That's not true. I recently booked a ticket that involves AA, JL and CX and all flights are AA coded on aa.com. I was able to obtain three different PNRs, one for each operating carrier.

When I booked JAL through AA, I was able to select seats by phone with AA, but JAL had no record of any of them. I was still able to get aisles on all but one however. This was some time ago, and I don't think JAL even had online checkin yet. But I found that out of NRT, many local passengers did not book seats in advance and most were assigned at the airport. So upon checkin at HKG, you may have some luck.

I have booked JL seats as well through AA. I called AA to get the JL record locater, and went onto the JAL website to pick my seats. The seat assignments were confirmed. Try again?

Ah too late.

I had the same problem. I was holding an AA ticked for codeshare flight using JAL metal, and was not able to assign seat.
If you can see reservation on AA site, chances are you will be able to check in online. You have to initiate check in process on AA site and it will rediret you to JAL. You can do it 3 days in advance.

How do you do it 3 days in advance? I went to http://www.aa.com/checkin and pulled up the reservation with my PNR. No option for me to check in the JL operated codeshare flight at T-72. Do I have to wait till T-24 as it is AA coded?

You can see your reservation, right?
Another words, it doesn't throw you error messages or antying?

Also, isn't there a check in option at the page. So you start the process by pointing browser to check-in page and then typing in the info.

I am pretty sure thats what i did, so it just redirected me to Jal check in page.

There's no check-in option after I pulled up my reservation using the PNR.

And now it says I am already check-in!? The first flight is operated by CX and second one operated by JL. I did the OLCI for the CX flight on CX website. Let's see if it changes when it's T-24 for the JL flight. But when I clicked "View Boarding Pass", it gave me an error message...

No OLCI for JL codeshare flight either at T-24. Probably because the first flight is operated by CX and it is connecting to a JL operated codeshare.

There should be an option for online check-in.
If you are getting that you already checked in, then you probably have already done so. You should see your booking on JAL site then. do you have JAL record locator?

There's NO option for online check-in on aa.com. I have no clue how come aa website says I am already checked in. All I did was enter the info before OLCI opens. Can't load up the JL operated flights on JL website either. Only first flight operated by CX is displayed.

I hope AA doesn't automatically check in the remaining legs because I plan to change the seat assignment when more seats open up later. I hope AA and JL can sort out this mess. As least on CX website, I can assign seats and check-in on the CX operated legs.

try from Japanese site
http://www.americanairlines.jp/intl/jp/index_en.jsp

If you click check-in, you will be redirected to the US site.

I am convinced that because the first flight is operated by CX, my itinerary is ineligible for online check-in. If I am only flying on JL operated codeshare, I might be able to do it.

In October I flew AA from CDG-JFK and tried many times to use OLCI, particularly when I saw the length of the queues at CDG. However a very helpful lady then advised me that to use OLCI overseas you must have an American passport.

i think i managed to get through with that, just type in your info and see what happens.
Maybe I've missed it, but what if you just use CX page to check-in online? would it let you do it for all flights?

Nope couldn't check in on JL flight via CX. at HKG CX couldn't check in for the connecting flight either. Need to do that at the transit desk at NRT. JAL couldn't change the seat assignment at HKG either. It's a terrible experience booking on AA

agreed. I wasted hours of my vacation time trying to battle them so they would fulfil their obligation and make my seat resevable.

In the end they did find an error on my reservation page and corrected it. after that I was able to check in 3 days in advance.

I would recommend calling them, JAL, and CX, get RL for all flights and then try to see what can be done. Don't take their word for granted (especially AA), make sure information is same from all airlines. At first, they lied to me that I could not reserve a seat because ticket was purchased through 3rd party.

So now that I've found the reservation online, there aren't great seat options so I've selected a middle seat.

I then went to Experflyer to set an alert for an aisle seat, should one open up. Oddly enough, Expertflyer shows plenty of open seats.

Is this a glitch or is the JAL website limited to showing certain seats? Would I have any better luck calling JAL directly and inquiring?

Thanks!

I assume nothing has changed and that AA Codeshares booked in N class won't allow seat selection?

I do find it vaguely funny that AA claims they can't choose seats because it's on a JAL flight and on the JAL website it says clearly that they can't allow for the choosing of seats because the flight was booked as a codeshare through a partner airline. Truthfully, I'd almost pay money for just some peace of mind.

Thankfully (maybe), I am flying out to Tokyo on the 24th of December from LAX and can only hope that with the low odds of people flying on the 24th and 25th, maybe the plane won't be too full regardless...

That is correct. I had a HND-SFO flight and after reading through some previous posts about N fares on AA codeshare, I called both JAL and AA to confirm. I did have to talk to multiple people from both airlines before finally someone from AA gave me the definitive answer that you can't select seats with N ticket. First several calls it was AA saying I need to call JAL to assign me a seat so I can check in, then JAL saying only AA can assign me a seat since it's their ticket, then another AA rep saying she doesn't know why she can't pull up the seating chart.

Quite hilarious how misinformed even the reps are. Luckily during check-in at the airport they had plenty of aisle seats left.

Just booked 2 x F seats on JAL flight through AA and they let me choose seats when making the reservation. Not sure if that is considered a code share.

It is not considered a codeshare.

Award tickets from AA, at least in biz, let you pick your seat. But they let me OW ruby pick more than my wife -- OW nothing.

Though oddly on the ground at NRT, they have referred to my domestic flights after the international flight by AA codeshare #s despite it being listed on all documents by the JL flight #.

