Jun 11, 2017, 8:32 am
Last edit by: garkman
Can Seats Be Preassigned?
If your flight is marketed as AA, but on JL metal (i.e. "AA 8499 Operated by Japan Airlines"), the following apply based upon the fare code or booking code for your flight segments:
If your flight is marketed as AA, but on JL metal (i.e. "AA 8499 Operated by Japan Airlines"), the following apply based upon the fare code or booking code for your flight segments:
N - Seats may only be selected at checkin/airport
O - Seats may only be selected at checkin/airport (Confirmed with AA 6/11/17)
Others - Probably can preassign, but please modify this wiki if not
AA Award tickets on JL metal - DO allow seat assignments.
**When inputting a flight number that is a single digit (such as flight 1 from HND-SFO), you must add a leading '0' (zero) when looking up your flight. Failure to do this will result in an error that they can't find your PNR.
If you try to call AA on these fares and select seats, even as an EXP, the agent will be unable to view the seatmap and select seats for you. Your reservation will simply display "--" as the seat selection. Oftentimes these codeshare tickets do not allow JL checkin at T-72 hours, so you may not be able to actually get seats until the airport. You can try online checkin with JL here: http://www.jal.co.jp/en/inter/boarding/quic/
You may find more information here:
Flights from US to Japan
Flights from US to Other Asian Destinations
==========
Info added on 15th Sept. 2019. As a one world Sapphire, you can select the following business class window seats
From row 5 on the 767, 787 and 772 (excludes rows 1-4 window seats)
From main cabin on the 777W (excludes whole of mini cabin)
As a non-status passenger (or Ruby member), you can only select the following business class window seats
From second row onward of second cabin on the 767, 787 and 772 (excludes all of the forward cabin window seats and first/exit row of main cabin)
From second row onward of main cabin on the 777W (excludes whole of mini cabin and first/exit row of main cabin)
As a OWE, you have unlimited access.
Info added on 15th Sept. 2019. As a one world Sapphire, you can select the following business class window seats
From row 5 on the 767, 787 and 772 (excludes rows 1-4 window seats)
From main cabin on the 777W (excludes whole of mini cabin)
As a non-status passenger (or Ruby member), you can only select the following business class window seats
From second row onward of second cabin on the 767, 787 and 772 (excludes all of the forward cabin window seats and first/exit row of main cabin)
From second row onward of main cabin on the 777W (excludes whole of mini cabin and first/exit row of main cabin)
As a OWE, you have unlimited access.
==========
Which Booking Code Am I In?
If you have not viewed your fare at booking, you can follow the below steps to check your booking code:
Which Booking Code Am I In?
If you have not viewed your fare at booking, you can follow the below steps to check your booking code:
- Visit AA.com and open your itinerary
- Visit the URL https://www.aa.com/reservation/print...raryReceipt.do
- Your booking code should appear for each flight
Selecting seats on JAL when booked as AA codeshare
May 29, 2019, 5:32 pm
#227
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,811
Thanks to a late rerouting, I just tried to change Biz seats on a JL flight tomorrow afternoon. (AA SAAver award, so I was lucky to get that, I guess.) I'm checked in and auto-assigned 7G. Only 3 other choices, including 1K and 3D; picking either of them as Plat got me "seat cannot be reserved". Really? Even a middle?
May 29, 2019, 6:24 pm
#228
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,153
Thanks to a late rerouting, I just tried to change Biz seats on a JL flight tomorrow afternoon. (AA SAAver award, so I was lucky to get that, I guess.) I'm checked in and auto-assigned 7G. Only 3 other choices, including 1K and 3D; picking either of them as Plat got me "seat cannot be reserved". Really? Even a middle?
Jul 27, 2019, 2:05 pm
#230
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: AA Ex-Plat, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 670
I booked on orbitz a flight from PHL-BOS-NRT. I think it’s an AA ticket but the flight from BOS-NRT shows JL 11. It’s booking code N. Even as a One World Sapphire is it true I can’t preselect seats for this? The flight is next April.
Jul 27, 2019, 2:59 pm
#231
Ambassador: Japan Airlines
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: JAL Mileage Bank, JMB Diamond, oneworld Emerald, Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 16,394
N class can’t pre-select seats in advance no matter what status you have, even when you aren’t traveling on AA codeshare
Aug 23, 2019, 7:58 am
#232
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT PRO
Posts: 34
I booked a flight on AA from LAX to SIN with the return leg being AA codeshare JL operated SIN-NRT-LAX. I got the JL record locator from AA CS and put in all the possible combination of flight details (JL flight # or AA flight #, etc.), but the error message kept showing up. I had to call AA CS for the seat selection in the end.
Not sure why it is so hard to do it online even though I have all the information needed. JL IT
Not sure why it is so hard to do it online even though I have all the information needed. JL IT
Sep 14, 2019, 1:23 pm
#233
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 30
I booked a flight on AA from LAX to SIN with the return leg being AA codeshare JL operated SIN-NRT-LAX. I got the JL record locator from AA CS and put in all the possible combination of flight details (JL flight # or AA flight #, etc.), but the error message kept showing up. I had to call AA CS for the seat selection in the end.
