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)
Jul 30, 2016, 7:11 pm
#61
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: AA
Posts: 69
erik123 -
I appreciate your quick response, it's just extremely stressful that she has no seat. And not to debate your response, but i doubt anyone that paid for first class is going to give up their seat and move to coach because AA oversold first class. I hope i'm wrong but i also didn't want to leave that "chance" until the day we leave for vacation. Flying with my daughter is stressful enough.
I appreciate your quick response, it's just extremely stressful that she has no seat. And not to debate your response, but i doubt anyone that paid for first class is going to give up their seat and move to coach because AA oversold first class. I hope i'm wrong but i also didn't want to leave that "chance" until the day we leave for vacation. Flying with my daughter is stressful enough.
Last edited by bgmspd; Jul 30, 2016 at 7:16 pm
Jul 30, 2016, 7:26 pm
#62
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: AA
Posts: 69
So I sent an email through the AA site under contact customer service and this was the response i received:
We realize that schedule changes can be an unexpected, and often unwelcome, even for those of us who carefully plan itineraries and count on the airline to operate as scheduled. In fact, most schedule changes are negligible; flight times are often recalculated by just a few moments due to seasonal fluctuations in weather patterns or as more direct routes of flight open up. On the other hand, we must occasionally realign flight schedules altogether for reasons such as equipment use or scheduled maintenance, gate arrival/departure slot changes and air traffic control restrictions. In all cases, we try to work with our customers to minimize any inconvenience, and I am sorry we weren't more successful this time.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to address this matter. We appreciate your business.
What a joke. I almost thought it was spam.
We realize that schedule changes can be an unexpected, and often unwelcome, even for those of us who carefully plan itineraries and count on the airline to operate as scheduled. In fact, most schedule changes are negligible; flight times are often recalculated by just a few moments due to seasonal fluctuations in weather patterns or as more direct routes of flight open up. On the other hand, we must occasionally realign flight schedules altogether for reasons such as equipment use or scheduled maintenance, gate arrival/departure slot changes and air traffic control restrictions. In all cases, we try to work with our customers to minimize any inconvenience, and I am sorry we weren't more successful this time.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to address this matter. We appreciate your business.
What a joke. I almost thought it was spam.
Jul 30, 2016, 7:44 pm
#63
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Are you saying that you purchased a total of four seats for four people, but that you did this as two separate bookings because one is an award ticket?
Or is it something else?
In the meantime, do not send emails to AA to resolve customer service issues. It never works and runs the risk of screwing up what you have.
As others note, this is a seat assignment problem, not a boarding problem. This is absolutely nothing to stress about.
Or is it something else?
In the meantime, do not send emails to AA to resolve customer service issues. It never works and runs the risk of screwing up what you have.
As others note, this is a seat assignment problem, not a boarding problem. This is absolutely nothing to stress about.
Jul 30, 2016, 7:51 pm
#64
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: AA
Posts: 69
Often1
Yes, sorry if the post is confusing. I did not know how to purchase the tickets online as i had never done that using award miles, so i called to complete the transaction. And yes i purchased four (4) tickets (wife, 2 daughters and myself). paid full price for 3 and used miles for the 4th. representative created 2 separate bookings. not sure why or if that was even right but got all the confirmation emails with seat assignments and i have the original emails saved showing this.
I appreciate your reassurance however i'm still a little stressed. i've never had an issue like this before and like i said with my daughters respiratory issues flying is stressful enough.
So what do you think will happen at the gate when i get there and explain this?
Thanks for your response.
Yes, sorry if the post is confusing. I did not know how to purchase the tickets online as i had never done that using award miles, so i called to complete the transaction. And yes i purchased four (4) tickets (wife, 2 daughters and myself). paid full price for 3 and used miles for the 4th. representative created 2 separate bookings. not sure why or if that was even right but got all the confirmation emails with seat assignments and i have the original emails saved showing this.
I appreciate your reassurance however i'm still a little stressed. i've never had an issue like this before and like i said with my daughters respiratory issues flying is stressful enough.
So what do you think will happen at the gate when i get there and explain this?
Thanks for your response.
Jul 30, 2016, 8:02 pm
#65
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
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Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
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Call AA and ask whether your flight is o rebooked in FC.
Jul 30, 2016, 8:08 pm
#66
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Gold, WN A+ & CP, HH Diamond, Hyatt Platinum, National Executive Elite
Posts: 3,246
Often1
Yes, sorry if the post is confusing. I did not know how to purchase the tickets online as i had never done that using award miles, so i called to complete the transaction. And yes i purchased four (4) tickets (wife, 2 daughters and myself). paid full price for 3 and used miles for the 4th. representative created 2 separate bookings. not sure why or if that was even right but got all the confirmation emails with seat assignments and i have the original emails saved showing this.
I appreciate your reassurance however i'm still a little stressed. i've never had an issue like this before and like i said with my daughters respiratory issues flying is stressful enough.
So what do you think will happen at the gate when i get there and explain this?
Thanks for your response.