Seat assignment on JAL
 

We booked through AA and found out that our return flight from Narita is on JAL. We welcome the experience, but we are not able to book our seats in advance. I have called JAL and they say that we can get our seats when we check in 24 hrs before our flight. I really don't like this.

Has anyone been able to book seats in advance on JAL when you book through AA? This is our first experience booking on AA that part part of our flight is through a partner airline.

Thank you

Welcome to Flyertalk.

We have moved your question from the Japan destination forum to the proper airline forum.

/JDiver
Senior Moderator

Japan Airlines is known to block off certain seats for its own elites (eg JGC, Plat, etc) when it comes to advance seat selection.

Also, advance seat selection is not a guaranteed service for everybody but rather an extra perk for select revenue fare (eg. full-fare Economy) or status holders (Saphhire, JGC or plus) on Japan Airlines.

In short, advanced seat selection is probable but not guaranteed on Japan Airlines, depending on your ticket/status; however, you can always try to check in online T-24 and select your own seats then. By that time, the only seats blocked off would be airport-controlled seats and not possible to get other than in person at the airport check-in counter.

Other than that, Japan Airlines is known for its amazing hospitality and service on-board; safe travels and enjoy JL!!!

you need to get the JAL reservation number, and then you can get seats through JAL website. You have an American reservation number, but its not the same as the JAL one. If you call American, they can give you the JAL reservation number. I think you can get the JAL reservation code through the website too.

Once you have the JAL reservation code, you can look up reservation in the JAL website provided you have flight info, your name, etc etc....and then if there are seats, you can select one. AA has told me in the past it can't be done too, but I've been able to do it with a JAL reservation code.

There is no way to get your JAL PNR from your AA PNR as far as I am aware from either the JAL or AA websites.

You must call AA.

Backstory: Booked through AA, AA codeshare on JL metal, SGN-NRT.

So I have that error when I try to pull up my reservation on the JAL website where I enter my JL rez number and other info, and it shows my NRT-LAX flight on AA, but not my initial AA(JL) SGN-NRT flight. (This is my return trip, outbound and same issues).

AA was able to select seats for me in Row 50-something. Row 16 is currently showing on EF as open, but JL says those seats are blocked, and AA can't request them.

Does anyone know if I will be able to do OLCI T-24 hours from SGN? I really don't want to show up 3 hours before departure.

TIA.

You should be able to do OLCI but don't expect you can get row 16

Ah, thanks for answering my implied question :) I'll report back on whether I can OLCI.

Making the trip to SGN at 5am doesn't sound fun to me. I may bank on the fact that SS6 in Y is good enough to make me forget that I'm in the far-rear of the plane. I'm also facing a 1:30 connection, and I want to shower before my longhaul.

Decisions, decisions.

1.5 hrs is more than enough for shower. The key is you go to AC instead if there's a line at Sakura Lounge. Usually there's no wait at AC.

Enough for me... my wife is another story.

(Don't tell her I said that :D)

Has anyone done this recently? I have the JAL PNR and even the AA boarding passes in my hand, but I still can't select seat/check in online with JAL.

I had a very mixed itinerary recently with various legs.

AA codeshare operated by JL - AA selected seats for me (appropriate fare code)
JL flight operated by JL - Able to select myself at 72-hour check-in window (fare code didn't allow for earlier seat selection)
AA codeshare operated by JL - AA couldn't select seat. JL couldn't assign seat. Couldn't even do 72-hour check-in. Ended up with same day check-in and airport agent selected seats.

Only upside is that JL seems to release a small number of seats for online selection so that my last leg still ended with a very good selection, but had me stressing for quite awhile until that morning.

I don't want to be accused of cross-posting, but .... I have codeshares from ICN to NRT, then NRT to JFK (and return) on JL metal (or plastic, since one is a B787) but purchased with AA flight numbers. The aa.com said I had to get seats from JL; I called JL to be told I had to get seats from AA. Did this twice before asking for the JL reseervation number. Went to the JL website to find only my onward connecting flights (JFK-DCA and return on AA numbers and metal) were there, but nothing for the JL flights. Called JL in Seoul and Tokyo to be told neither would assign seats. Finally, a kind agent at AA was nice enough to get me seats (numbers in the 40s and 50s because JL has Premium Economy). Went back to the JL website, still nothing for the AA/JL codeshares, just the AA flights in the US. All is very strange. I understand I am only PLAT (oneworld Sapphire), but neither AA or JL seems to have this seating thing down for codeshares.

Got JAL reference number for seat assignment by calling AA.

All online methods failed
- ba.com
- checkmytrip.com
- virtuallythere.com
- aa.com
- jal.com

Once I had the JAL booking reference select seat was easy at
https://www.5931.jal.co.jp/rsvInter/LoginPageDisp.do

Update: I was finally able to, at least, see my entire itinerary on jal.com when I sign in on the Japan website (but not the US one) with the JL reservation number. The web address in the above posting does not work for me (maybe because I am in Korea ?). When I go to the reservation, I am told that I cannot select seats on jal.com because the ticketing was done by AA. Oh, well, I'm in seats 51K (a B777-300) and 48K (a B787-8) on my long-haul flights; wish I could do better, but AA telephone agent said only some seats were available for them to select from.

Question I have an S class ticket on a JAL operated flight sold as an AA codeshare. Last time I did this I had N class which meant seat assignment at T-72 does anyone know what the policy is for S class?

You should be able to assign seat once flight is confirmed.

Thank you I see a seat assignment in my confirmation now. I guess the final question is would an AA Plat qualify for an exit row with them?

Not all exit row seats. You will be able to select them online if you are eligible and seats are still open.