Reserving seats on EK useless?
 

I just traveled MEL-DXB-ZRH and return. NONE of my pre-reserved seats were honored on any of the flight segments. Is that common on EK?

I made seat reservations through the Emirates web site. I am UA FF (not Skywards).

That is very uncommon. At least in my experience, I've always had the seat I'd preselected, unless I asked for and received an alternative seat. And this was with no status on EK, and many a time bulkhead seats.

Did you select bulkhead seats? If so they may have moved you to make way for a pax travelling with infant so they could have the bassinet. I notice that when you go to select these seats online a message is displayed warning you that they may move you if a pax with infant needs the seat.

Otherwise, I find it highly unusual they would move you. It's never happened to me, although I have always had Skywards membership when selecting seats.

Did you use OLCI?

Skywards Blue, flown 4-8 flights a year the past 3 years and never had a pre-assigned seat changed, all done online usually.

Did u request seat through UA or did u use EK online check in and seat selection? If u used EK then u usually get what seat u select. If u used UA there is no gurantee.

Just to add to the discussion, any seat I've pre-reserved has been honoured with Emirates when I've gone to check-in online 24 hours before departure.

But having that online option does give you a chance to re-select or confirm your existing selection.

One reason for a change of seat would be change of guage. For instance, if at the time of booking you were on a 777-300ER and the flight is now operating by an A340-500, the seat map is going to be different. Sometimes 2 class aircraft are used as well which means that there are different seat numbers available than on a three class plane of the same type or vice versa. In general, if you book well in advance it is best to periodically check your flight to ensure that the aircraft type and cabin layout is the same as when you booked it.