Yes, sorry if the post is confusing. I did not know how to purchase the tickets online as i had never done that using award miles, so i called to complete the transaction. And yes i purchased four (4) tickets (wife, 2 daughters and myself). paid full price for 3 and used miles for the 4th. representative created 2 separate bookings. not sure why or if that was even right but got all the confirmation emails with seat assignments and i have the original emails saved showing this.
I appreciate your reassurance however i'm still a little stressed. i've never had an issue like this before and like i said with my daughters respiratory issues flying is stressful enough.
So what do you think will happen at the gate when i get there and explain this?
Thanks for your response.
I've had something similar happen when US canceled a flight in advance of the travel date and after things got moved around and they combined everyone from the canceled non-stop to the only other non-stop that day, one of my family members had no seat assignment. It all got sorted out at the gate and all was good.
In your situation, at the very least, I believe they'll ask for a volunteer to give up their seat as they've now overbooked first class. The odds are that they'll find someone willing.
Let us know how it works out and definitely keep checking the seat map as it's possible a seat will open if someone else changes or cancels their booking.
Jul 30, 2016, 8:11 pm
#67
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: AA
Posts: 69
MSPeconomist
I did call and was told there was some type of schedule change in or around May of 2016. When i asked what changed the representative was unable to tell me what was different. From what i can tell, the time, flight number, and aircraft are all the same. And i find it hard to believe they couldn't tell me. But after politely going round and round with no apparent resolution i ended my call after i was told by the "supervisor" to call back tomorrow morning and ask for a manager. No one could even tell me how an assigned seat that i paid for and got a confirmation email for no longer existed for my daughter. What i also found strange is now that i go into the record locator my daughter is not listed as being in the same seat as me now she was give my other daughters seat and my daughter who had a seat before this phone call is now listed as unassigned. Mind you this happened after the representative told me should could not change anyone's seat since there were no seats available in first class anymore.
I did call and was told there was some type of schedule change in or around May of 2016. When i asked what changed the representative was unable to tell me what was different. From what i can tell, the time, flight number, and aircraft are all the same. And i find it hard to believe they couldn't tell me. But after politely going round and round with no apparent resolution i ended my call after i was told by the "supervisor" to call back tomorrow morning and ask for a manager. No one could even tell me how an assigned seat that i paid for and got a confirmation email for no longer existed for my daughter. What i also found strange is now that i go into the record locator my daughter is not listed as being in the same seat as me now she was give my other daughters seat and my daughter who had a seat before this phone call is now listed as unassigned. Mind you this happened after the representative told me should could not change anyone's seat since there were no seats available in first class anymore.
Jul 30, 2016, 8:11 pm
#68
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Join Date: Mar 2001
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Often1
Yes, sorry if the post is confusing. I did not know how to purchase the tickets online as i had never done that using award miles, so i called to complete the transaction. And yes i purchased four (4) tickets (wife, 2 daughters and myself). paid full price for 3 and used miles for the 4th. representative created 2 separate bookings. not sure why or if that was even right but got all the confirmation emails with seat assignments and i have the original emails saved showing this.
I appreciate your reassurance however i'm still a little stressed. i've never had an issue like this before and like i said with my daughters respiratory issues flying is stressful enough.
So what do you think will happen at the gate when i get there and explain this?
Thanks for your response.
Yes, sorry if the post is confusing. I did not know how to purchase the tickets online as i had never done that using award miles, so i called to complete the transaction. And yes i purchased four (4) tickets (wife, 2 daughters and myself). paid full price for 3 and used miles for the 4th. representative created 2 separate bookings. not sure why or if that was even right but got all the confirmation emails with seat assignments and i have the original emails saved showing this.
I appreciate your reassurance however i'm still a little stressed. i've never had an issue like this before and like i said with my daughters respiratory issues flying is stressful enough.
So what do you think will happen at the gate when i get there and explain this?
Thanks for your response.
1. Do not listen to the advice not to try through AA Customer Relations, it is incorrect, you should definitely keep trying that path, frustrating as it might be, certainly no harm in trying.
2. Twitter is a must.
3. Nothing overly confusing about your OP, I understood it immediately.
Use all outlets you can, I'm forwarding it to a few folks as well. You paid for the seat (with miles) and they should most definitely correct this.
Jul 30, 2016, 8:14 pm
#69
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: AA
Posts: 69
justhere,
i appreciate the response and i hope your right. It's like i'm off to a rocky start of my vacation and it's still about 2 weeks away. And i just think it's bad business to assign someone a seat and then let someone else pay big money for the same seat and bump someone. Disappointed with AA at this point to say the least.
i appreciate the response and i hope your right. It's like i'm off to a rocky start of my vacation and it's still about 2 weeks away. And i just think it's bad business to assign someone a seat and then let someone else pay big money for the same seat and bump someone. Disappointed with AA at this point to say the least.
Jul 30, 2016, 8:15 pm
#70
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Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
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Jul 30, 2016, 8:31 pm
#71
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With regard to the above-- and I know/knew nothing of these flights myself-- an email asks "as far as 'saturday only' AA flights to PLS, the ones I know of, none are sold out nor and/or have empty pairs of seats, from what I can see- which flight is this? (note PHL and CLT are Sat and Sun.)"
