lazy_flyer

Hello LAN experts. I am curious about seat selection on LAN 801 (SCL-AKL). We are halfway through our trip and flying home next week LIM-SCL-AKL-CHC (in economy) and I am trying to choose seats (the focus is on the SCL-AKL leg as it's 12 hours). I have tried four methods: Lan.com, Lan ticket office in Lima, Call Centre and Priceline (they booked the tickets). All the Lan sources tell me that seat selection is only available at check-in, which starts 48 hours prior to departure (priceline told me only upon check-in at the airport). That's annoying, but if that's the policy then I'm happy to get there early to have the best selection. However, I can see on Expert Flyer that around 80% of the seats in economy are labelled as "occupied". So clearly most people have been able to choose a seat.

So my question to you all is, what do you think is at play here? Is it:

• Passengers who book directly with LAN get seat selection, others don't
• Passengers who book with Priceline don't get seat selection
• Passengers who pay more for their tickets get seat selection (this one is unlikely as we paid well above what we'd usually pay for the same flight, even given it's the peak time of the year. For that price, I'd expect to be able to choose some seats in advance)
• We have no OW status anymore, and 80% of the flight does have status and this is why they can select their seats

Or any other reason?

If anyone has any tips or tricks, I'm very keen to hear

Thanks!

bingocallerb22

Hi. None of the options you suspect above are true. And what you were told is true, generally seat selection at T-48.

Just because you didn't get to select a seat does not mean you were not assigned a seat, generally they put me in last row, middle.

Ah, if it was only that simple. Seat selection can also be affected by fare class and elite status and codeshare and... We might need a FAQ on this... anyone?

lazy_flyer

Thanks bingocallerb22. Yes, you're right that I didn't consider that we may have been assigned seats without getting to select them. However, I would have expected that I would see which seats we have been assigned (hopefully not last row, 2 middles in row of 4!)

I'll try my luck at T-48 and see what happens.

Cheers

zpaul

Fare is the key - LAN offers four different economy fares: Base, Base Plus, Flexible, and Full Flexible; Base fares do not allow for advance seat selection. LAN allows its Comodoro (emerald) elites to reserve seats on any fare, but does not extend that benefit to elite members of other oneworld airlines.

LAN also "reserves" many preferred seats for elites and these open up at the airport. Be sure to check-in at T-48, but be sure to ask about available seats at the airport. IIRC, LAN also does not allow for the exit rows the be reserved, so if you get to the airport early enough you might be able to snag one of those.

Have a great trip!

lazy_flyer

Thanks zpaul, interesting info, as I booked through priceline I am not sure which fare class I bought, but they seemed expensive! Will try our luck at both T-48 (we can only "pre-check-in", rather than "check-in") and again at the airport.

Cheers

bingocallerb22

And “at the airport” doesn't always mean T-3 hours. Many people wisely arrive in the city the day before the international flight, if so, pop over to checkin then, better choice of seats, get the paperwork done and boarding pass. I've done it T-44. At some stations you can also drop your bag off then too, making the next day pretty seamless.

lazy_flyer

We are now in the T-48 window, but now I get (upon trying to check-in) "This booking’s passengers do not have sufficient information to check-in. To continue, please get in touch with our Contact Center." I tried this but they didn't answer the phone within about 20 mins so I ran out of patience. Looks like another trip down to the Jose Pardo office for me this morning.

I like the idea of going to the airport, but I don't think I can justify the hassle/time to make a special trip there (it would be great if already flying in from another city).

bingocallerb22

Snagging a good seat in Y for a 12 hour flight - priceless.

og

LA seat allocation is only aspirational. If you can get the web site to hold your selected seats, there is a 99% chance that these will be different when you check in. Now JJ on the other hand seems perfectly able to let you allocate seats on booking and these stay yours for the flight.

postular

Out of countless flights I can not recall one instance where LAN changed my pre-reserved seat

bingocallerb22

The world of seat selection, she's a changing... and improving. Looks like they are finally implementing some changes in seat selection (at least for the Peru and Colombia domestics and internationals I tested).

I was just able to pre-select preferred seats on an award tix (previously prohibited) at T minus a couple of weeks.

Reward flight Lan Colombia and Lan Peru A319/A320: Able to select gold seats (1ABC) weeks ahead.
As well, as we suspected they were planning, looks like they have now activated pay for preferred seat selection (rows 2-4). $5.90 usd. Of course, some Elites still have free preferred seat selection.
The new codes Lan Colombia and Lan Peru A319/A320 are:
Gold = Asiento exclusivo por categoría Emerald (Row 1 seats ABC and K. Sometimes 2C)
Blank =Asiento disponible
Blue = Asiento exclusivo por categoría Emerald sin costo, otherwise $5.90 Rows 2-4
X'd out = Asiento no disponible

Unable to preselect seats on any X (Base) fare, of course.

As they recently announced, I was able to select a gold preferred seat for international flight (MIA-LIM 767) T award tix in Y. 13AC and 24ACD (except exit row 24 selection the “I meet the criteria” buttom failed).

Other International flight MIA-BOG 767, of course able to select revenue J seats weeks ahead, no preferred gold seats... because it is J.

Bottom line, go to your My Trips, Ver detalle y otros servicios [+], Selección de asiento and see what is now possible (and report back?).

EDIflyer

Hi folks

T class Avios redemption booking for GIG-SCL for a few months time - I've got the LAN record locator from CMT and the LAN website shows the correct flight information but when I go to select seats it just shows a spinning circle. Tried FF, IE, Chrome - all the same. Is this due to a website issue or is it because I can't select them with this fare type? (if the latter then it would seem more sensible to throw up an error to that effect rather than just leave a big spinning icon onscreen ). Currently allocated right at the back of the plane so it would be nice to try and move a bit further forward!

postular

Ironic that as Comodoro I can select preferred seats on A320s but not on international J flights. What gives with that?

bingocallerb22

Hi EDIflyer. No, LAN T fares (economy award) didn't used to allow seat selection until T-48, probably still doesn't. Except just recently for LAN Comodoros but things seem to be achanging. Although I think you are Emerald (BA G?) they don't extend this to other OneWorld. But who knows if you call in.

They have sort of solved the spinning wheel problem for LAN flights, LAN tix, it does sometimes inform you the fare class does not allow it, but I don't think it has been solved for other tix. But for sure, major frustration to watch the wheel spin. Silly on them.

bingocallerb22

I've never seen the “gold seat” option in J, but others may have? For me, all J seats are pretty much equally nice, what would be a preferred seat? ... one on the other side of the plane from JohnnyC?