Exit Row Assignments
 

Yesterday I was told by whichever agent answered the Plat line that exit row seats can only be assigned at the airport on day of departure. Even for Plats. Even if exit row qualified. Even for full Y fares (not that that's ever mattered) What's up with that?

"Enhanced Seating"

I get that answer about half the time... just hang up and call back http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

ditto. if at first (or second, or third, or fourth) you don't succeed....you know the tune. an efficient use of your time, no?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif smiles everyone, smiles.

Flying SAT-LGW this week I was assigned exit row both ways on the domestic flights. They did it without a call.

Unfortunately, that too works only half the time for me. Another way is to go to the nearest CTO where they will look you up and down and assign whichever seat your heart desires (if you're elite).

After I got the same answer, along with a real bad attitude, I called 1-800-We Could NOT Care Less.

The Manager who answered my call told me that the ONLY change to the policy was that the elite member was to be told that the seat assignment may be rescinded if the member truned out to be unqualified for exit row seating.

He then assigned me 12A for my 850 Mile Jungle Jet flight. I thanked him and asked him to re-educate the reservations supervisors.

In the past two months I have been told four or five times by "elite" agents that it IS a new policy. Only one agent allowed an exit row assignment--in large part due to my simply asking for the row number, which I know to be the exit row.

Just before typing this thread, I employed the "call back and try again theory," as I've been a faithful believer in this. It usually works, but...

I called the platinum line five times in the last 30 minutes to no avail--airport check-in only. Zero for five. Last year, probably had 90 percent success on the first call.

Tried local Guam line as well, James informed me of a stricter enforcement, of airport check-in only.

It is possible to get an exit row seat, but much more difficult since the recent policy change-again four or five agents have explicitly said that they can "no longer" do this. There has been a change, although it is not hermetic. Call back theory works but not as well as it did.

It is another CO "enhancement" that I will not miss on my last CO flight in the near future. Why AA is willing to not only put me in an exit row at anytime, as a Platinum, but supposedly AA blocks the seat right next to me, unless a Plat or EPlat requests it. I can even pick out the dang exit row from the online seat map.

JL2

sounds to me like the "policy" is what the 800-we-could-give-a-rats-rear agent said, but the "official policy" is what ever the individual agent decides it is. great way to run an airline!

Sure it isn't a 737? Row 12 in most of those is an exit row with restricted recline... a nightmare!

Just to add to the ridiculously humorous aspect of this topic...

Initially, as I mentioned earlier, I was told that no exit row seats can be assigned other than at the airport ever, period.

The next day I called the fake Plat line again, and, without discussion or protest, got 1A on the first RJ flight of my trip. However, the agent, for some reason, was not able or willing to give me 1A on the SECOND RF leg, even though it was open. Same plane. Same route. Different day. YA3 fare. 4-year Plat passenger - me.

I'll keep you posted on the humorous inconsistency. This seems to be rather a joke.

Okay another update.

Just called the fake Plat line again. Asked, very nicely, to get assigned to 1A. Was told that I couldn't because IT WAS ALREADY ASSIGNED! So then I mentioned that I had been trying to get that assignment for 3 days and was told that it could not be assigned except day of dep at the airport, but that now, all of a sudden, it has, in fact been assigned. Answer..."good point, you got me.". I then asked why, if that is the policy, I was able to be assigned 1A on my other RJ leg the next day. Answer, "again, you got me". So the agent put a note in the record that I want 1A.

What managerial incompetence. Man, they must have laid off all the knowledgeable people.

Recently flew to Houston this week and was issued my seat assignments at check-in. I was automatically given exit row seats on 2 of my 4 flights which was great. The other time I got a window and an upgrade.

-Shane

In feb. an agent at a CTO wanted my wife to personally accompany me for our exit row assignment so that she could make sure that my wife was exit-row compliant. She had to take an extended lunch hour since there seemed to be no other way and I didn't want to get to the airport hours earlier and be told that the seats were already assigned to someone else (really, thats how inconsistent there policy seems to be). Transcon on a 73G isn't a very pleasent experience anyway.

Eventually we both ended up getting our elite upgrades http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

AMEN

but exit row do make a difference. i like them about as much as first class seats. And, in many cases, they have more leg room than first class seats (particularly vis-a-vis bulk head first class chairs).

and, i bring my own food anyway so that isn't an issue. no airline in the world can feed me better than i can feed myself and i don't expect that.

[This message has been edited by fly co to see the yanks (edited 06-06-2002).]