Lost seat assignment in J
 

All was set for tomorrow's flight to SIN, 7A/B allocated.

At T-26hrs, 7A became 7D, and 7A was no longer available. (Checked in for one of us already as it's a connecting flight).

EK agent claims 'equipment swap' (yeah right this is 77W since ever, and it's the same configuration anyway). Despite showing F4 A3 J7 C7 I7 O0 P0 Y9 E9 R9 W9 M9 B9 U9 K9 H0 Q0 L0 T0 V0 X0, it's 'a full flight sir'.

So are we in a op'up situation here? How could this happen?!

I know seat assignments are not guaranteed but this is the first time ever that I find a seat assignment gets shifted overnight!

Ooh and the agent insists: ALL of row 6 is already occupied/booked. I thought this was only possible at check in.

Could be because someone important wanted the seat. (I/O????). Someone I know was moved from his F seat because of something similar.

Unlikely to be an op up IMHO.

Ok so just realised this was 73M and today changed to 73N A6-EBQ (so no digital WS ICE :P )

Still does this thing call for seat reshuffle? And why wasn't I reseated if that's the case?

I suppose we'll find out tomorrow..

those numbers are such a red herring.

It may be well oversold in Y.

Let us know...

The F seat move you describe is an absolutely disgraceful thing to do.

Lost seat assignment in J
 

They are normally pretty good at not shifting people for an IO unlike BA who do shift people for premier card holders.

I'm now in 6J/K, after both check in and lounge agents couldn't do anything about Mr 7A who didn't bother to show up at the lounge. A nice lunge agent I spoke withater on told me 6JK are both available but cannot be allocated as the flight has already closed.

Not sure why the check in lady didn't bother with that and tried to send us to 11EF.

Ooh just discovered it's a Ms in 7A. She was next to us at the check in counter!!

Must have been an IO or spouse of an IO, requesting seats that have been assigned is possible.

Lost seat assignment in J
 

I don't think it is EK policy to shift people from their seats for IO's nor should it be. Would be good to know EK's excuse. Seems poor to me.

Yes, it would indeed be very interesting to know the excuse.

From the time Emirates was first established, they were always determined to be seen as a professional operation, one that would steer well clear of this sort of tacky practice - ie messing 'normal passengers' around in order to please a particular individual deemed to be more 'important'.

Way back in the very early days of Gulf Air, fare-paying, fully-confirmed pax would frequently be re-routed or even denied boarding so that one or other of the minor royals + hangers-on (ie those not quite senior enough to make use of the private fleet) could be flown at short notice on a shopping spree. Eventually GF sensed that they were becoming something of a laughing stock in the business world, and realised this had to stop once & for all.

We don't know the full facts in this case and my analogy may or may not be relevant ; but shifting folk from their booked seat can be a dangerous game to play in terms of the wider damage that results from the affected passenger relating his/her unwelcome experience to other EK customers - AND potential customers ........

Another reason why it would be nice of EK to interact with us here on FT.