How do I get bulkhead seats ?
 

I will be on CO49 (BOM-EWR) soon and wanted to know how I can get row 16 seat on the 777-200ER. I am silver elite.
Tried calling the BOM customer service and they cannot assign the seats.

On my incoming CO 48 last month -- I could not get these seats either and there were no infants. Am wondering when they open up and how to get them?

You can select them during check-in which can be done up to 24 hours prior to departure.

Log on the night before you travel.... many "new" seats appear on the online available map!

Try calling the US elite desk until you get the answer you want. I've had bulkhead seats assigned well in advance of departure many times by getting the right rep on the phone ;)

FYI....you can still get bumped from these seats if they end up needing them for a bassinet or a passenger requiring special assistance. So, YMMV.

What qualifies as 'special needs'? Do you need a doctor's note, like you do for handicapped license plates? If not, I could see many ways to manipulate this and get bulkhead each time you travel...

It needs to be requested at the time of making your reservations. After that point, even if a res. agent does it for you prior to 24 hours, you run the risk of being bumped out of the seat for a legitimate handicapped pax, and then you could end up with a bathroom middle seat.

i always check in online T-24 and often get bulkhead availability...

Thanks everyone..I shall try T-24...I can understand that CO holds these seats for special needs people, but when its not needed, I think it should be offered to elite pax.

On my incoming CO48, these seats were blocked and finally on board when I asked the passengers how they managed to get those seats they mentioned that they had missed their flight the day before (due to weather) and were then offered the same flight next day. Really frustating...

I've chosen them several times, at 24 prior to flight. BUT- I only do so when there are a goodly number of decent seats available, as more than once I've been called to the podium a few minutes before boarding to be reassigned for elderly, wheelchair, baby, etc. I manage to keep it about 50% of the time.

With my odds, it is worth the shot if I know I can still get a decent seat if bh doesn't work out.

I understand that some of the bulkhead seats are reserved for specials. My question is, does a family travelling with an infant in their lap qualify them for the seats?

FWIW, Just this morning I booked a flight and 16L (GIG - IAH) on a 762 was open and I took it. This is for a flight in October. I also have a.flight in August that I booked a couple of weeks ago and was able to get the same seat (16L on a 762) going each way (IAH - GIG, GIG - IAH)...

AFAIK, 16L isn't a blocked seat, making it selectable at time of booking.

Not usually. I mean, one of the bulkheads in the 777 is reserved for bassinets (which must be requested in advance and are not guranteed), but flying with a baby who does not have a ticket is not "special." ...And I say this as the mom of a one-year old - I am not trying to flame or be mean or anything.

To the airline, the guy who flies 40 RTs a year with no baby is a lot more special.

that makes sense.. all 3 times I picked 16L it was the only seat in the row that was open at the time...

I got it!
 

I did manage to get the bulkhead seat on CO49. Called the US reservation and had it assigned. No questions asked

I am glad I took the trouble to get the seat as I had high fever and the 15 hr return flight is a torture. The extra bit of leg room made it somewhat better.

On a diff issue - I would not recommend the nonstop service to/from India.
Bad service/food/entertainment/seats. I would rather fly Jet Airways on my next trip to Bombay!