Aug 8, 2016, 12:26 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
Seat issues are not uncommon between finding, holding, booking and during the interim between booking and flying. There may be various reasons this can happen.
Seat held, changed or gone at booking: One member theorizes a held seat may be taken by a positive purchase by another passenger. But it could be due to another factor listed below.
Disability designated seat: Some seats are assigned preferentially to people with disabilities, and their companions, under the Air Carrier Access Act. Even some non-disability seats may be required for a person with a disability in some conditions.
"American blocks a limited number of seats on each aircraft to accommodate customers who identify themselves as having a qualified disability. Adjacent seats are provided, under certain circumstances, for customers with disabilities who must travel with a companion for assistance."
Flight nearly full: Once a flight has reached certain capacity guidelines, no further seats will be assigned. This leaves airport staff room to deal with the needs of persons with disabilities, no shows, delayed connections, etc.
Boarding pass scan fail: Sometimes a boarding pass scan fails (listen for the "Beep!") and your seat may register as no show, so another, later Passenger or standby gets your seat too.
Equipment change: AA Information Technology's very inefficient at these. You may have selected a Main Cabin Extra as an elite, yet a change from one aircraft subtype with differently numbered seat rows to another and you may find yourself moved from your carefully selected MCE aisle seat to a middle seat in one of the last rows. Aircraft substitutions from one type to another (77W to 772 or v. v.) or even "downgauging" (767 to 757) may occur - this will generally result in unanticipated seat changes.
Equipment malfunction: A seat may not be available on a specific flight because it was reported as malfunctioning and has not been repaired yet.
Crew rest seat: Some seats are contractually required to be set aside for resting crew, on flights of specific lengths.
Federal Air Marshal ("FAM"): FAMs are generally accommodated in the highest class of service in seats that are often popular with passengers. These accommodations may occur at any time, and by law AA must both comply and not reveal to passengers the reason for their seat loss or change. That's correct: AA is prohibited by law from telling you your seat was given to a FAM, so you will only hear implausible and made up reasons of how you lost your seat.
Other: AA might be required to seat a passenger with a small child together, displacing another passenger. There may be other reasons as well.
It is suggested you regularly check your itineraries to deal with route and flight changes (often unannounced) and seat changes (always unannounced).
Link to thread detailing use of Twitter for contact with AA (some have used for seat loss remediation)
Seat assignments Link
- We make every effort to ensure you get your chosen seat, but seat assignments are not guaranteed.
- We reserve the right to change seats for operational, safety or security reasons.
- You must check in at least 30 minutes before departure and be at the gate 15 minutes before departure or you may lose your seat.
Disability designated seat: Some seats are assigned preferentially to people with disabilities, and their companions, under the Air Carrier Access Act. Even some non-disability seats may be required for a person with a disability in some conditions.
"American blocks a limited number of seats on each aircraft to accommodate customers who identify themselves as having a qualified disability. Adjacent seats are provided, under certain circumstances, for customers with disabilities who must travel with a companion for assistance."
Flight nearly full: Once a flight has reached certain capacity guidelines, no further seats will be assigned. This leaves airport staff room to deal with the needs of persons with disabilities, no shows, delayed connections, etc.
Boarding pass scan fail: Sometimes a boarding pass scan fails (listen for the "Beep!") and your seat may register as no show, so another, later Passenger or standby gets your seat too.
Equipment change: AA Information Technology's very inefficient at these. You may have selected a Main Cabin Extra as an elite, yet a change from one aircraft subtype with differently numbered seat rows to another and you may find yourself moved from your carefully selected MCE aisle seat to a middle seat in one of the last rows. Aircraft substitutions from one type to another (77W to 772 or v. v.) or even "downgauging" (767 to 757) may occur - this will generally result in unanticipated seat changes.
Equipment malfunction: A seat may not be available on a specific flight because it was reported as malfunctioning and has not been repaired yet.
Crew rest seat: Some seats are contractually required to be set aside for resting crew, on flights of specific lengths.
Federal Air Marshal ("FAM"): FAMs are generally accommodated in the highest class of service in seats that are often popular with passengers. These accommodations may occur at any time, and by law AA must both comply and not reveal to passengers the reason for their seat loss or change. That's correct: AA is prohibited by law from telling you your seat was given to a FAM, so you will only hear implausible and made up reasons of how you lost your seat.
Passengers seated in the front cabin (or front of the cabin in single cabin and class aircraft) may occasionally find themselves displaced from their seat without any notice or comment, displaced to a less favored seat or even downgraded to the next lowest class of service. Contacting AA may provide answers as to "why" that don't make sense, multiple or non-specific reasons. These will often mean your seat has been requisitioned by a Federal Air Marshal (FAM).
Q. Why won't AA tell me why I lost my seat?
AA is prohibited by law from telling you your seat was requisitioned by a FAM or otherwise revealing there is a FAM on board or where they might be seated. FAMs are supposed to blend in with passengers. At best, you may be told "it's a security issue"; that's usually a confirmation of a FAM seat requisition.
