bnw2005

Why is it so difficult to get seat assignments on IB. Always need to call. Also got a seat assignment for flight MAD to FCO in August 2016 found out wrong seats as both were windows in business need to sit with my partner. Told on phone could not change. Strange. Can someone enlighten me on the IB system. Never flown IB before.

BA6501

Try www.rj.com

tt7

Insane, totally insane.

We're in Madrid, flying to London tomorrow (as part of a RTW ticket). The IB website would not let me do seat assignments -- but shortly after the tickets were issued, it 'randomly' assigned us 2F (a window) and 7C (an aisle). The business cabin was more or less empty except for us. We're both in the same PNR.

I tried getting the AA EXP (top tier) desk to change the seat assignments and although they thought they had done it, it evidently didn't stick, as we're still in 2F/7C.

I just went to check in - and it lets me change my seat. However, there is no way to get it to stick - no 'confirm' buttom, no 'save' button and as soon as you continue, it puts me back in 7C again.

In desperation (yes, first-world problem, I know) I came here looking for help. Royal Jordanian? OK, we'll give it a go. Pull up the itinerary. It shows the whole itinerary, including seat assignments. When I click on mine, it opens up a seat selection tool - but everything is greyed out and I can't change the seat. However, there's also a 'modify' button for the entire itinerary so click on that. It gives me a seat map and does allow me to change my seat. However, when I click on save, it throws an error message saying 'At least one of your specific seat requests could not be processed (4631)'. The itinerary does however now show it as changed.

Go back to the Iberia site, in the hope it may have worked. Iberia says we're checked in. We are? Didn't think we'd got that far. Try to change the seat, before (re)-sending the boarding passes. We're still in our original seats ----- though the seat map on the IB site now says the seat next to my wife is occupied (presumably by me!).

We're long-time AA/oneworld fliers. We're in Madrid, going to London so had the choice of BA or IB. I've never, ever flown IB so figured we should go IB (particularly as we're in Madrid). Never again.

LupineChemist

Honestly, the issue is only this crazy between AA and IB.

Also, the reason you should go on BA to LHR from MAD is that BA leaves from T4S in Madrid and gives you access to the non-Schengen lounge which is much nicer.

tt7

Not sure I understand the AA/IB bit - are you saying this issue only occurs for AA-issued tickets (which ours are)? [Some SABRE vs Amadeus issue?]

As for IB vs. BA, now you tell me! . I'd only just figured out that we leave from T4 and not T4S (even though it's a flight to a non-Schengen country) which I figured was good as you presumably don't have to get from T4 to T4S .... but obviously not so good, if as you say, the non-Schengen lounge is much better.

Yllanes

Yes, AA-issued tickets always give some sort of trouble (although, in my experience, things have worked at online check in time). If you have a mixed IB-AA itinerary it is normally better to book the tickets through IB, as then seat selection on the AA segments still works (you can find the AA record locator through classic.checkmytrip.com, for instance).

DELLAS

Its an IB IT issue. Today I was trying to assign seats all on an IB booking no codeshares etc... I kept getting an error. I had to call IB to get seats done although I have to say the agent was very friendly and efficient.

LupineChemist

As I understand it, AA tickets on IB don't go through either system and therein lies the problem. I don't know too much on the technical details side, but those tickets never work well until check-in time.

tt7

It's a very 'mixed' itinerary as it's a RTW ticket that has AY, IB, AA, QF, CX and JL. They all work fine, except for IB. As an AA flier, I prefer it to be an AA ticket if possible.

We got it sorted at the airport - agent was likewise very friendly and helpful. He couldn't put me next to Mrs. tt7 as that seat was taken. I told him that was probably me and how I'd changed it on the RJ website, so he got on the phone and got it sorted (and acknowledged that there were seat assignment issues).

My thanks to all for your input and assistance. Now in the Dali lounge in T4. We were here early (7 am, Sunday) so lounge was fairly quiet but it's now getting busier. It seems fairly spacious but I can imagine it gets very busy at peak times .... like the AY Schengen lounge at Vantaa, which is much less spacious and was packed again when we there last Tuesday afternoon.

TPJ

IMHO Qatar Airways web site works better than rj.com for seat assignment.

iberia.com sucks.

DELLAS

I actually tried QR website for my seats and it came up with a message saying my booking could not be found yet right after went to BA.COM and its there.