Select seating gone?
 

Just made a reservation for NCL > BCN > NCL in July. It's L class. Yes, a cheap ticket. I was surprised to find out that I couldn't get anything before row 9 on the two NCL-AMS sectors, even as a PE. I've been flying this route for several years both as a RW and PE, but I'd never experienced this. I was told by two elete helpdesk agents that select seating is now available on longhaul flights only.

I'm seriously considering shifting all my business to BA or someone else.

This is not correct on the NCL>AMS route. I have just reserved 2C on two trips

<deleted - misread the original post>


[This message has been edited by Dambus (edited 06-12-2003).]

Hi Steve,

Is yours booking class L? And are your flights towards the end of July?

My wife is a GE and she also has the same problem for her trip in July on NCL > AMS.

I also have an S class ticket between NCL and AMS at the end of July (this is for a business trip, hence the full fare), and had no problem getting 2C.

They are changing flight numbers on this route. I wonder this may have something to do with the change.

I've also noticed that the LHR-AMS 738s now (whenever I've flown since the beginning of the month) have Select occupying the front 10 rows. Before Select, when it was plain old C, you rarely saw more than 4 in front of the curtain, leaving élites to get the rest... Which I usually did. Always nice to travel in a C seat on a £70 ticket. Maybe this is to disappear...


[This message has been edited by stut (edited 06-12-2003).]

The ticket I just reserved my seats on is actually Q, which is mega low internet offer.

Elite helpdesk told me that Cityhopper would not be a problem on reserved seats for elite members but only intra european from AMS.

They told me you can only get a seat confirmed on intra european at the check in, so first come first served.

I missed my connection last week in AMS and got a seat allocated for the next flight some 20m hours later.

Again it is mis-information and the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.

Try the UK sales office number and see what they can do as they are usually pretty helpful

I experienced this when flying EDI-WAW. Cityhopper you can choose any seat with Elite status, but other intra-European flights you can't. Try checking in for the AMS-BCN flight in Newcastle http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif I was told it's because they don't know where the curtain is going to be, so they can't assign you a seat. However, they did say that you automatically get a seat assigned to the front with Elite status –in my experience this doesn't happen...

Thanks all for your advice. I really don't care where I sit on NCL > AMS since it's that awful seat anyway. But it makes a difference when you have a tight connection at AMS. Anyway, I'll call the UK number.

I did call the UK office, and was told with L class I can only get a seat as front as row 9. So, the conclusion is that as far as L class goes, select seating is gone. So, another benefit is gone for PEs without having been told.

Actually, thinking about it...

The front cabin has a number of rows with a movable curtain.

Previously, the front cabin would be filled with business class passengers, and topped up with élites behind the curtain.

But now, it will be filled with both business class and full-fare economy passengers, under the banner of Europe Select. That's more people (desertions notwithstanding), so less room for élites.

To give them their due, though, since that's been the case, I've always had an exit row seat assigned automatically...

Stut,

NCL<>AMS flights are all single class. I'm not talking about AMS<>BCN.

They usually do know where the curtain will be a few days out. By checking a seat map online (try http://www.cs.haifa.ac.il/~shuly/flight.html ) you can ascertain the position of the curtain.

It usually works out of AMS. I automatically got 6A (still a C class seat) two days ago, on a L fare.

johan

Update of the seating situation between NCL-AMS. I had to make another reservation and called the KLM reservation and asked about my reservation at the end of July. I managed to get my usual seat with an L class ticket on my way out from NCL. All seats before row 8 are blocked on the return flight to NCL. Mmmm...