Q. Can I get "unFAMed"?
There is no way to recover your original seat if it has been requisitioned by a FAM; you have no recourse other than to work with the AA system to seek a better available seat, or even reaccommodation on another flight with available and similar seating.
Q. Can I get compensated for losing my seat?
You can request fare differences, compensation and certainly get upgrade instruments reinstated if you were displaced to a lower class of service. You will not be eligible for compensation if your seat was changed within the same class of service (even if you are now separated from travel companions), however, as if you book a specific seat, a specific seat is not guaranteed by American Airlines.
Q. What is a FAM, anyway?
A Federal Air Marshal is a specially trained plain clothes anti-terrorism law enforcement officer of the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS), "a United States federal law enforcement agency under the supervision of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS)." (Wikipedia)
Q. What is a FAMs specific job?
"The Air Marshal Service is meant to promote confidence in civil aviation by effectively deploying federal air marshals (FAMs) to detect, deter, and defeat hostile acts targeting the United States." (TSA)
Q. Why won't AA tell me why I lost my seat?
AA is prohibited by law from telling you your seat was requisitioned by a FAM or otherwise revealing there is a FAM on board or where they might be seated. FAMs are supposed to blend in with passengers. At best, you may be told "it's a security issue"; that's usually a confirmation of a FAM seat requisition.
Q. Can I get "unFAMed"?
There is no way to recover your original seat if it has been requisitioned by a FAM; you have no recourse other than to work with the AA system to seek a better available seat, or even reaccommodation on another flight with available and similar seating.
Q. Can I get compensated for losing my seat?
You can request fare differences, compensation and certainly get upgrade instruments reinstated if you were displaced to a lower class of service. You will not be eligible for compensation if your seat was changed within the same class of service (even if you are now separated from travel companions), however, as if you book a specific seat, a specific seat is not guaranteed by American Airlines.
Q. What is a FAM, anyway?
A Federal Air Marshal is a specially trained plain clothes anti-terrorism law enforcement officer of the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS), "a United States federal law enforcement agency under the supervision of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS)." (Wikipedia)
Q. What is a FAMs specific job?
"The Air Marshal Service is meant to promote confidence in civil aviation by effectively deploying federal air marshals (FAMs) to detect, deter, and defeat hostile acts targeting the United States." (TSA)
It is suggested you regularly check your itineraries to deal with route and flight changes (often unannounced) and seat changes (always unannounced).
Link to thread detailing use of Twitter for contact with AA (some have used for seat loss remediation)
AA seat assignment loss / change / glitch / problem / FAM (master thread)
Jan 21, 2019, 5:58 pm
#601
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
Jan 29, 2019, 6:48 pm
#603
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
How does one loose a seat assignment for an already full/sold-out flight?
I had row 7 window seat for past 3 weeks (DFW-SFO) on 788. As the window for upgrades started hitting thresholds, the cabin began filling up. At some point t-48, I noticed I was move from 7A to 7H and the cabin was already full before that threshold. Maybe a CK booted me or a FAM. Last time this occurred, an senior citizen was seated in that seat when I got the boot! Maybe she was the ultra-CK and got pull like that!!
I had row 7 window seat for past 3 weeks (DFW-SFO) on 788. As the window for upgrades started hitting thresholds, the cabin began filling up. At some point t-48, I noticed I was move from 7A to 7H and the cabin was already full before that threshold. Maybe a CK booted me or a FAM. Last time this occurred, an senior citizen was seated in that seat when I got the boot! Maybe she was the ultra-CK and got pull like that!!
Jan 29, 2019, 11:14 pm
#605
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: The FT AA forum, until it no longer wants me.
Programs: CK or bust
Posts: 1,913
I've unintentionally had a GA move a non-rev to a different seat well ahead of boarding without asking the non-rev but have yet to lose one to a senior citizen FAM. It's a whole new world.
Jan 30, 2019, 9:54 am
#606
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
How does one loose a seat assignment for an already full/sold-out flight?
I had row 7 window seat for past 3 weeks (DFW-SFO) on 788. As the window for upgrades started hitting thresholds, the cabin began filling up. At some point t-48, I noticed I was move from 7A to 7H and the cabin was already full before that threshold. Maybe a CK booted me or a FAM. Last time this occurred, an senior citizen was seated in that seat when I got the boot! Maybe she was the ultra-CK and got pull like that!!
I had row 7 window seat for past 3 weeks (DFW-SFO) on 788. As the window for upgrades started hitting thresholds, the cabin began filling up. At some point t-48, I noticed I was move from 7A to 7H and the cabin was already full before that threshold. Maybe a CK booted me or a FAM. Last time this occurred, an senior citizen was seated in that seat when I got the boot! Maybe she was the ultra-CK and got pull like that!!