Not sure why it is so hard to do it online even though I have all the information needed. JL IT
Not sure why it is so hard to do it online even though I have all the information needed. JL IT
Sep 14, 2019, 2:03 pm
#234
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: CMI, ORD, NYC
Programs: AA Plat
Posts: 92
Sep 20, 2019, 3:51 am
#235
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SE ASIA
Programs: SQ KF GO, OZ GO, QR PC PLAT, TG ROP SL, LCAH SL, IHG SPIRE, Marriott BONVOY GO, HILTON GO
Posts: 641
Data point
Booked AA codeshare / JAL 005/033 (JFK-HND-BKK) in Y & called up AA's customer service no. in Asia
Was quite surprised that the call center is based in Malaysia so it was absolutely easy to talk to the agent & he did everything he could to help me select my seats
Since the flight is operated by another airline, the only extra legroom seats I could get (as OWE - higher status opens up more seat availability) were the bulkhead rows
The EmEx seats are blocked.
I used SeatGuru for seat map advice but found that the 772 aircraft maps (for HND-BKK) are not updated/correct so I referred to the JAL website instead
For JFK HND, SeatGuru 773 maps are correct.
I also have the JAL PNR but it doesn't work (it won't work) on the JAL website, I've confirmed that with the JAL customer service agent (they are based in HKG)
This thread was very helpful so thanks to all who contributed ^
Was quite surprised that the call center is based in Malaysia so it was absolutely easy to talk to the agent & he did everything he could to help me select my seats
Since the flight is operated by another airline, the only extra legroom seats I could get (as OWE - higher status opens up more seat availability) were the bulkhead rows
The EmEx seats are blocked.
I used SeatGuru for seat map advice but found that the 772 aircraft maps (for HND-BKK) are not updated/correct so I referred to the JAL website instead
For JFK HND, SeatGuru 773 maps are correct.
I also have the JAL PNR but it doesn't work (it won't work) on the JAL website, I've confirmed that with the JAL customer service agent (they are based in HKG)
This thread was very helpful so thanks to all who contributed ^
Sep 30, 2019, 8:04 pm
#237
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 93
This worked seamlessly for me yesterday:
1. Go to Qatar website. Click on Manage Booking. Enter your AA confirmation number.
2. Qatar website may error out. But despite that, on top of page, another confirmation number will show up. Let’s call this the OneWorld confirmation number.
3. Go to JAL website. Enter the OneWorld confirmation number. You should then be able to select your seats and meals.
1. Go to Qatar website. Click on Manage Booking. Enter your AA confirmation number.
2. Qatar website may error out. But despite that, on top of page, another confirmation number will show up. Let’s call this the OneWorld confirmation number.
3. Go to JAL website. Enter the OneWorld confirmation number. You should then be able to select your seats and meals.
Oct 5, 2019, 7:33 am
#238
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: DCA
Programs: AA Platinum, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 44
Just a data point / tip: If you have seat assignments on an AA codeshare of a JL flight and call AA to change them, there seems to be a bug. It will tell the agent the new seat is assigned but when they reload the reservation ... it actually didn't change. Fun!
A crafty agent today wouldn't take no for an answer and decided to un-assign the seat and then assign it and that worked. So do ask the agent to confirm the seat change actually worked and, if not, to try the un-assign/re-assign route. Lesson learned: Know exactly what exactly seats you want (with backups) before you call so you don't have to call again like I did
Final fun fact: I am able to use the Amadeus CheckMyTrip app to view the trip with the JL record locator (which I cannot do on the JL website, like many others). And it shows me new seats!
A crafty agent today wouldn't take no for an answer and decided to un-assign the seat and then assign it and that worked. So do ask the agent to confirm the seat change actually worked and, if not, to try the un-assign/re-assign route. Lesson learned: Know exactly what exactly seats you want (with backups) before you call so you don't have to call again like I did
Final fun fact: I am able to use the Amadeus CheckMyTrip app to view the trip with the JL record locator (which I cannot do on the JL website, like many others). And it shows me new seats!
Nov 5, 2019, 2:51 pm
#239
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: IAH, HOU
Programs: MileagePlus 1K, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Titanium/Lifetime Plat
Posts: 1,073
Selecting JAL seats when ticked booked with AA miles
Hello. Sorry if this was asked before. I bought an Award ticket using AA miles in business (SEA-NRT). It appears that even though the window seats are available if I were to purchase the full-fare J seat, these seats are actually blocked if I try to pre-select them. Does JAL block these for AAdvantage Awards? Thanks.
Nov 5, 2019, 5:03 pm
#240
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,153
Hello. Sorry if this was asked before. I bought an Award ticket using AA miles in business (SEA-NRT). It appears that even though the window seats are available if I were to purchase the full-fare J seat, these seats are actually blocked if I try to pre-select them. Does JAL block these for AAdvantage Awards? Thanks.