JMJANOD

I have just spent 20 minutes on the phone with 6 differents attendants boucing me back from LATAM to TAM central Reservations for.... changing my seat assignment. I was not able to do it, and was even informed I would be charged for it while I had already paid for a Confort + Seat. I anticípate the flight back from Sao Paulo to Mexico will be as bad the incoming one: Old 767 aircraft, with outdated entertainment platform, earphone plug outlet with 2 plugs (as old as walkman...), Power outlet not working, small overhead bin for a 9h50mn flight. This is a JOKE. I do not recommend anyone to choose TAM or LATAM on this route: the worst experience you can expect.

MfromL

Some corrections: TAM does not exist anymore, its either LATAM Chile or LATAM Brazil (or Peru, Argentina, etc.). Different codes (LA and JJ) but same company now. LA 767 are an acquired taste, some people love them, some hate them. One thing they are best, or at least for passengers confort, is in seat density (2-3-2 for Y) that beats the 787s and 350s (3-3-3). They are, sadly, being fased out, and will eventually retire.

wylek

I'm having similar difficulties with seat selection for 2 LATAM Chile flights that are part of a reservation with American. American and LATAM keep passing me off to the other one, claiming that the other has to make the seat selection. Despite having Oneworld status that qualifies me to select a seat in advance, I just gave up and am hoping I can pick a seat when checking in.

dc10forlife

You may have already tried this. Ask AA for the LATAM record locator number. Then go to the latam web site, select my trips, enter the latam record locator, then you should be able to choose your seats. Good luck.

wylek

That's a great, logical suggestion and exactly what I tried, but this is where it gets really weird (and where I gave up). AA claims to not have a LATAM record locator at all for the two LA-operated flights. Then when I contact LATAM with the ticket number and flight information, they give me a record locator that doesn't work on their website. When I try to open it, I get the message: "The time limit for completing your reservation has been reached. Please begin the purchase process again."

When I sent that error message to LATAM, they replied that "this is due to the reservation is encrypted. You can provide the reservation code to AA in order to ask for the seat assignment." So I called AA back and provided the LATAM record locator... they said it was invalid. I then asked the AAgent to try selecting seats for me again on the LATAM flights just using the AA record. They could open the seat selection, but the choices would not save. No error or anything, but the seats immediately drop when saving. Perhaps it is an IT issue between AA and LATAM.

ttuna3

LATAM is notorious for the Customer "Service" issues, even to their own elite FFs. If the phone reps can't get it right after a reasonable (I usually give them a couple of calls) then I usually put a nasty post on Facebook (any of the social media sites should work as well) and I almost always get something back from the social media team in an hour or so and a resolution within a business day or so. This is even when the issue is with the Back Orifice who can take months to even get around to acknowledging an issue. It looks like you're dealing with an IT issue which means that somebody is likely to have to deal with the Back Orifice to get things fixed.

BTW OP Welcome to FlyerTalk and the LATAM forum!

Of course it's LATAM so YMMV!

dkc192

Weird. I've called the US contact center for seat assignments on a variety of tickets involving LA/JJ flights--AA-issued awards, CX-issued awards, paid domestic sectors issued by LA--and so far I've been pleased with the agents' competence and service. I just give them the relevant LA/JJ record locators and they are able to assign seats or modify seat selections right away, without any of the bouncing back and forth. The one time I called the LA contact center (even though LA and JJ have different US numbers I believe they all go to the LA contact center) for a JJ flight, they transferred me once to a JJ agent, who was quickly able to assign my seats.

broland

I've never had problems with record locators on tickets issued by LATAM to fly with a OW partner, which is, indeed, a miracle.

FairDinkumMate

OK, you need to take a breath, ready yourself, do a little meditation & yoga & then try to deal with Latam!

You have to understand that whilst they have one name - LATAM, you are effectively still dealing with TWO almost totally separate airlines, being LAN (Latam Chile) & TAM (Latam Brasil). You don't identify your location, but I assume that you are outside of Brazil. I would guess that the flights you are referring to are JJ8112 & JJ8113 which are Latam Brasil (TAM) operated flights. The reason you are having trouble when calling is that you are getting LAN staff that use an Amadeus system, but the flight is operated by TAM who use a SABRE system. They will struggle to get your booking up (using the e-ticket number usually covers this) and even when they do, what they can do in the other system is limited.

The EASY answer is to call the Brazilian Latam number & choose the Portuguese language option. This is the ONLY way to get TAM staff on the phone. As soon as you choose Spanish or English, you get diverted to LAN staff who are on the wrong booking system!

If you don't speak Portuguese, I would suggest that it is still better to keep choosing the Portuguese language option & trying in English until you get someone from TAM that understands you than it is to get a LAN staff member that knows enough about Amadeus & Sabre to allocate you a seat!

dkc192

Isn't legacy LAN on Sabre while legacy TAM is on Amadeus?

Mauibaby2008

FairDinkumMate

Yep, you're right. I switched it around when i wrote it!

Latam Brasil (Tam) have PNR's with letters & numbers (Amadeus)

Latam Chile (Lan) have PNR's with letters only (Sabre)

broland

They've already migrated the system - all is Sabre now. From May on, JJ flights will no longer exist, giving way to LA (except for the Brazil - USA flights).

checkerboard

And this "exception boggles the mind. Can't imagine how keeping just a few flights under JJ code makes sense, when all others are marketed as LA.

Any guess as to the reason?

broland

None whatsoever!