Jan 30, 2019, 5:47 pm
#608
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
Too my surprise today at DFW, there was a heavy police presence in in the lobby area after scanning the BP. There were also AA/Airport management I'm suspecting as well. It spooked those of us in group 1 upon walking pass them. So, I'm also certain I was bumped due to FAM (glanced at him twice and he was looking pretty serious each time). And noticeably, the FA were in the cabin A LOT during the flight too. Not too much chitter-chatting in the galleries this time. Made the flight that much for attentive and pleasant.
One other thing that was "odd" or I just hadn't noticed before was that for some in the center area traveling together wanted the partitions down and were told no. That's not allowed on domestic flights they were told. Every other one was down though. The couple sitting across from me were celebrating an anniversary and were bummed to be divided by the partition. Several times they tossed each other high-five style with their drinks.
One other thing that was "odd" or I just hadn't noticed before was that for some in the center area traveling together wanted the partitions down and were told no. That's not allowed on domestic flights they were told. Every other one was down though. The couple sitting across from me were celebrating an anniversary and were bummed to be divided by the partition. Several times they tossed each other high-five style with their drinks.
Jan 30, 2019, 6:07 pm
#609
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Too my surprise today at DFW, there was a heavy police presence in in the lobby area after scanning the BP. There were also AA/Airport management I'm suspecting as well. It spooked those of us in group 1 upon walking pass them. So, I'm also certain I was bumped due to FAM (glanced at him twice and he was looking pretty serious each time). And noticeably, the FA were in the cabin A LOT during the flight too. Not too much chitter-chatting in the galleries this time. Made the flight that much for attentive and pleasant.
One other thing that was "odd" or I just hadn't noticed before was that for some in the center area traveling together wanted the partitions down and were told no. That's not allowed on domestic flights they were told. Every other one was down though. The couple sitting across from me were celebrating an anniversary and were bummed to be divided by the partition. Several times they tossed each other high-five style with their drinks.
One other thing that was "odd" or I just hadn't noticed before was that for some in the center area traveling together wanted the partitions down and were told no. That's not allowed on domestic flights they were told. Every other one was down though. The couple sitting across from me were celebrating an anniversary and were bummed to be divided by the partition. Several times they tossed each other high-five style with their drinks.
The “frozen” 788 partitions are mentioned extensively in the 788 J seat thread. These are immobilized and set in arbitrary fashion by ground crew. AA promised to fix these and the “motion over the ocean” problem in 2017, but as they fired Zodiac (the seat manufacturer) and filed a lawsuit, AA will probably have to find someone else qualified to design and effectuate the repair after it has been submitted to the FAA for STC approval. $$$, so don’t hold your breath for Isom or Parker to put this on the front burner.
Jan 30, 2019, 8:54 pm
#610
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AA EXP; Marriott BonVoy Titanium Elite, Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 1,717
Sounds like there was a credible threat warning they were acting on.
The “frozen” 788 partitions are mentioned extensively in the 788 J seat thread. These are immobilized and set in arbitrary fashion by ground crew. AA promised to fix these and the “motion over the ocean” problem in 2017, but as they fired Zodiac (the seat manufacturer) and filed a lawsuit, AA will probably have to find someone else qualified to design and effectuate the repair after it has been submitted to the FAA for STC approval. $$$, so don’t hold your breath for Isom or Parker to put this on the front burner.
The “frozen” 788 partitions are mentioned extensively in the 788 J seat thread. These are immobilized and set in arbitrary fashion by ground crew. AA promised to fix these and the “motion over the ocean” problem in 2017, but as they fired Zodiac (the seat manufacturer) and filed a lawsuit, AA will probably have to find someone else qualified to design and effectuate the repair after it has been submitted to the FAA for STC approval. $$$, so don’t hold your breath for Isom or Parker to put this on the front burner.
Indeed.... very credible for sure... My remark to others that were commenting on the police/security presences we noticed before walking on the plane was.. be glad that they are here and the person(s) they are looking for will either be prevented from boarding or "act right" indeed.
The frozen partitions have not been in my field of vision as I'm always either in the mini-J cabin if possible or mid-J cabin window. But the "motion in the ocean" is really annoying indeed. No wonder I've been heeding the advice of being in a window seat in the mini-cabin when possible. All of my window main-J cabins window experiences have been annoting due to motion felt from neighbor. Silly me thinking it was just the center section affected until a couple recent experiences I've had including today's!
Jan 31, 2019, 12:12 pm
#611
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: DFW
Posts: 8,036
DFW-LHR in F (paid) on Saturday, looks like I lost my window seat and have been moved to the middle of a full cabin. I HATE those seats and have had my seat reserved well in advance. I'm guessing no recourse, but figured I'd ask here first.
Jan 31, 2019, 12:15 pm
#612
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,285
if you were FAMed there is nothing you can do. Keep checking the seat map or set an alert on ExpertFlyer so you can live to a better seat if it opens up.
Jan 31, 2019, 1:12 pm
#613
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: DFW
Posts: 8,036
Jan 31, 2019, 9:10 pm
#615
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,148