Corporate Seat Selection portal vs. my account
Mar 4, 2019, 9:11 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: OKC
Programs: IHG Spire, National Exec, AA Plat
Posts: 2,274
Corporate Seat Selection portal vs. my account
Wondering if this is normal or if anyone has any experience with this.
Through my employer, when booking business travel we are given the link to AA's corporate seat selection portal. (https://seatselect.aa.com/corporate_enu/start.swe?)
When I log into this portal, I am seeing only 4-8 open seats on the entire flight available for selection. They seem to primarily be the lower cost preferred seats (green on the normal seat selection map).
When I log into my AA account like a normal person, I can see many open seats on the flight - some cheaper, some more expensive - but probably 50% of the flight.
Anyone ever seen this? Seems odd that the offering via the corporate portal is less than my nobody aluminum status on AA these days.
Through my employer, when booking business travel we are given the link to AA's corporate seat selection portal. (https://seatselect.aa.com/corporate_enu/start.swe?)
When I log into this portal, I am seeing only 4-8 open seats on the entire flight available for selection. They seem to primarily be the lower cost preferred seats (green on the normal seat selection map).
When I log into my AA account like a normal person, I can see many open seats on the flight - some cheaper, some more expensive - but probably 50% of the flight.
Anyone ever seen this? Seems odd that the offering via the corporate portal is less than my nobody aluminum status on AA these days.
Mar 4, 2019, 10:30 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, 1865 Voyager, *G
Posts: 112
Wondering if this is normal or if anyone has any experience with this.
Through my employer, when booking business travel we are given the link to AA's corporate seat selection portal. (https://seatselect.aa.com/corporate_enu/start.swe?)
When I log into this portal, I am seeing only 4-8 open seats on the entire flight available for selection. They seem to primarily be the lower cost preferred seats (green on the normal seat selection map).
When I log into my AA account like a normal person, I can see many open seats on the flight - some cheaper, some more expensive - but probably 50% of the flight.
Anyone ever seen this? Seems odd that the offering via the corporate portal is less than my nobody aluminum status on AA these days.
Through my employer, when booking business travel we are given the link to AA's corporate seat selection portal. (https://seatselect.aa.com/corporate_enu/start.swe?)
When I log into this portal, I am seeing only 4-8 open seats on the entire flight available for selection. They seem to primarily be the lower cost preferred seats (green on the normal seat selection map).
When I log into my AA account like a normal person, I can see many open seats on the flight - some cheaper, some more expensive - but probably 50% of the flight.
Anyone ever seen this? Seems odd that the offering via the corporate portal is less than my nobody aluminum status on AA these days.
Mar 4, 2019, 10:59 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Washington DC Metro Area
Programs: A: PP, LTG/1.5M | UA: SLV | Bonvoy LTTi | IHG PLT| Avis PC | Nat'l Emerald Club EE
Posts: 1,067
I see exactly this very frequently. I either pick an aisle seat or just skip seat selection. All my frequent flyer numbers are stored in my profile on our corporate travel system. Once the reservation is made and I have the record locator, I log into aa.com and pick the seat--it always allows selection according to my status. I've never had the corporate travel office change my seat in any subsequent actions (e.g., ticketing, re-issuing the travel authorization due to change other than air travel).
Mar 4, 2019, 11:22 am
#4
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: The shape-shifting urban sprawl that is El Lay. FT member #71.
Programs: UA Gold & MM; DL & AA credit card dirt status; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Fool's Gold
Posts: 4,687
I see exactly this very frequently. I either pick an aisle seat or just skip seat selection. All my frequent flyer numbers are stored in my profile on our corporate travel system. Once the reservation is made and I have the record locator, I log into aa.com and pick the seat--it always allows selection according to my status. I've never had the corporate travel office change my seat in any subsequent actions (e.g., ticketing, re-issuing the travel authorization due to change other than air travel).
Mar 4, 2019, 11:34 am
#5
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Hoboken, NJ
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 194
My company uses Concur and we have a deal with AA that allows us to select Preferred or below seats at time of booking on the Concur website, no matter status.
However, if I want to select a MCE seat, I have to log on through aa.com... A minor inconvenience but not too bad.
