for first class upgrades at the airport. :)

Neither will/does AA in the instances where they offer same.

and out of that the airline would assumedly need to pay the taxes which have become applicable

wait a sec, are you saying that AA airport agents can sell first class upgrades to passengers flying on AA award tickets? :confused:

I don't think that they can, but the kiosks can offer it

Earlier this week, I booked some last minute 2 MileSAAver award seats. As expected for a Gold member, I was not able to select MCE seats at the time of redemption. Last night, at around T-48 hours, I happened to go into the AA iPhone app to check on my reservation and tapped the Change Seats button. To my surprise, the seat map showed 2 open MCE seats which I could select. Before going through with the change, I went to aa.com and when I tried to change seats, those 2 MCE seats showed as grayed out and blocked. So I went back to the app and switched myself to those seats and was not charged. The change was confirmed and appeared in My Reservations. Not sure if this is a one time glitch or some bug in the app that allows Gold selection of MCE extra seats on award tickets prior to 24 hours.

At T-24 hours, the rest of the MCE opened up for me and there were plenty available.

Edited: Forgot to add that I was also able to select 2 MCE seats on my return flight through the app, 8 days before the departure date.

I am seeing similar. I am GLD. I have a one-way domestic 12.5K Saaver T class ticket for a flight 2 weeks from now. Aircraft is an A319.

On aa.com, the MCE seats are unavailable (grayed out).

On the app, when I go to change seats, I can see several MCE seats as available, including 9EF & exit row 14DEF showing as available, and not indicated as MCE, and no stars.

On aa.com, instead of looking at my reservation, if I navigate to show-available-seats, then I see (9EF & 14DEF as available and indicated as MCE. 9EF show 2*, 10DEF 2/3*, and 14 DEF show 4*. Weirder still, there are other available MCE seats: 2* 10B and 4* 14 DEF.

TL/DR: As a GLD on a T award more than 24 hours out, I am able to select some but not all MCE seats using the app, but not using the website.

Were you using AA's iOS or Android app?

I only have Android devices(3 phones and 2 tablets). AA's Android app doesn't allow seat changes. If I press the button to change seats, a browser(Chrome) window opens up and shows me the same thing as on my PC.

Is it different on AA's iOS app? :confused:

AA Android App Version 3.10 on my Android 4.4.2 phone.

Are you properly logged in? AA metal itinerary purchased on AA.com?

I go to Upcoming Trips, select the trip, and the Change Seats link appears below the flight number, above the flight details. See the seat map, make a selection, confirm it, works fine, all within the app. I do this all the time.

But if I pull up my GF's paid ticket via name & PNR, bought on AA but first segment on US, even if I'm changing the seat on one of the AA segments, it takes me to browser/aa.com. I don't know if that's because of the US segment, or (more likely?) because I am not logged in to the app as her.

Thank you for the post, this is most useful. My observation- did not work on apple operating 7, but worked on apple operating 8. If the change can be made on the app it works, if it has to go to aa.com it does not. Worked for avios tickets on aa metal. It did not work on a mixed AS-AA itinerary.

I've found that the change seat function in AA's Android app usually works, but sometimes doesn't (asks to take me to aa.com) and I haven't been able to figure out why. It's even not worked for flights that it previously worked on just fine.:confused:

Same rules if AA flight is booked using BA avios?
 

If I book my coach ticket on the BA site using my avios points does AA consider that a free award ticket or a paid ticket (paid with points from another airline's program)?

Award ticket- Y books as T using Avios

Wiki shows that BA (and IB) Y awards are X. But I'm not sure what that means as far as how AA views the ticket. As cash or free? I'm still fairly new at this so I apologize for not understanding.

an award issued for travel on BA in economy will be in X
a saver award issued for travel on AA in economy will be in T

Whether you use BA Avios or AA miles makes no difference to this

Thanks. Just trying to figure out if there was a work-around to book Y tickets using Avios points AND be able to pre-select exit row seats. Looks like that's not possible.

As discussed a few posts above- There is a work around for more legroom MCE seats using Avios. As an AA GLD book using Avios on all AA metal. Then select seats using iOS 8 AA App. There should be a selection of MCE seats to select free of charge.

Thanks, I discovered that app trick a few months ago, but it only seemed to work about two weeks prior to the flight. Not sure if it will work six months prior to our flight. Since I'm booking a flight from HNL I'm thinking those seats will be much harder to come by six months from now.

I just used my Android app to move my GLD mother to MCE on a Saver T award in December (10 months out). This was UK-USA 777 where the regular coach cabin is 10 seats across, so this one really counted.

FWIW, only the center 3 seats in the last row of the MCE mini-cabin were available, though the website showed most of the cabin open. This is consistent with what I observed last week, that only some but not all open MCE seats are selectable using the app (for GLDs on awards before check in). So if the app doesn't seem to let you select MCE, it could just be that the selectable seats are all occupied.

Just tried this with a flights I booked (AA metal booked on the AS website). I can pull up the flights in my AA IOS app (using the AA locator) but when I click on change seats the only option is to redirect to the AA website (which does not allow me to change seats into MCE or Exit Row on award ticket or without the extra fee on a cash ticket).

Looks like I will have to wait until t-24.

AA's Android app has not worked for the last two days.... couldn't log in.... told me to go to the AA.com instead. Is it the same for you as well? Or is it just me?

Perhaps just wait until the US -> AA migration is complete and check again on monday if it works or if an updated application is available

Thanks! Will try later.

By the way, I must be hungry because I haven't had dinner yet. (10:29PM)
I was reading your user name it showed up as "Dave's Noodles" in my mind.
Sorry. :)

It's working for me. In fact, last night I was getting timeouts on aa.com, so I tried the app, and it worked perfectly (non-award seat change).

Is there still a glitch? I just booked an LAX-HNL next year on a 32B using Avios and I can only select preferred seats.

Last week I booked my family for PIT-DFW-LAX-SYD/MEL-LAX-PIT on a Saver Award next June and choose 4 MCE seats for every leg. No problems.

Looking at your details, it would seem that you hold platinum status with AA and would be entitled to select from MCE seating anyway

That's correct. Perhaps I misunderstood the "glitch".

Edit - looks like it's AA Gold, Avios, etc. - different situation. So I guess I'm just answering the original thread question - yes, you can.

If they over book, are some put in to the MCE seats if that is all that is left?
 

Maybe when I book the award ticket I should not select seats.

Do they open up the seats to sell to everyone at T-24?

Buying mce after booking paid ticket via Travelocity
 

Is this allowed? I have some flex points that uses travelocity as a booking agent

No, only to AA gold.

Well, if the flight ends up oversold, and there are no volunteers to get off, then some people might be bumped, starting with those without seat assignments. If it's not, they'll only put people into MCE for free if they have to. That means if the seat in the last row next to the bathroom is open, they will probably put you there before they put you in an MCE seat for free. (Though I can't comment on ability to pay for MCE on an award at the airport.)

I am looking to book a Biz saver award for 2016, IAH-MIA-XXX, and for my return flight, XXX-MIA is in Business, but MIA-IAH is showing as only having economy available.

Two questions:

Fist, if I call AA after booking, might they assign me a MCE seat for free given I'm redeeming at a Business level ticket?

Second, if Biz sAAver level seats open up on MIA-IAH after I book my flight, can I call AA and get a biz seat?

Thanks!