Last edited by JonNYC; Jul 30, 2016 at 8:49 pm
Jul 30, 2016, 8:35 pm
#72
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So I purchased three seats in first class back in February 2016 through an AA representative on the telephone. I only did this because i purchased one additional seat using reward miles and wasn't sure how to do it online and wanted to make sure my wife, 2 daughters and i sat together on the flight.
The departure date is August 13 and i just learned that one of my seats, for my adult daughter, was combined with my seat (we are now both listed as having the same seat number). The initial email confirmation shows the correct seating arrangement, it's only now when i went online to chose my "meal" (after receiving an email to do so) that i see the seating issue.
When i called questioning this the online system now shows her seat as unassigned as there are no available seats on that flight in first class. The representative said she has no authority to remove someone else from their seat to re-assign my daughter to the seat she was initially assigned to and we had paid for.
Also when i purchased these seats there were plenty of open seats at that time. The supervisor told me that she can only place my entire family on a connecting flight to fix the issue.
I'm hoping someone can help to point me in the right direction as to who to call to resolve this issue. My daughter has a terminal respiratory issue which is why we fly first class and chose this flight because it is the only non-stop flight to Turks and Caicos. The entire trip is actually booked around the fact that AA only flies non-stop on Saturdays.
Thank you for any help you can offer.
The departure date is August 13 and i just learned that one of my seats, for my adult daughter, was combined with my seat (we are now both listed as having the same seat number). The initial email confirmation shows the correct seating arrangement, it's only now when i went online to chose my "meal" (after receiving an email to do so) that i see the seating issue.
When i called questioning this the online system now shows her seat as unassigned as there are no available seats on that flight in first class. The representative said she has no authority to remove someone else from their seat to re-assign my daughter to the seat she was initially assigned to and we had paid for.
Also when i purchased these seats there were plenty of open seats at that time. The supervisor told me that she can only place my entire family on a connecting flight to fix the issue.
I'm hoping someone can help to point me in the right direction as to who to call to resolve this issue. My daughter has a terminal respiratory issue which is why we fly first class and chose this flight because it is the only non-stop flight to Turks and Caicos. The entire trip is actually booked around the fact that AA only flies non-stop on Saturdays.
Thank you for any help you can offer.
Jul 30, 2016, 8:38 pm
#73
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Gold, WN A+ & CP, HH Diamond, Hyatt Platinum, National Executive Elite
Posts: 3,246
You did?? 
Ok, just giving you a hard time. 
In my situation, I thought the same thing but after getting a full explanation, it turned out I was wrong. While I didn't necessarily agree with the way US handled it, I at least understood how it happened and why. And it wasn't because they "let someone pay big money for the same seat". Now, I have no idea exactly what is the case in your situation but the end result is the same, we both have (had) a family member with no seat assignment.
Now that I think about it, I think they ended up downgrading someone who had upgraded and her only concern was that she get free drinks while sitting in coach. They assured her she would.
justhere,
i appreciate the response and i hope your right. It's like i'm off to a rocky start of my vacation and it's still about 2 weeks away. And i just think it's bad business to assign someone a seat and then let someone else pay big money for the same seat and bump someone. Disappointed with AA at this point to say the least.
i appreciate the response and i hope your right. It's like i'm off to a rocky start of my vacation and it's still about 2 weeks away. And i just think it's bad business to assign someone a seat and then let someone else pay big money for the same seat and bump someone. Disappointed with AA at this point to say the least.
Now that I think about it, I think they ended up downgrading someone who had upgraded and her only concern was that she get free drinks while sitting in coach. They assured her she would.
Jul 30, 2016, 8:49 pm
#74
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: AA
Posts: 69
JonNYC,
You are correct i don't know exactly what happened to cause this issue and i was assuming that's what would cause this by overbooking FC. It doesn't help when AA can't tell me why this happened either and that, so far, this is nothing the supervisor could or would do to help. Now i have no idea if she was being honest or didn't want to help. That's the main reason i'm looking for insight and help.
And when i booked the flight the only non-stop was on saturday. I do see that there is a sunday available now. Strangely enough when we tried to leave on the 20th and return on the 27th there wasn't even a nonstop available and the representative i spoke with at the time of booking didn't understand why that flight or the sunday flights weren't showing.
The flight i have booked is 1738 from PHL to PLS and it shows booked on the way down but seats available on the way back. So far the seats we booked for the return trip haven't been messed with.
You are correct i don't know exactly what happened to cause this issue and i was assuming that's what would cause this by overbooking FC. It doesn't help when AA can't tell me why this happened either and that, so far, this is nothing the supervisor could or would do to help. Now i have no idea if she was being honest or didn't want to help. That's the main reason i'm looking for insight and help.
And when i booked the flight the only non-stop was on saturday. I do see that there is a sunday available now. Strangely enough when we tried to leave on the 20th and return on the 27th there wasn't even a nonstop available and the representative i spoke with at the time of booking didn't understand why that flight or the sunday flights weren't showing.
The flight i have booked is 1738 from PHL to PLS and it shows booked on the way down but seats available on the way back. So far the seats we booked for the return trip haven't been messed with.