However, if I want to select a MCE seat, I have to log on through aa.com... A minor inconvenience but not too bad.
Mar 4, 2019, 12:22 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: OKC
Programs: IHG Spire, National Exec, AA Plat
Posts: 2,274
Concur user here as well. I can see all seats in Concur, but like the person above can't select seats above what my (lack of) status allows.
The corporate portal that I posted is sent to us by the travel agency. It appears to allow preferred seats - but only a few of them vs. all of the preferred seats I see when I go to my reservations on AA. That's what seems strange - shouldn't it at a minimum show me what I see on aa.com and maybe extra, depending on the corporate benefits in place?
The corporate portal that I posted is sent to us by the travel agency. It appears to allow preferred seats - but only a few of them vs. all of the preferred seats I see when I go to my reservations on AA. That's what seems strange - shouldn't it at a minimum show me what I see on aa.com and maybe extra, depending on the corporate benefits in place?
Mar 4, 2019, 12:27 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: COU
Programs: AA EXP, Bonvoy Ambassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 499
Maybe I need to go check on the behavior now that we've moved to Concur. Previously on AMEX's system seat selection seemed wonky (though I don't remember how, and thus can't confirm the specific behavior you describe) and so I stopped trying to select the seats there. Ever since I always skip selection and just go to the AA website a few minutes later; this is actually good practice anyway because it helps me catch ticketing failures. Sadly those happen a lot when I'm booking inside T-100, as EXP upgrades frequently happen before ticketing and break everything.
Mar 4, 2019, 12:49 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2016
Programs: AA-EXP
Posts: 615
We also use Concur, and since our corporate policy does not allow anything except "economy" to be booked, I have had Concur remove my upgrade if it goes through before final ticketing. This has made me completely miss upgrades on multiple occasions as it is not easy to fix.
Mar 4, 2019, 2:25 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Beantown! (BOS)
Programs: AA PtPro (2 MM); Hilton Diamond; Hertz President Cr; DL SkyMiles; UA MileagePlus
Posts: 3,435
Similar situation with my previous employment and current employment. I don't bother with my FF account number on corporate travel website anymore. When making reservation via corporate travel website I simply skip selecting seats, then go to AA.com and put my AAdvantage number, do seat selection, and upgrade request done.
Mar 4, 2019, 2:46 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Washington DC Metro Area
Programs: A: PP, LTG/1.5M | UA: SLV | Bonvoy LTTi | IHG PLT| Avis PC | Nat'l Emerald Club EE
Posts: 1,067
Mar 5, 2019, 7:20 am
#13
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,036
Interesting to read the varying levels of experiences here.
I also have to use Concur/CWT, and we also have a preferred seating agreement with AA. I usually just pick the best seat available at booking, but often find more preferable seats (usually exit rows) are available by logging onto AA.com.
When the upgrade does clear before ticketing (a rare occurrence for a PlatPro, but it does happen), I've never had any issues.
I also have to use Concur/CWT, and we also have a preferred seating agreement with AA. I usually just pick the best seat available at booking, but often find more preferable seats (usually exit rows) are available by logging onto AA.com.
When the upgrade does clear before ticketing (a rare occurrence for a PlatPro, but it does happen), I've never had any issues.
Mar 5, 2019, 12:52 pm
#14
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Valley of the Sun, AZ, USA
Programs: AA Dirt, HHonors Silver
Posts: 495
Opposite experience with Concur/CWT for me. I booked my first flight since dropping to lowly gold this morning. It allowed me to select an MCE seat on the return segment for free. Didn't even realize that was an MCE seat until I went to ask for my name to be put on the bottom of the upgrade list on the website. Good thing I picked 23A on the 321 for the outbound (non-MCE, but no seat in front).
Mar 5, 2019, 4:21 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Valley of the Sun, AZ, USA
Programs: AA Dirt, HHonors Silver
Posts: 495
OK - ix-nay that. Looks like AA kicked me out of the MCE seat at some point today. Had to pick a regular seat or pay the $50 extra. So I guess it's up to me to remember not to pick MCE seats in Concur or I will lose them.
