TAM - does AA Sapphire give me access to preferred/Space+ seats?
 

Just booked my first trip on TAM SCL-GRU-SCL. Client is only paying for economy, so I went online and it looks like TAM allows oneworld Sapphire and Emerald access to "preferred" seats. Is this true? Does it apply on all fares? My flights are "M" to GRU and "V" back.

Thanks!

Hi, unless the flight is full, at check in you'll be able to request one Espaço+ seat showing your Emerald card. This benefit is only for the card holder, so if you are not alone, your companion won't get it for free. You are lucky: TAM has started to comply with this Oneworld benefit just yesterday!

The odd thing is the lacking of Sapphire benefit - at Oneworld website it's very clear that this benefit is up to emerald and sapphire. But I think TAM doesn't think the same...

Thanks for the reply! We actually both got bulkhead/Espaço+ seats in both directions, and even got to move back to the exit row on the A320. I figured on the way out it was because I know so many of the agents at the LAN/TAM Check-In Preferente desk in SCL, but they were very obliging in GRU, too, so it looks like they are respecting oneworld status.

TAM is denying me, AA EXP, bulkhead seating on a MVD-GRU flight.... They're asking me to pay for the seat. When I was at the counter, the entire bulkhead row was unoccupied (she turned the screen around). Just boarded the plane, now it's full.

I showed them my card, I told them emeralds should have access to preferred seating, and she said I was wrong. Am I wrong? Anything I can do after the fact?

They were not denying you a bulkhead seat, merely wanting to charge you for it. :)
Even their own Black Card holders does not seem to have completely free access to these seats "Preferential check-in for pre-booking seats with full availability, regardless of the fare profile (except for Space +)."
http://www.tam.com.br/b2c/vgn/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=7f291e3780513210VgnVCM1000000b 61990aRCRD

Anything you can do after the fact? Absolutely nothing!

With my three longhaul flights with TAM, I select to all Space+ seats in their GRU office without charge.They told that if there will be demand my seat could be changed but that did not happened. As a bonus I got Gate upgrade to Premium B on my last flight to FRA. LAN gave me exit row seat(longhaul) in the airport at check-in. And I am only AA EXP :)