Seat blocking for Covid / Coronavirus (consolidated thread)
Mar 26, 2020, 3:04 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Redding, CT
Posts: 604
My favorite time related to seats/seating policy was more room through coach and blocked seats next to top tiered frequent fliers. That coupled with an expat assignment in Buenos Aires for 2 years. During the Argentine economic crisis of 2001-2002, I could fly back to Miami for if I recall correctly as low as 299 at the time and had all that leg room---the good old days.
Mar 26, 2020, 3:10 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Exactly.......one FA required per 50 seats, no matter how many passengers are onboard.
Mar 26, 2020, 8:40 pm
#18
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 206
Mar 26, 2020, 11:34 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
The bailout might help relieve them of the current financial issues due to the virus, but taking 1/3 of the seating away is not gong to help them maintain profitability, unless passengers are going to be paying for a fare increase to cover it.
Apr 14, 2020, 1:00 pm
#20
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,377
Seat map shows full but availibliity is wide open
Don't know if this has been mentioned elsewhere, but on a flight I have from DFW-LHR in J all of the seats are shown as assigned, yet ExpertFlyer shows J7 I7, etc. On AA.com it's possible to book at least 9 seats in business.
When I inquired with a res agent was informed that they are maintaining social distancing within the cabin so essentially a large portion of the seats are blocked.
Interestingly, was thinking about changing the flight bc I didn't feel comfortable with all the seats taken - so kudos to them.
When I inquired with a res agent was informed that they are maintaining social distancing within the cabin so essentially a large portion of the seats are blocked.
Interestingly, was thinking about changing the flight bc I didn't feel comfortable with all the seats taken - so kudos to them.
Apr 14, 2020, 3:31 pm
#21
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: BNA and FLL
Programs: National Executive Elite, IHG Diamond Elite, Hilton Gold, SW A List, Marriott Gold
Posts: 964
Yeah maybe they figure it’s better to just block all the seats and then day of departure just assign people to seats and spread them out as much as possible.
Apr 14, 2020, 5:32 pm
#22
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,485
Perhaps it has something to do with this:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...-policies.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...-policies.html
Apr 14, 2020, 5:43 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,377
Apr 14, 2020, 6:02 pm
#24
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,485
Apr 14, 2020, 6:26 pm
#25
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Madison WI
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT - 2.9MM, Lifetime AC, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat Amb, Hertz Precs Crcl
Posts: 2,212
Apr 14, 2020, 6:56 pm
#26
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
AA also specifically warns that seating adjustments may be made at the gate in order to achieve better separation. Bottom line is not to count on seat assignments for the time being.
Apr 15, 2020, 6:42 am
#27
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: DFW
Posts: 270
All 7 of them.
All kidding aside the 1st row was blocked but for some reason on Saturday I checked and the next upgrade was put next to me. I moved, and on Sunday somebody else got upgraded and put next to me again. I asked at gate and got new coach seat. No beverage service but FA came by and asked if I wanted anything.
Apr 15, 2020, 7:24 am
#28
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
Apr 15, 2020, 12:23 pm
#29
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: DFW
Posts: 270
My guess would be the upgrade process hasn’t been tweaked yet. Pretty sure that stuff is on back burner for now.
Apr 15, 2020, 1:01 pm
#30
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
Will AA fill those 4 seats blocked in row 1 if there are enough upgrades to take them? Or is it a hard block and a 738 for example now flies with only 14 seats up front?